PlayMakar MVP Percussion Massager Review | Testing from Gadgets-Reviews Team & Therapists’ Opinion

Dr.Anatom and I often have muscle strains after long sitting at the computer and late-night gaming battles. So last year, we had not just gotten massage therapy but visited a chiropractor who delivered a deep massage to the spasmed muscles and trigger points. He has been talking about a massage gun for a long time, suggesting it as a good aid in self-massage between sessions of manual therapy.

And now we have got our hands on PlayMakar MVP Percussion Massager. Hefty, stylish, powerful wireless gun.

Self-massage

Where do you experience pain? Upper back, shoulders, arms? These are the main issues a computer person faces.

The massager looks stylish and is comfortable in hand. It is made from good plastic and is convenient because of its cordless design.

As for its operation, when compared with a regular electric massager, there is a huge difference. The manual therapeutic effect on muscle tissues is stronger and more pronounced.

Attachments for a more targeted treatment allow you to get a deeper and more pinpointed massage.

The speed levels (the device has more speed settings than many other competing products) allow you to warm up your muscles before active exposure gradually.

Treating your low back muscles on your own is hard, so you will need someone’s help.

What I could easily do without assistance is treat the collar zone, hips, arms, and feet, where I often have issues.

What did our manual therapist say?

Do you think we confined ourselves to personal experiences and impressions? Not at all. To make our testing as reliable and science-based as possible, we gave PlayMakar to our chiropractor. To ensure that there can be no doubts about his professional competence, I got to tell you that he graduated in medicine and worked as a physiotherapy doctor.

He studies all the latest achievements in kinaesthesia and works according to the methodology of Tom Myers’ Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. That is why we trust his treatment methods and opinion.

Professionals will benefit most from using this gun as it will facilitate their work. When it comes to triggering points, only a professional manual therapist can localize and treat them. It will also be helpful for ordinary people to relieve muscle cramps and for athletes as a post-workout treatment.

What A Percussion Massager Is And How This Therapeutic Machine Works

First, let’s gain insight into what a percussion massager is and who may benefit from using this therapeutic machine. Basically, it is a portable electric device for massaging various parts of the body. The device provides percussion massage or, in other words, soft blows into your muscles.

The major advantage of this therapy is that the blows penetrate deep into the tissues. When compared to vibrations, deep-tissue massage delivers less frequent but stronger impulses.

Generally, a percussion massager has a high-output motor and detachable balls. Once it is turned on, the balls start moving forth and back at a rate of about 30 times per second, delivering rapid strokes. Most machines allow for adjusting the speed and intensity, with some models offering different massage modes as well.

• Percussive massage therapy can significantly accelerate your blood circulation, with the effect lasting for up to one hour.

Improving blood flow provides many benefits, which are not limited to de-stressing and muscle relaxation. Faster blood flow transports essential nutrients throughout your body much quicker, thus facilitating muscle recovery and hastening healing processes. That is why percussion massagers are so popular among athletes who want their muscles to recover faster. More importantly, percussion massage causes muscle contractions, accelerating their recovery after injuries.

• This kind of therapy is also widely used in medicine due to its ability to aid in disintegrating the scars tissues and improving lymphatic circulation. Therefore, such a device is an excellent tool for physical therapy. This is particularly relevant for those who cannot regularly visit a therapist.
• Another widespread use of a percussion massager is relieving the pain caused by muscle hardness.
• And finally, women can also benefit from applying percussion massage because it is believed to reduce cellulite. Delivering soft blows to the skin, the machine forces the fat cells to break apart, making cellulite less noticeable.

Expert Opinion: Dr. Christopher Wellwood, Chiropractic Physician

Dr. Christopher Wellwood, Chiropractic Physician

Dr. Christopher Wellwood is a certified chiropractic physician and practitioner in physical medicine. He received his doctorate in chiropractic from the University of Western States and his master’s degree from Purdue University. Dr. Wellwood specializes in rehabilitation, chiropractic and osteopathic manipulative techniques, pain management, and other types of therapy.

I've got a video for you that is going to describe what exactly percussive treatment is. We use percussive treatment here and sometimes after treatment in order to help the person relax a little bit more before their adjustments. The reason is that it increases endorphin levels, so they have this overall sense of wellness and just feels really good. Also, what we found is that if we use this, then the person feels better for a longer period of time. So one of the ways that we loosen people up is doing massage on them which works amazingly well. When you are going to a chiropractor, we will use these types of tools called a percussor. A percussor actually goes deep into a tissue, so not only does it relax but it also increases blood flow. What you can see is that we are going to hit every single point on the spine within a 2-inch radius. The benefit of that is that it relaxes the muscles and makes the person feel better almost instantly.

Just Like The Pro’s: Why PlayMakar Is A Trusted Brand

If you are looking for a professional massager, choose PlayMakar. Why?

The company produces FDA-cleared and medical-grade devices for professionals, healthcare specialists, sports trainers, and a wide range of consumers. Headquartered in Texas, PlayMakar has 20-year experience in designing and manufacturing medical devices for muscle stimulation and relaxation. In addition to percussion massagers, its product line includes muscle stimulators, TENS units, pain-relieving gels, and accessories.

It indicates that the company’s leadership comprises six people, one of whom is a competitive bodybuilder and another a professional one. Many clients appreciate PlayMakar’s responsive customer service and informative website. If you visit playmakar.com, you will see how informative it is. In the Explore section, you will read stories from athletes who have tested PlayMakar products, educative materials on how to use these devices, and how to recover muscles faster.

What Muscles Do Percussion Massagers Work?

This therapy provides maximum comfort to your back, neck, and shoulders muscles. What we particularly like about PlayMakar is that it has multiple attachments to work these muscles differently. To get a full-body massage, use a round-head attachment, which is the largest one in the set. Another option is a flat-head tip.

A bullet-head attachment is great for treating pain points, especially those on the shoulders. For effective spine massage, apply a fork-head attachment. This will heighten blood circulation, increase mobility and improve your sleep. Back cervical massage is particularly good for relieving pain, especially that caused by arthritis. To alleviate this kind of pain, use a spade-head attachment.

Theragun PRO Vs. PlayMakar Percussion Massager

Theragun PRO is a popular branded model on the market that is in demand despite the high price over $500. It costs two times as much as PlayMakar ($269).

So let’s have a look at their features and whether the pricier Theragun is much different from the PlayMakar massager.

• Power. What is the main distinctive feature of a true percussion massager? Right, a powerful motor.

— The Theragun is equipped with an industrial-grade motor that can withstand 60 pounds of force. It runs at two speeds: the standard mode provides 40 percussions per second and the sensitive one with 29 percussions per second.
— The PlayMakar comes with a high-torque motor and offers as many as 6-speed settings. More importantly, the device turns out to be more powerful as it delivers up to 53 strokes per second / 5400 percussions per minute. However, the massager applies 10mm strokes, while the Theragun delivers 16 mm of amplitude.

• Weight & Size. While such devices should be, by definition, bulky and not lightweight, you should choose a model that does not weigh much. Why? You will have to hold it tightly during the treatment, so the weight also matters. Theragun weighs over 3 pounds and is 10.4 inches in length. The PlayMakar is significantly more lightweight — just 2 pounds.
• Power Source. Both models have an ergonomic and cordless design. This makes them more comfortable to hold and use, whether you are at home, in the gym or traveling. Both operate on Li-ion batteries and offer approximately the same battery life — about 3 hours. 
• Attachments. Both massagers come with 6 attachments for different styles of massage. Larger tips are suitable for larger muscle groups, while narrower ones are ideal for pinpoint treatment.
• Adjustability. The Theragun’s advantage over the PlayMakar is that it has an adjustable arm with four angled arm positions. This allows you to reach almost any area of your body, including your back. When you adjust the attachment to the correct angle, you can work on hard-to-reach muscles.

What Chiropractors & Therapists Say About Percussion Massagers

These devices are widely used in chiropractic and physical therapy offices to treat muscle pains, according to experts at Acupuncture massage college. Eva Carey, director of massage therapy at Zeel, told Huffington Post that she recommends using only high-end massagers because they are really effective. She says such models offer a greater variety of choices for application. However, users should learn how to apply them properly and, more importantly, use them carefully. Carey notes that when choosing your massager, you should consider the number of tips included, the level of noise it produces, and the weight of the device.

Is there a difference between an electric device and a traditional massage? As Dr. Jennifer Ashton explained, it “just mechanical high-intensity, high-powered massage.” Percussion massagers can be compared to soft-tissue massage applied by massage therapists. Do they really help to recover after workouts? Patrick Walsh, a master trainer, uses such a massager as part of the recovery program.

“Now, we are able to have our clients go the distance without feeling that mileage of their movement,” Walsh told CBS New York. Using these tools allow people to focus on their workouts and help with mobility before exercise. No wonder that as hardcore workouts grow in popularity among the general public, percussion massagers become increasingly in demand.

Verdict

We like PlayMakar for its power, low noise, ergonomics, and the most essential thing — the reasonable price of $269