SPONSORED CONTENT | BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
PERCUSSION THERAPY
IMPROVES YOUR STRENGTH
AND FLEXIBILITY
Whether you’re starting to play
pickleball for the first time, or are
a touring pro preparing for the
National Championships, practicing
good self-care is an important part
of staying healthy and playing
well. After a long day on the court,
taking time for a recovery routine
will not only feel good, but will help
to avoid future injuries. Hydration,
stretching and massage techniques
are all important elements to
maintaining or increasing your
strength and flexibility and prepare
your body for physical activity.
And we know that feeling our best
helps us stay focused on the game
and winning more matches.
While standard massage therapy
is commonly used to enhance
sports performance, aiding in
injury prevention and muscle
recovery, percussive therapy is
becoming a very popular self-care
technique that people of all athletic
abilities are now incorporating
into their wellness routines. As a
professional masseuse, I am often
asked to try different products to
see how they work to enhance
my clients’ health and wellness.
While there are several different
percussive massage products
available, I’ve been very
impressed with the
Theragun.
The Theragun
stands out as
a great selfmassage
tool
for pre- and
post-workout
recovery. It
can be used
to treat specific
areas of the
body and reduce
delayed onset
muscle soreness
(DOMS). Some
chronic ailments
of racquet sports
include rotator cuff
injuries, neck, shoulder
and lower back pain,
knee problems,
tendinitis in the wrist
and elbow, ankle
sprains and plantar
fasciitis—the Theragun
can treat all of these issues by
using a combination of pressure
and amplitude to decrease pain
signals to the brain, relax muscle
tissue, increase circulation and
aid in flushing out the lactic
acid buildup in muscle cells that
happens after physical exertion.
My favorite Theragun models
are the Pro, Elite, and Mini. The
Pro model is a good choice for
wellness professionals such as
athletic trainers, physical therapists
and massage therapists. It includes
features such as a rotating arm
to avoid hand and wrist strain, six
foam attachments and two external
rechargeable batteries that can
run for a combined 5 hours without
interruption.
The Elite model is
a great choice for
home use, with
a rechargeable
internal battery life
of 120 minutes and
five attachments to
specifically target
problem areas.
Both the Pro and
Elite models have an
amplitude of 16 mm for
By Mary Wallingford
LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST AND ESTHETICIAN
effective
deep
tissue
muscle
work. In
addition,
the Pro
and Elite
models have a
Bluetooth feature
that connects the
device to the Therabody app on
your mobile phone with pre-set
routines that guide you through a
variety of treatments for specific
muscle groups based on the type
of activity you’re doing.
The Mini is perfect for those on
the go. The small, compact size
makes it perfect for traveling. Its
rechargeable battery runs for
150 minutes per charge, and it
comes with a single standard
ball foam attachment and 12 mm
of amplitude designed more for
relaxation. Drop it in your pickleball
bag and you have a compact
hand-sized massager ready at your
fingertips.
With many spas and wellness
facilities closing due to COVID-19,
it has become difficult in many
areas to receive regular bodywork
the way many of us are used to.
While there is no substitute for
a great hands-on deep tissue or
sports massage from a licensed
professional, the Theragun
provides a powerful and effective
treatment to keep your body
tuned-up and feeling great to stay
active, competitive and to enjoy
playing more of the game you love.
To purchase a Theragun,
or to learn more, go to
paddlesandmore.com.
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