Stu McGill Debunks Massage Guns
Massage guns are popular recovery tools, but not all backs benefit from them. The key is understanding the underlying problem before choosing a treatment.
Goal-Driven Treatment Selection
Any intervention – whether passive like massage guns or active like exercise – must have a clear goal. You cannot choose a tool without knowing what you are trying to accomplish.
The process is: First, identify the goal. Second, assess the patient and understand their specific problem. Third, select the best tool to address that problem. If you do not have a clear goal and assessment, you are relying on luck.
Any intervention must have a clear goal. If you do not have a clear goal and assessment, you are relying on luck.
Two Cases That Look Similar but Need Opposite Treatments
Consider two cases that look similar on the surface but require opposite treatments:
Case 1: Joint laxity with structural damage. A person has undiagnosed joint laxity from a past injury, lost disc height, or unstable segments. Percussive therapy would aggravate this condition. The vibrations and impact could further disturb an already compromised segment. This patient needs stabilization and protection, not percussion.
Case 2: Chronic muscle tension without structural damage. A person never gives their back muscles a break. They hold tension all day, and the muscles remain rock hard even at rest. When palpated, the erector spine muscles are tight and continuously contracted.
In case 2, a massage gun might provide temporary relief through the stretch reflex and mechanical stimulation. But it does not address the root cause – muscle tension and holding patterns.
Finding the Root Cause, Not Just the Symptom
The root cause in case 2 is muscle guarding and fatigue. Imagine holding a pound of butter in your hand all day. By the end of the day, your biceps would be screaming. A massage gun would provide temporary relief, but it would not solve the problem – you need to put the butter down.
For the chronically tense back, the “butter” is often poor posture, constant muscle activation, or subconscious tension patterns. The treatment is learning to relax the muscles, not percussing them.
A simple test can reveal this: Ask the person to “pull your ears over your shoulders” – a postural reset. When they do, the tight back muscles often go quiet immediately. This proves the tension is a holding pattern that can be released, not structural damage.
Ask the person to pull their ears over their shoulders. When they do, the tight back muscles often go quiet immediately.
The Better Solution: Postural Reset and Relaxation
If the problem is chronic muscle tension, the solution is teaching the muscles to relax. One effective approach is the “hover” position:
- Stand and relax. Say “jazz hands, jazz knees” – a cue to release tension.
- Get your ears over your shoulders.
- Hover: hold an upright position with minimal muscle engagement, zero unnecessary activation. Just relax and hover.
- Progress to a “military at ease” position – a comfortable, released stance that requires minimal muscular effort.
This teaches the nervous system what relaxation feels like. It gives the patient a strategy they can use anytime they notice tension creeping back in. You have empowered them with understanding and a tool, not just temporary relief.
Testing the Solution
After applying your intervention, test whether it worked. Ask: Did the muscles shut down? Did the person report relief and understanding?
Compare the two approaches:
- Massage gun: The person feels temporary relief, but the underlying tension returns because they still do not understand the cause or have a strategy to manage it.
- Postural reset and relaxation: The person learns the mechanism, practices the strategy, feels the muscles release, and leaves with a skill they can use independently.
Understanding and skill-building beat temporary tools.
Applying This Framework to Any Treatment
This goal-driven framework applies to deadlifts, stretching, pain management, or any intervention. Every day, people ask: “What do you think about deadlifts?” or “Should I do this exercise?”
The honest answer is: it depends. If a deadlift is the right tool for your goal and your body’s current capacity, it is the right tool. If it is not, it is not.
The question is not “Is this good or bad?” The question is “Is this the best tool for this person’s goal?” That requires assessment, clear thinking, and willingness to choose something different if it is better.
The question is not “Is this good or bad?” The question is “Is this the best tool for this person’s goal?”
Choosing the Right Tool in Every Area of Life
Carl Newport, author of books on deep work and digital minimalism, applies similar thinking to technology and attention. Just because a tool exists and is convenient does not mean it is the best choice.
Consider Facebook: many people say they use it to stay connected with family and friends. But Facebook also drains hours of their life every week. The question is: what would be the best way to stay in touch if Facebook did not exist?
The answer might be phone calls every week or two. Even better – visiting in person if possible. These create deeper, more meaningful connection than scrolling a feed.
This principle applies to massage guns, exercises, technology use, and nearly everything else. Clear thinking, goal-setting, and critical evaluation of tools separate effective solutions from wasted time.