Pulseroll: Best Massage Guns For Lower Back Pain In 2023

Lower back pain is one of the most severe pains. It can affect your mobility and makes the performance of routine tasks challenging. It can make your life even more difficult if you are a fitness enthusiast or an athlete. 

Luckily, it is curable, and several therapies are available to eliminate it. Among other pain recovery options, the best massage guns for lower back pain have gained massive popularity. They were once considered a tool for professionals only. However, they are gradually becoming a go-to pain-relieving option with more cost-effective solutions on the market.

Its rising popularity has raised some important questions also. Is a massage gun good for lower back pain? Does it make herniated discs worse? Are massage guns good for sciatica? 

This article answers all these and other related questions, with nothing held back. We’ll even cover other massage guns on the market at the end of the article and why Pulseroll offers the best message guns for lower back pain. 

How do Massage Guns Work?

Massage guns use a type of therapy that is known as percussion therapy. Percussion therapy delivers the same results as regular massage but uses technology. Unlike regular massage, you can also deliver the treatment on your own body with the same level of effect.

Percussion therapy uses technology to deliver accelerated pressure bursts into the body tissues. You can determine the degree of pressure and acceleration by altering the head of the massage gun and the speed setting that you use. 

These handheld devices can be used in the comfort of your home, giving you the convenience of getting treatment when you need it most.

Benefits of Massage for Lower Back Pain

There are many reasons why a massage is good for lower back pain, which can be a symptom of a herniated disc. You can get the following benefits if you get the best massage guns for lower back pain. 

Relieves Muscle Soreness

Massage improves general muscle soreness. It might be caused by muscle strains, pulled muscles, or intense exercise. The gentle rubbing of the sore area helps relax the muscles. It combats the congested muscle area and allows optimal blood circulation to it. As a result, the soreness improves. 

It also decreases joint stiffness. Muscle and joint stiffness can be a leading cause of lower back pain. A relaxing deep tissue massage is effective in loosening up stiffness. As a result, the pain gradually decreases. 

Enhances Mobility

Lower back pain affects your ability to move around. In severe cases, the affected person ceases to perform their routine activities. You can use the best massage guns for lower back pain or get a sports massage to relieve your pain. 

As a result, your ability to move around improves. The improved mobility helps the affected person in the rehabilitation process. You can expect a quick recovery. 

Improves Sleep Quality

One of the worst downsides of lower back pain or herniated disc is the disturbed sleep routine. Either your sleep quality decreases, or you fail to sleep due to pain. It affects your health and can cause other health issues as well. 

The improvement in pain due to massage helps improve your sleep quality. You can expect good quality sleep if you massage your lower back before bed. As a result, your physical and mental health also improves because of the best massage guns for lower back pain.

Eliminates the Need for Medication

When lower back pain becomes intolerable, people look for pain-relieving medications. They provide a quick solution to the excruciating pain. However, they have their own side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, excessive sweating, and depression. In addition, prolonged use of pain medication can be dangerous for health. 

Instead of medication, you can use the best massage guns for lower back pain. They help remove the discomfort caused by pain. They also save you from the downsides of taking pain medications. 

Eliminates Stress

Lower back pain can be a symptom of several serious health issues. It also restricts you from doing many things, such as walking, running, or bending. This can cause anxiety and depression among patients. A good massage can also relieve your stress and physical pain. 

You can get rid of your anxiety, stress, and depressing feelings. The best massage guns for lower back pain do not eliminate the need for a doctor. But it can prove to be a worthy investment. It is a great solution for short- and long-term relief from lower back pain. 

On top of these benefits, increasing blood flow to the area can speed up muscle recovery, getting you back in the gym sooner.

Can Massage Make Herniated Disc Worse?

This question has been a part of discussions for a long time. Before proceeding to whether a massage can make a herniated disc worse, let’s find out what the herniated disc is. We will also discuss its main causes. 

What is a Herniated Disc?

Also known as a slipped disc, a herniated disc is a common problem estimated to affect around 2% of the population annually. A herniated disc is a problem with one of the small, cushioned discs that sit between each vertebrae, as it starts to get pushed out of place. 

These discs act as shock absorbers to protect the spine from damage and give us the flexibility to twist, bend, and move around. Each disc comprises a tough, fibrous shell and a soft inner core. If one of these discs slips out of place, it can place pressure on the surrounding nerves, resulting in ailing from mild, severe back pain.

Causes of a Herniated Disc

There are several causes of a herniated disc. For instance, a single, excessive strain or personal injury can cause a herniated disc. In many cases, herniated discs are simply caused by the natural deterioration of the disc material resulting from ageing. 

The following are the common causes of a herniated disc.

  • Being involved in an automobile accident.
  • Twisting and falling during a sporting activity. 
  • A physical job that involves a lot of bending, twisting, and lifting. 
  • Being overweight or obese can also accelerate the rate at which the discs start to deteriorate due to the additional pressure placed on them. 
  • Sometimes, herniated discs are a result of genetic factors. As a result, close blood relatives may suffer from a herniated disc. 

Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

You can identify a herniated disc with a number of different symptoms. These visible symptoms are an indicator of a herniated disc, but they are not an authentic way to diagnose it. You must visit a specialist to get professional advice. 

The highlighting symptoms include but are not limited to

  • Lower back pain
  • Numbness, tingling or a feeling like pins and needles in the shoulders, back, arms, hands, legs, and feet
  • Neck pain
  • Muscle weakness
  • Pain in the buttocks, hips or legs (if the disc is pressing on the sciatic nerve)
  • Problems bending or straightening your back

However, not every patient will experience the same symptoms of a herniated disc. The severity of the ailment and symptoms may vary among different people.

How Can a Massage Gun Help Treat a Herniated Disc?

Massage is a very effective therapy for reducing the symptoms associated with a herniated disc. There are several reasons for this. 

Firstly, when we are in pain, we tend to tense our muscles, resulting in soreness and stiffness. Massage can help to encourage blood flow to these muscles, providing a fresh supply of oxygen and removing waste products. It helps muscles to relax, thus combating inflammation that can occur in the muscles around the herniated disc and contribute towards discomfort. 

Secondly, massage helps to trigger the release of natural pain-relieving endorphins. And finally, additional blood flow ensures that all the nutrients and oxygen are delivered to areas of the body that require healing, including damaged tissues caused by the herniated disc.

Are Massage Guns Safe to Use on Herniated Discs?

The best massage guns for lower back pain are perfectly safe to use on herniated discs, provided that you use them properly and with care. Fortunately, our years of industry experience allow us to tell you all the things you should be aware of to use a massage gun safely. 

How to Use the Best Massage Guns For Lower Back Pain

Using a massage gun to relieve lower back pain from a herniated disc couldn’t be easier. You need to follow the following easy steps to use a massage gun efficiently. 

  • The first step is to choose the appropriate attachment. When treating lower back pain, it’s important not to use too much pressure. This means that pointed head attachment may be too intense. You may use a spinal head
  • Instead, a rounded or flat attachment will reduce this intensity and make the process more comfortable. One of the best things about using a massage gun is that the various attachments make it possible to personalise your treatment to your individual requirements. 
  • Next, turn on your massage gun before you apply it to your body. This is important to gently ease your body into the massage. 
  • Grip your massage gun and turn it on to the required vibration setting. Again, it’s better to build up the vibration setting slowly rather than potentially starting with a setting that is too intense. 
  • Work the massage gun carefully and methodically across the affected area, taking care not to put pressure on the spine itself. Keep your posture as straight as possible to avoid any further complications. You may need someone else to use the gun on your back for effective results. 

Are Massage Guns Good for Sciatica?

When it comes to sciatica pain, massage therapy is often overlooked. Sciatica is characterised by pain and numbness that extends down from the spine into the buttocks, legs and even feet. 

Percussion massage performed using a massage gun can loosen and relax muscles in the spine and buttocks that are putting pressure on the sciatic nerve, reducing the symptoms you’re experiencing.

Many cases of sciatica are short-lived, and for these, a massage gun can be a highly effective treatment that eliminates the need to go to a physiotherapist. However, if you suffer from chronic or recurrent sciatic pain, you may still need to consult with a physio in the future.

How to Use Massage Guns for Sciatica?

To use massage guns effectively, you need to follow the right procedure to release, simulate, and activate the targeted muscles. Otherwise, you might rub your muscles without any benefit. Here are the simple steps to using the best massage guns for lower back pain to relieve sciatica. 

  • The stretched sciatic nerve can cause tension in the pelvic muscle. Firstly, you need to release the tension in the pelvic muscle. 
  • Position the massage gun in the right direction. It is important for long-term benefits. 
  • Allow the gun to bounce back after hitting the skin. Don’t be forceful in applying constant pressure on one area. 
  • Keep it moving all around the pelvic muscle. Let the tension release before you target the nerve roots. 
  • Spend a few minutes around the pelvic muscles while moving the gun. Stay in a relaxed position to get the best results. 

How To Buy The Best Massage Guns for Lower Back Pain

If you are thinking of buying the best massage guns for lower back pain, you must consider some important factors. These factors ensure that you get the right massage gun for yourself.  

Head Attachment

The best massage guns for lower back pain come with a variety of head attachments. Each attachment performs a different function and caters to the massage needs of different muscles. You must select the right head attachment to target the muscles in your lower back area. 

The ideal head attachments for lower back pain include roundhead balls, flat heads, bullet heads, and fork attachment heads. Each of these attachments is suitable for a different massage need. 

  • Roundhead ball for targeting big and small tissue areas. 
  • Flat head for medium to large muscle groups such as glutes, chest, and quadriceps. 
  • Bullet head for removing muscular knots. 
  • Fork attachment for large muscles such as hamstrings, back, and quads. 

Weight of the Gun

A massage gun is a handy tool, and therefore the weight is an important factor to consider. A heavy massage gun is difficult to hold and use on your back. 

Make sure that your gun is not too heavy and easy to hold in your hand. Otherwise, you will not be able to hold it in your hand for a long time. You can check its weight on the product description before you buy a gun.

Power

You do not need a very powerful gun to massage your lower back. However, the best massage guns for lower back pain are the ones with versatile power and speed. It allows you to use it for muscles other than the lower back. The power determines the intensity of your massage. 

As an athlete or a fitness enthusiast, you may need a massage gun with a higher power and speed, such as the Pro Massage Gun. On the other hand, for someone with minimum physical activity, a low-power massage gun would also work fine. Higher intensity enables deep tissue massage. 

Noise

No one likes relaxing massage therapy disturbed by noise. Whether you are massaging your upper back or lower back, a noiseless massage gun is always the best. Usually, massage guns with low power have low noise, whereas the ones with higher power are noisy. 

The best massage guns for lower back pain are the ones with quiet motion technology, such as Pulseroll’s AJ Ignite Pro Massage Gun. It enables them to offer relaxing massage therapy. 

Amplitude

The amplitude of the massage gun determines how deep it can penetrate into the muscles. Higher amplitude enables deep muscle penetration. It also means that the massage gun offers a high intensity with a low percussion range. High amplitude ranges between 14-16mm.  

Low-amplitude massage guns have higher vibratory movement rather than percussion. Low amplitude usually ranges between 8-10mm. 

Ease of Use

Besides all other factors, this is the one you should not ignore. If a massage gun is complicated to use, it will not provide you with the desired value. It must be easy to use so that you can easily switch between different speeds and powers. 

Precautions For Using a Massage Gun For Lower Back Pain

The lower back is a sensitive problem that needs extreme care. Even if you are using the best massage guns for lower back pain, you need to observe some precautions. 

Be Cautious of Pressure

One of the most important things to remember is that too much pressure can do more harm than good. For this reason, it’s important to listen to your body, and what it’s telling you about the pressure you’re applying. 

While some types of musculoskeletal issues benefit from hard pressure that causes discomfort, this is not the case with a herniated disc or lower back pain. If it hurts, stop immediately.

Target the Right Muscles

You should also focus your massage on the area around the vertebrae rather than directly on it. This is because it’s the muscles around the vertebrae and intervertebral disc where most discomfort will radiate.

If you massage directly on the vertebrae and apply higher pressure, it might increase the pain. Instead of targeting bones, target the painful muscle area using the best massage guns for lower back pain.

Avoid Open Wounds

Avoid using a massage gun if you have any bruises or open wounds on your body. It can cause irritation and increased pain. Allow the wounds to heal before you use your massage guns properly. Similarly, never use it on broken bones or muscle sprains. It can make them worse. 

Besides these precautions, make sure you follow the following precautions.

  • If you feel any discomfort, discontinue using the massage gun.
  • Begin with using a soft head and gradually proceed to bullethead. If your body feels discomfort at any head attachment, don’t use it. 
  • If you have any other health issue, such as osteoporosis, or arthritis, consult an expert before using the massage gun.
  • If you have any concerns about using your massage gun for lower back pain, don’t hesitate to speak to your doctor. 

Best Massage Guns for Lower Back Pain

Massage guns are popular among athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and other people to relieve their pain at home. Because of their popularity, many companies have developed them. They all claim to be manufacturing the best massage guns for lower back pain, but few manage to hit the standard required to be a leader. 

With a wide range of massage guns available in the market, it can be a daunting process to choose the best massage guns. Here are our top picks that are market leaders among the best massage guns for lower back pain. 

#1 Pulseroll Pro Massage Gun

One of the best massage guns for lower back pain, the Pulseroll pro massage gun, is an easy-to-use tool. It offers gentle strokes for deep tissue massage to treat lower back pain. It is ideal for professional athletes as well as physios. 

Key Features

  • It is convenient to use with either hand. 
  • Quiet noise technology allows for avoiding irritating noise. 
  • You can use it all over the body.
  • A single charge leads to three hours of battery usage. 
  • Six interchangeable head attachments. 
  • Portable and lightweight.

#2 Pulseroll Mini Massage Guns

If you want a high-quality and pocket-friendly massage gun, Pulseroll Mini Massage Gun can be a good option for you. It offers a maximum speed of up to 3000 RPM, which is ideal for beginners to pro athletes. It is easy to clean and rechargeable.

Key Features

  • It is a cost-effective option. 
  • Highly portable and ideal for taking to a gym.
  • The ergonomic design makes it easy to handle and use. 
  • Four speed settings to customise massage settings. 

#3 Hydragun

Hydragun is popular for its quiet motion technology. It is a multi-purpose lightweight massage gun. The seven different detachable heads target different muscles. It is easy to use and offers a comfortable at-home massage. 

Key Features

  • It is one of the quietest massage guns.
  • A single battery enables six hours of usage. 
  • Ease of use with a single-button operation.
  • Seven interchangeable head attachments. 
  • Lightweight and powered by SmoothDrive technology. 
  • Ergonomic handle. 

#4 Theragun Elite

Theragun Elite is a popular choice among the best massage guns for lower back pain. It offers targeted pain relief in large muscle areas such as the lower back, hamstrings, and glutes. However, Theraguns are very expensive. We believe Pulseroll excels in this, as we offer a cost-effective solution that offers all the same benefits and more than Theragun.

Key Features

  • It has a pressure indicator sensor. 
  • Suitable to massage large muscles.
  • Single charge leads to two hours of battery usage. 
  • Five interchangeable head attachments. 
  • Offers customisable settings.
  • OLED screen and Bluetooth connectivity.

How often Should I Use a Massage Gun?

You can use the best massage guns for lower back pain and sciatica daily. However, you must ensure that you use it right. Do not exceed using it for two minutes on each muscle area. Everyone’s body reacts differently to massage equipment. You must always listen to your body and ensure that equipment does not cause any discomfort or increase pain. 

If you are a beginner using the gun for the first time, keep the intensity low. Also, use it every other day instead of daily. Once your body’s tolerance level increases, you can increase the frequency of usage.

Conclusion

Lower back pain can be painful and hinder performing your routine activities. You need something to comfort you for a long period. Short-term solutions are not reliable enough. A massage gun is a game-changer and one of the best tools to relieve your pain at home. 

It is crucial to choose the best massage guns for lower back pain and use them correctly. If used rightly, it can be an effective tool to relieve pain in the comfort of your home. 

Our Pro Massage gun and Mini Massage gun could help you to achieve relief from lower back pain, herniated discs, and sciatica. Find out more information about them on our product pages.

 


Check out the Pulseroll RIA Foundation Member profile here  .