Percussion Gun

Anybody ever use one of those massage percussion guns?

I get a lot of lower back muscle spasms every time I workout that may be left over from all the damn sit ups we did in the Army. I'm wondering if one of these percussion guns might be worth purchasing. I thought I messed my back up but two different VA docs couldn't believe how tight my back muscles were.

Anyways, just wondering if any of you have used or own one and if you think it was worth the cost.

 

I use one a few times a day after a hard workout. They help work the lactic acid out of the muscle so that soreness resolves more quickly.

I doubt that it would do anything for you if your pain is from a pinched or otherwise aggrevated nerve, but someone else may know more than I do.

I don't know anything about your particular situation, but I had persistent back pain for about 12 years. It turns out mine was all caused by poor hip mobility. (tight glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, etc.) It was made worse because my right side had much less range of motion than the left.

Unbalanced and limited joint mobility is often the root cause of many persistent aches, pains and injuries.

 

A few years ago when I was getting ready for a deadlift only meet I used one once. It was interesting but not sure if I would purchase one. If you have nerve pain I probably wouldn’t go that route. Instead you may need spinal traction. There are many different ways to accomplish this but in my opinion the Big Ray strap from Spud inc is the best. Hang upside down during warmups or between sets. Even after the workout or anytime you feel like it. The next best and probably most expensive option is a reverse hyper. I just got my Rogue Z hyper a few months ago and it’s awesome!! Takes up a bunch of space and is pretty spendy so not an option for everyone.

There is a cheaper option of that theragun or whatever it’s called and it goes into the end of a reciprocating saw. Pretty sure you can find it on Amazon. Just be careful.

Another option I use when my back decides it doesn’t want to play nice is CBD cream. That stuff is awesome on elbows also.

 

We own one. Use it nightly and after workouts. We love it.

 

I'm thinking you are on to something with the mobility - thank you.

I'm not a big time lifter - I have a little screened-in side porch gym that I built way before Covid. I have a full cage, a nice Rogue bar, a rickshaw and a few other things. I exercise to try to keep my cardiovascular system in decent shape to stay off of chemo. The Army gave me a blood condition and my VA Oncologist keeps saying chemo is in my future when my cardiovascular system starts to fade. So it's basically no drinking, no smoking, and exercise when my body will let me. Hard to do when my back tightens up.

That Rogue Z hyper looks cool but I'd have to give it it's own room - that thing is huge. Thanks for pointing me in the direction of the Big Ray strap and the CBD cream. I think I'll save some money and head that way first.

 

My son is a collegiate pitcher and he uses a Theragun with good results. It was not cheap but it is the best.

https://www.theragun.com/us/en-us/prime-us.html

 

No problem. That Z is even bigger then it looks haha. I have a plan to try and get the GHD add on kit for it so I can combine both and sell my rogue GHD.
Backs are a complex animal when it comes to pain. Mine is Degenerative disc something another. Sometimes when it’s cold I can barely stand. I used to alternate Tylenol and Motrin like crazy.
A friend of mine started looking into the cbd stuff and tried it out before giving to his son when he was going through chemo. I bought some and loved it.I used to think it was all hype and IG influencer BS. Not any more. The brand we use is Pure Spectrum. They have a military/veteran discount and third party tested for 0% THC. I don’t have any affiliation with them other then supporting them by buying.
I don’t know how the big Ray strap would help during spasms but if tight/soar or pinched nerve type of pain it’s awesome. Just hang it from the pullup bar in your rack.

 

The cool thing with those are the different sized tips. I can’t remember which one my coach had but it loosened up my back really good. Then the seat heater on the way home had me feeling good for a while.

 

I just got a hypervolt yesterday and absolutely love it! I use it to get my blood flowing before workouts and to help with knots, aches,etc. My son got it for me but I would have paid the$300 myself had he not. I have a bad shoulder and use it on there, seems to help before and after workouts.

 

Thanks - I saw a Theragun on Costco.com and that's what made me think about it (that and the back pain). I'm going to try to figure out if it's more of a mobility issue and if that doesn't work, I'll make the leap to a Theragun.

 

A massage gun is an adjunct for relaxation. If you have muscle spasm and it is becoming more of a chronic pain that persist a deep tissue release would be more of help for you. I use a massage gun but it is more for “feel good” sensation or I guess the muscle issue that you have is mild enough to be address by vibratory type of stimulation. Try those lacrosse balls instead, smaller than a tennis ball and bigger than a gold ball and it us hard.

 

You've definitely got me curious about the strap and the CBD oil. First doc I saw said my back muscles were super tight. Gave me a shot in the butt and some muscle relaxers. Neither helped. I was seeing my Neurologist and asked him if it could be a nerve issue. He said the same thing, that my back muscles were super tight and gave me a boatload of lidocaine patches. Didn't help. I'll check into the Pure Spectrum. I have a cheap version of your GHD - man, you've got some nice stuff. Rogue is some quality stuff.

 

I forgot that I bought some lacrosse balls for my wife when she was having really bad leg cramps. I have a back roller that I use after I workout and I get some temporary relief but by the time the night comes, my back is killing me again. I'll have to find those and maybe uses them before I go to bed.

 

I am 75% sure my back pain is due to my lack of mobility/flexibility.

 

That's what I'm thinking now too.

 

I'm reading this while upside down like a bat on my inversion table post workout ritual, haha.

 

I’ve had a lot of back pain in my life. Catching a football over my head and getting speared in my back, semi accident roll over, and rear ended in a car accident. I used to go to the chiropractor monthly from 1994-2012. In 2007 I got a desk job I struggle with consistent workouts sitting at a desk 10hrs a day and high stress levels.

Here’s what I found out when I quit drinking pop/ soda virtually my back pain disappeared. If I drink 2 glasses of pop with a pizza I will be stiff and ache in the morning. I also found out an expensive bed helps. There are times to rest but keeping the body moving helps.

Now to answer your question back pain in my experience is either muscular or vertebrae is outta wack. I have a tens unit when my neck goes crazy and I have that gun when the muscles just need work on getting blood flowing to it. I think it really helps with tension in neck. I got mine at Costco when it was on sale worth the $50-70.

 

Trigger point release is very effective for simple muscle spasm, what usually manifesting is mechanical low backpain. Muscle get tired and weary the automatic reflex is spasm resulting to stiffness and aches. It will become a cycle until it becomes chronic. It will result to referred pain, upper gluteal area, side of the thigh and it is unconformable to sleep or even sit on the floor.

if the pain is too much have a cup with water, freeze it and once it’s frozen remove the cup and cover the other end with towel and circularly massage it around the area for 10-15mins until ot becomes numb, it will burn and ache in the first 3-6 minutes but when it becomes numb and the cold penetrate it the pain the next day is minimal or gone.

 

Very cool (see what I did there)! I'm going to have to try this - I ended up taking a muscle relaxer last night because it hurt so bad. Not a good idea, got up in the middle of the night to pee and almost fell into the tub. When I was sitting today, I jammed a pillow behind me to press on my left hip/lower back and the pressure seemed to have helped.
I'll give this a try tomorrow when it starts up again.

 

I use many of these on a daily basis......exogun, theragun, hypervolt and others. These are nothing more than a “feel good” measure. No clinical data to support their use and claims. But as we say in sports medicine “if they think it’s working, it IS working”

 

I'm having some very similar lower back issues. They seemed to have been triggered about a week ago when I swapped out my regular tires/wheels to snow tires and wheels. I had it happen a few times before in the last 3 or 4 years. It would come on suddenly after bending over or something similar and last a few days. I can't bend over much or even twist to turn without excruciating shooting pain. I saw a PA the first time it happened years back and he said it was my lower back muscles and I needed to strengthen them. It doesn't seem like it's any muscles causing it. The pain just goes away as suddenly it starts with no residual soreness like most muscle pain in other areas. I'm thinking it's a disc in my back that slips out. I had X-rays done a few months ago and all I was told I had arthritic changes.
I'm just laying on my back now on my couch with a heating pad under my lower back like the last couple of evenings. It doesn't hurt if I don't bend my back or try to get up.

 

Sugar is so bad for us and causes inflammation. I realized how bad when I tried a keto diet. All bone and joint pain disappeared. I need to get back on that diet!