Massage Guns: Where They Are Covered and Safety Points for Massage Users
Where massage guns are covered on this site, a short summary of what studies found, and the safety points for people who get or give massage: eyes, neck, clots, blood thinners and bruising.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Urgent signs first
Get urgent eye care (call 911 if it is severe) for sudden vision change or eye pain after any device use near the eyes. Call 911 for stroke signs: face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech, or sudden dizziness, weakness or numbness down one side. [1] For a swollen, painful, warm leg with chest pain or breathlessness, call 911: it can be a blood clot. [2]Where massage guns are covered
A massage gun, also called a percussive massage device, is a handheld tool that delivers rapid pulses into muscle. The full device guide, with the research and injury reports in detail, is owned by Massage Guns and Percussive Devices. This page is the massage-library pointer: a summary and the points most relevant if you also get massage from a therapist. No brands, settings or attachments are recommended.What the research found, in brief
| Question | What the source found | Evidence label |
|---|---|---|
| Strength, flexibility, pain | A systematic review of 13 studies found a single application was associated with acute gains in strength, explosive strength and flexibility, and repeated treatments with less musculoskeletal pain. All 13 had limits in quality or reporting. [3] | promising but limited |
| Soreness after hard exercise | In 37 active men after a leg-press fatigue protocol, percussive massage did not show a statistically significant strength advantage over passive rest. The authors saw potential preliminary symptom relief. [4] | insufficient evidence |
| As part of a warm-up | In 16 trained athletes, a warm-up with a massage gun was associated with worse sprint time and lower jump measures than a dynamic warm-up alone. [5] | mixed |
| "Breaks up knots," "flushes lactic acid," "releases fascia" | The studies above measured strength, flexibility, soreness and jumps, not those mechanisms. | marketing claim |
A 2025 scoping review of 25 studies of non-drug approaches to delayed-onset muscle soreness listed percussive massage among emerging strategies that showed significant benefit, and asked for standardized protocols. [6] Pain ratings can't be blinded and may reflect expectation. See also Massage for Muscle Soreness and Exercise Recovery.
Safety points for massage users
These are reports of harm, not rates. Individual case reports show that harm can happen; they do not show how often.- Eyes. A student developed retinal tears and retinal dialysis in both eyes after using a high-frequency device on and around his eyes. [7] A 62-year-old man with type 2 diabetes developed dislocated lenses and raised eye pressure in both eyes after using a device on closed eyelids; the authors asked manufacturers to warn against use near the eyes. [8]
- Neck. A 65-year-old man had a torn vertebral artery and a cerebellar stroke after using an antique electric massage device on his neck. [9] We advise against using any percussive device on the neck or throat; see Neck Massage and Neck Manipulation.
- Clots and thinners. NCCIH notes rare serious events after massage, such as blood clots, nerve injury and fractures, some after vigorous massage or in higher-risk people. [10] The NHS lists severe bruising among problems on blood thinners. [11] Do not use a device on a swollen, painful calf or any area where you suspect a clot. See Massage and Blood Clots.
- Bones, nerves, pregnancy, skin. Check with your own clinician if you have osteoporosis, nerve problems, are pregnant, or have a rash, wound or infection. The massage-gun sources we read did not address pregnancy.
If your therapist uses one
We read no regulator or professional-body page on therapists using percussive tools, so how that is overseen is not described in the sources we read. You have the same right as with any technique: you can ask what is being used, say no, and stop at any time. See How to Talk to Your Massage Therapist.General cautions: Massage Safety and Contraindications.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the main massage gun guide?
It is Massage Guns and Percussive Devices in our Specialty Topics section.
Do massage guns help recovery?
Evidence is limited. A systematic review found acute gains and less pain after repeated use but flagged quality limits, and a randomized trial did not show a strength advantage over rest. [3] [4]
Can a massage gun hurt me?
Rarely, but yes. Case reports describe eye injuries and a neck artery tear with stroke. [7] [8] [9]
Is it safe if I take blood thinners?
Ask your prescriber first. The NHS lists severe bruising among bleeding problems on anticoagulants. [11]
Is a massage gun better than a massage therapist?
Proper evidence not found. We looked at the reviews and trials cited here and did not find a head-to-head comparison.
References
- NHS (UK), Stroke: symptoms. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK), Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Read 2026-10-22.
- Sams L et al., The Effect of Percussive Therapy on Musculoskeletal Performance and Experiences of Pain: A Systematic Literature Review, Int J Sports Phys Ther 2023. Read 2026-10-22.
- da Rosa Castilho A et al., Acute Effect of Percussive Massage on Cross-Section Area, Muscle Strength, and Late Muscle Pain of the Quadriceps Muscle Following a Fatigue Protocol in Physically Active Men: Randomized Clinical Trial, Physiother Res Int 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- Ormeno L, Driller M, Does Massage Gun or Foam Roller Use During a Warm-Up Improve Performance in Trained Athletes?, Sports (Basel) 2025. Read 2026-10-22.
- Di Lorenzo L et al., Advances in Non-Pharmacological Strategies for DOMS: A Scoping and Critical Review of Recent Evidence, J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2025. Read 2026-10-22.
- O'Connell N, Khan A, Bilateral retinal tears and dialysis: a rare complication of percussive massage gun use, BMJ Case Rep 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- Chen Y et al., Bilateral anterior lens luxation with secondary glaucoma strongly associated with self-application of a percussion massage gun to closed eyelids: a case report, BMC Ophthalmol 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- Romiyo P et al., Vertebral artery dissection with cerebellar stroke after use of a percussive massage device: illustrative case, J Neurosurg Case Lessons 2025. Read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Massage Therapy: What You Need To Know. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK), Anticoagulant medicines. Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.