How to Use a Percussion Massage Gun for Back Pain Relief
Sponsored Content: This video contains paid product placement. Thank you to iReliev for sponsoring this video and providing Doctor Jo with a free Percussive Massager to use. If you purchase products from these links/ads, Doctor Jo will earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Percussive Massage Therapy using a massage gun (aka percussion massager) for back pain relief uses fast, soft pulses over a short amount of time to get deep down into the muscle fibers.
The continuous taps help muscles relax and heal. A massage gun works great on back pain, but make sure to be aware of the precautions before beginning. Focusing on areas like the latissimus and erector spinae muscles is a good place to start.
Like a traditional massage, a percussion massager helps to reduce inflammation and increasing circulation. It can help relax tight muscles, break up scar tissue and adhesions, and minimize muscle soreness and tension. Some studies have found percussive therapy to be as effective as massage in preventing DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).
In this video, I’m using the iReliev Wireless Percussion Massager. In addition to being wireless, the unit is very quiet, and it comes with four different head attachments to target various areas. It also includes a nice carrying case to keep everything organized and in one place.
Upper back pain or thoracic area pain is sometimes caused by trigger points or muscle knots. Trigger points are basically when a specific area on a muscle gets irritated and tightens up into a ball or knot.
In this video, I teamed up with Dr. Jen, a pelvic floor physical therapist who also happens to be pregnant! She'll show you her top 5 exercises to help relieve low back pain when you are pregnant by mobilizing and stabilizing the pelvis.
Mid back pain can make it difficult to perform everyday activities. Here are some of my favorite mid back stretches and exercises to help relieve the pain.
People who have back pain will often experience it when they first get up in the morning. These quick stretches should help relieve back pain before even getting out of bed!
My favorite exercise for upper back pain relief is a seated row. It’s a great exercise for your upper back, shoulders, and neck area. This upper back exercise is performed in real-time, so it's easy to follow along if you want.
Low back pain can make it difficult to perform everyday activities. Here are three of my favorite lower back pain relief stretches that can be done lying down.
The lower back can be a hard area to stretch depending on what is causing the pain. My favorite exercise for this area is a pelvic tilt. It’s a great exercise as well as a stretch for the low back, hips, and pelvis.
Getting Back Pain Relief can be a daily challenge, whether the back pain occurs in the morning after waking up or at the end of a long day. This guided, real-time back stretching routine is designed to help relieve back pain, back stiffness, and improve back flexibility, whether you are starting or ending your day (or anywhere in between).
Lumbar spinal stenosis can press on the spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine. Symptoms include pain or cramping in the legs when standing for long periods or when walking.
