Today we take a look at the best massage guns for basketball players to help make your decision an easy one. Massage guns, which are easy-to-use, battery-powered devices that feature movement that mimics a massage, have recently become all the rage when it comes to rejuvenating sore tissue and aching muscles.
Hoopers use them to boost athletic performance and everyday mobility and flexibility. These hand-held devices can also accelerate warm up and recovery and reduce muscle stiffness. Many basketball players incorporate them into their pre-workout warm-ups and post-workout recovery routines.
When looking for the best massage guns we considered the following criteria:
Google Trends shows that interest in massage guns has exploded over the last few years. If you’re ready to hop on the trend, we’ve rounded up some nice options.
Check out five great selections for hoopers to check out when considering a massage gun purchase, in no specific order as each is best for a specific use case. For each massager, we provide an overview of what it’s best for, identify its key features such as power and weight, highlight some main pros and cons, and share customer reviews. Here’s a quick preview of what’s ahead:
This higher-end massage gun clearly falls into the pro category and is a workhorse. It does a great job with pre-workout muscle warm up because it’s very powerful, and comes with a lifetime warranty. This massage gun features soft-touch materials and premium fit and finish for a very comfortable feel, and 3 grip positions so it’s easy to get into those tough spots no matter where they are. It comes with 6 attachments that lock into place – including two new silicone heads.
Key features:
Pros: TSA approved for carry on, 8 hour battery life, nice feel to hold
Cons: A bit louder than expected but doesn’t rattle quite as much as other very strong massagers
The Hyperice Hypervolt is used by NBA players, and comes with 5 attachments of varying size and density, with power of up to 3200 rpm. It has more of a standard stroke length for massage guns so it delivers a vibrating feel, rather than penetrating. It has 3 variable speeds that are all quiet, and with the app on your iPhone, there are different routines that you can use to automatically guide the massage gun for pre- and post workout and other pains or tight areas. The batteries seem to hold a charge well, and it is super easy to use because there’s no cord attachment that gets in the way.
Key features:
Pros: Great battery life of up to 3 hours of use, exceptionally quiet, no cords get in the way, TSA approved for carry on
Cons: It’s more about vibration as opposed to penetration, Bluetooth is only iPhone compatible
The Theragun Elite offers a great value and has a luxury feel to it, so it’s easy to hold. This massage gun has multiple speed options and five attachments, and can address all your muscle groups. The battery lasts as long or longer than the two hours promised, and the massage is strong. It’s amplitude and head density are superb so it’s able to offer percussion rather than just vibration. When you connect your Theragun to their app (turning on the Theragun Elite automatically connects the device via Bluetooth to the Therabody App) and follow the routines, it’s like getting a massage treatment in your own home. This gun was selected at the top overall pick by Healthline.
Key features:
Pros: Their attachments are designed with comfortable, non-porous closed-cell foam which can be easily cleaned for a hygienic and relaxing experience, handy carrying case, multi-grip design for hard to reach spots
Cons: 2 hour battery life is on the shorter side, attachments only have a warranty of 30 days and should be replaced every 60-90 days
Pro tip: Stick with the dampener and standard ball attachments and you’ll enjoy your results.
The LifePro Sonic massage gun is a great value, because its soft tip is amazing and really helps relax the muscle. It’s is easy to use, and comes with five different tip attachments you can pop on and off: a round ball, a large flat disc, a fork end, a bullet, and a finger-shaped tip. The lighted gauge on the back shows how much battery charge you have left, as well as what power setting you are on. The handle has a comfortable curve and rubber coated grip and feels good in your hand. It’s a great massage gun to use daily at home, and will just need to be charged about once per week.
Key features:
Pros: 100% lifetime satisfaction guarantee, very quiet, a very capable unit
Cons: Battery life a little on the shorter side, it has more of a rectangular shape which may be a little harder to hold for some, if you aren’t careful you can inadvertently change speeds
This is a great entry-level lightweight massage gun and comes highly recommended by many of our friends for solving neck kinks and sore backs and shoulders. It features 10 customized massager heads that are all very quiet! Unique glide noise reduction technology brings high power but a low noise experience so you can use easily use it while you’re watching TV or at the gym. The screen is very sensitive and responds quickly to adjust your speed up to 30 different modes.
Key features:
Pros: The touch screen is very convenient, 6 hour long battery life, it’s quiet
Cons: Only has a case for the accessories
We included this massager because the brand pops up a lot when you dig into the field, but it’s probably too powerful for most hoopers and it has the lowest customer rating of our featured massagers. The TimTam power massager is one of the strongest guns out there so is nice to pro athletes with very big strong muscles. It’s designed to help target muscle groups that need recovery in just 30 seconds. It features an extremely high stall force meaning it’s really powerful and16 millimeter percussion so it can really get into those nooks and crannies. It has just one attachment and one simple one-touch trigger – so it’s either on or off. Another nice feature is that it has long-life swappable batteries, so you’ll always be able to use it.
Key features:
Pros: Long-lasting lithium-ion battery good for over 40 minutes of continuous use, interchangeable battery
Cons: Very loud, very powerful so you need to really focus on what you’re doing
There are a few key considerations to keep in mind as you narrow down your massage gun selection.
Power means how many revolutions per minute (RPM) the gun has. Stall force is the maximum pressure the gun can tolerate before it stops. Amplitude is the length of the gun’s stroke.
Because basketball players tend to have larger muscles, most will need a massage fun with a lot of power to keep up the pressure against their body – something that provides more than just vibration. We looked for products with at least 2,000 revolutions per minute (RPM) or more. For most hoopers, a gun with a middle of the range amplitude (10mm+) will help warm up your muscles with deep massage and help you recover with comfortable surface-level massage. A higher stall force (40+) would be ideal so that you can really work into your key muscle areas.
Consider the weight of the massage gun as you make your selection. Because if it’s too heavy or too uncomfortable to hold, you’re not going to use it. Don’t get anything over 2.5 pounds. Look for percussive massagers that rotate or have functional grips and handles.
The reality is you’ll probably want to use the massage gun while you do something else – whether it’s talking to your significant other, watching TV, or even watching a game in the gym. So one consideration is how loud the gun is.
Hoopers are frequently on the road for games, so you don’t want your percussive massager to give out on you. Make sure to get a massager that holds its charge well.
Price is obviously a key consideration in any purchase. We chose massage guns all under $350, because there are plenty of great options in that range.
Once you get your massager, here’s how to use it to maximize your results in a few simple steps.
Massage gun prices tend to range from $60 to $500. They vary in price based on the set of features they offer such as number of speeds, battery life, and noise level.
More affordable massage guns: These massage guns cost $50 to $150, and tend to be vibrational focused. They have a nice range of speed options, though an overall low top speed. Their battery life is a little shorter. And they tend to be slightly more uncomfortable to hold, and don’t offer any high-end touches like app interaction to guide your massaging nor massage gun carrying cases.
Mid-range massage guns: For massage guns in the $150 to $300 range you can expect stronger speed and a longer battery life. They also offer nicer finishes like carrying cases and app interactivity. They have a great range to be able to give you a comforting massage as well as a deep tissue massage.
Expensive massage guns: The most expensive massage guns run $300+ and feature more percussive deep therapy and rarely stall which are great for professional athletes. They make less noise and offer a longer battery life of multiple hours. For example, the Ekrin B37S Massage Gun for athletes has an 8 hour battery life and 30% more power with 5 speeds, and it costs $329.
Now you’re equipped to give a massage gun a try. We hope we helped make your decision an easy one. By the way, a few of these massage guns, if you purchase, we’ll get a couple cents back to fund our site (thank you so much), but not all of them. This content is for informational purposes only, and you should not construe any such information as health advice.
Up next, learn how elite basketball players prepare for games with pre-game routines.