Massage guns are commonplace these days, but the idea of using one to relieve aches, reduce tension and ease stiffness can still be a little confusing if you’ve never picked up one of these devices before.
The new Theragun Relief is your entry point into percussive therapy, a practice that was shown to be just as effective as manual massage and “possibly more effective” than foam rolling in a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
At $149, it’s Therabody’s most affordable device to date — and instead of jackhammering your muscles, it delivers a more soothing type of massage that might appeal to people who are looking for, ahem, relief in lieu of another painful workout experience.
We put it to the test for a week while recovering from one marathon and preparing for another. Here’s everything you need to know.
The Theragun Relief is the lowest cost massage gun in the company’s arsenal, and a perfect entry point for beginners. It’s simple to use and delivers a more soothing type of massage than pricier, more complex devices.
It’s easy to recognize a Therabody massage gun just by the patented triangular grip. This ergonomic shape makes it easy to hold the device in multiple ways so you can reach muscles all over your body — holding the device from the top, for example, provided a solid grip as we let the head dig into our pecs, while holding it on the shorter side allowed us to reach further down our back (it comes with three attachments — a dampener, a standard ball, and a thumb — to address different areas and types of discomfort, too).
And it’s just 1.3 pounds, which is a heck of a lot easier to hoist than the hefty 2.9-pound Theragun Pro. It’s also much smaller, measuring 7.8 inches long, 2.48 inches high, and 5.89 inches wide, which makes it more approachable to massage gun novices. All you have to do is hold the single button down to power it up, then tap it again to cycle through the three preset speeds.
Not only does the Theragun Relief come with handy printed cards that walk you through routines to refresh your legs, reduce neck tension and relieve lower back pain, the device also syncs with the Therabody app to further demystify massage therapy for beginners. In the app, you can choose from pre-programmed routines — like Pickleball Recovery and Walk Warm-up — to activate or soothe your muscles without having to put too much thought into it.
In the immediate aftermath of our first fall marathon, we found ourselves gravitating to the walking routines, which increased blood flow to our feet, shins and calves. Fitness aside, we especially liked incorporating the five-minute Goodbye, Tech Neck routine into our day, because it was paired with soothing TheraMind sounds to promote relaxation.
The Theragun Relief has an amplitude of 10 millimeters, which indicates how deep the gun can penetrate into your muscles. That’s 6 millimeters shallower than the Theragun Pro — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, unless you’re dealing with seriously sore muscles. And it only has three pre-programmed speeds, 1,750, 2,100, and 2,400 pulsations per minute (or rotations per minute), a measurement of how many times the massager’s head hits your skin; the Pro has five. The higher the PPM number, the more intense the massage — so the Relief maxing out at 2,400 ppm is still powerful, but you won’t have as many options in adjusting the speed to target different problem areas as you would with a pricier device.
The lack of screen and pre-loaded programs
We had the same issue with the Theragun Mini, and while we’re sure embedding an OLED screen into the device would jack up the price (see: the Theragun Pro), it would be a nice perk for an entry-level device like this. The simplicity of the design and slightly milder level of massage the Theragun Relief delivers make it more appealing to those who are newer to percussive therapy, and who would most benefit from more instruction. It also lacks preloaded routines, and while it’s easy enough to follow instructions in the app, eliminating the need to constantly be peeking at your phone would also benefit newer users.
Therabody is marketing the Theragun Relief as a wellness device, not a performance one. Translation: It’s meant to offer comfortable, everyday massage, not prime your body for peak competitive performance. And as far as affordable, entry-level devices, it’s still on the pricier end; the Hypervolt Go 2 and Roll Recovery R1 both go for $20 cheaper while offering similar features, although those respectively offer one and five hours more battery life than the Relief’s 120 minutes). That said, it’s a welcome swap for the portable Theragun Mini — even if it is a smidge heavier, larger and less powerful, we much prefer this shape to that squat, hard-to-grip solid triangle.
Let’s be crystal clear: The Theragun Relief isn’t a massage gun for experienced users. But that doesn’t make it any less beneficial. It’s just meant for those who are new to percussive therapy, or those who prefer a slightly milder, soothing massage. You’re still getting a device that penetrates deeply enough into the muscles with a powerful motor offering three speed options, all in a compact, portable package. The lack of bells and whistles keeps the price down, without sacrificing features — like the companion app — that make it super simple for anyone to use.
