Curious About The Massage Gun Trend? Give This One A Try

I recently curated a roundup of the eight best massage guns on the market for Verywell Fit, highlighting a handful of brands that cater to a variety of needs. And if I could go back in time, I would add a ninth pick to this list: the Sportneer Percussive Massage Gun. Here’s why.

Shortly after receiving Sportneer’s massage gun in the mail with the intention of reviewing it for you all, I removed it from the box and fully charged its battery so I could use it ASAP. Earlier that morning, I noticed a gnarly knot forming underneath my left shoulder blade that usually only my monthly Massage Envy appointment can remedy (which are currently on hold as we #stayathome). It hurt like hell, but it also gave me the perfect opportunity to test the capabilities of this massage gun.

Testing It Out

The Sportneer Percussive Massage Gun is compact in design, making it easier for smaller folks like me to grip it steadily with one hand and focus enough pressure on the targeted muscle. It’s also lightweight enough that my hand didn’t tire or cramp from holding it in place throughout my massage therapy session. The stationary design of the massage gun head makes it a little challenging to use on harder-to-reach areas like the middle and lower back, but I made it work without too much fuss (or agitating another muscle in the process).

The massage gun comes with six different head attachments, so I had a lot of experimenting to do. I started with the classic foam ball design — tough enough to work on the knot in my back but not aggressive enough to cause pain. I started on the first of five intensity settings, which was a gentle way to bring attention to a sore spot. Slowly working my way through each intensity, I adjusted how much pressure I used to hold the massage gun to my back. For those of you who worry about massage guns not being powerful enough, know that the highest intensity setting on the Sportneer gun was plenty. By the end of my session (just a few minutes), my back felt significantly better.

It’s also worth noting that the massage gun is surprisingly quiet on the lower three intensity settings. The top two intensity settings aren’t offensively loud, either, but the lower ones really allowed me to maintain the relaxing component of my massage therapy session, which many other massage guns on the market fail to do.

The battery life of the Sportneer massage gun is impressive, too. If you stick to the lower intensity setting, you can get approximately 5.5 hours of use out of one battery charge. And the convenient stoplight color design of the power display lets you know that the gun needs charging well before it dies.

Additional Experiments

I recruited the help of my fiancé in testing out the massage gun’s five additional head attachments. The flat plastic head worked well on larger muscles like the quads and hamstrings — excellent relief after leg day. We found the bullet-shaped plastic head to be particularly effective on the space between the neck and shoulders, AKA where we both carry the bulk of our stress. My fiancé also said it did an awesome job of massaging the bottoms of his feet (once he got past his ticklishness) and along the sides of his ankles. Finally, we enjoyed the fork-like plastic head as a safe (and uniform) massaging method along the sides of the spine.

We briefly tested the round and flat metal head attachments as well, but they function similarly to the foam ball and flat plastic attachments. They are typically used in conjunction with the application of a therapeutic oil or gel because they’re easier to clean than plastic.

The Final Verdict

All in all, I liked the device’s strength, silence, and user-friendliness. And with a price point under $150, it’s definitely a bargain compared to other hyped-up brands like Theragun, TimTam, and Hyperice. It provides quality muscle recovery after tough workouts as much as it gives you another method of self-care after a long and stressful day. If you choose to treat yourself (or a loved one) to this massage gun, I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed.

If you find these types of product reviews helpful, let me know in the comments below and I can provide more of them in the future. In the meantime, check out this eco-friendly, non-toxic yoga mat guide.