In recent times, a fair few Mumsnetters have been asking for advice on how to ease muscle pain after exercise and there seems to be one overriding answer: personal massage guns. As one satisfied Mumsnetter, ShirleyPhallus, reports: “I have a massage gun and it’s absolutely amazing. Gets rid of the DOMS pretty much right away.”

As for cheaper massage guns, these tend to have harder attachment heads (which make for a slightly less comfortable experience), a shorter battery life, or are less durable. If there's a choice between a cheap muscle gun and a more expensive massage gun that's on sale, we'd always suggest going with the one that looks like it will last the longest and is the most specced out. If it comes with a warranty, even better. Do massage guns work? I recommend any massage guns that can get into a high-frequency, low-amplitude setting, which just means it has a high amount of vibration," says Mitro. When shopping around, you'll find options with varying speed settings, with options going as high as 3200 RPM (revolutions per minute). "It's always good to try it out before you buy it to make sure it can vibrate enough to do its job." FeaturesVybe Pro Percussion Massage Gun: Our tester thought this device was user-friendly and effective in loosening tight muscles. But the noise level was obnoxiously loud and off-putting, they said.

Theragun claim that their unique Percussive Therapy is able to reach tissue at 16mm depth - deeper than most other massage guns. The Theragun Prime certainly looks the part with its ergonomic handle, four foam-ended attachments, LED display, QuietForce brushless motor, five speeds and a travel pouch. There’s even a Therabody app and bluetooth connectivity so you can customise your massage. The battery life is relatively short at two hours though. Pros Ensuring your massage gun is charged up, choose the speed and head attachment most suited to the area of your body you’re targeting. Then turn it on and hold it an inch or so from your skin allowing it to ‘float’ and pulsate over your intended target. Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family. If you plan to use your massage for travel, choosing one with great portability is important. Easily portable massage guns will be smaller and more lightweight, oftentimes coming with a handy carrying case. The Renpho Mini Massage Gun is perfect for on-the-go use because of its lightweight, compact nature and ergonomic carrying case. More Massage Guns to Consider For beginners or those on a budget, Recoverfun’s Mini Massage Gun is a great option—it’s easy to use, conveniently compact, and super budget-friendly. But most importantly, the device delivers real results. “At the end of the day, the product is only good if you're going to use it, and I really enjoyed using this massage gun,” she said. “I reach for it after workouts, especially the day after when the delayed onset muscle soreness sets in,” she said.

Why you should trust us

Battery life - a couple of massage guns on our list have batteries which will keep going for eight hours; other massage guns will need charging more frequently

Massage guns, also known as percussion massagers, percussive therapy and vibration therapy, offer many of the benefits of massage without the expense or the hassle of a visit to the massage therapist. ANSGEC profession deep tissue massage gun adopting powerful brushless high-torque motor featuring Quiet Glide technology, featuring 30 intensity levels, Ergonomic design, all of which helps relax your muscles and boost blood flow, prevents DOMS, is a effective at-home device for your healthy life. Massage guns that provided rapid relief and decreased muscle soreness scored high on our list, along with products that were easy to use, ergonomic, versatile, and quiet. Those that didn’t make our list were bulky, noisy, inefficient, and provided little control—these massage guns missed the mark on one or more key attributes. Like many others on our list, this device comes with four massage head attachments and four easily adjustable speed levels. Our tester liked this versatility for targeting different muscle groups: “I found that the lower speeds were better for smaller muscle groups on my upper body, and the higher speeds did more to break up the tension in my lower body muscles—especially my quads and glutes.”Massage guns work by producing a percussive force which breaks up muscle tightness and knots, and reduces aches and pains. You may think that there’s no way that a handheld gadget could come close to a sports massage. But a study by the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research found that percussive therapy can actually be as effective as an actual massage when it comes to treating DOMS. How do you use a massage gun? Percussion therapy not only provides pain relief but can also help to hydrate tissue, improve posture, enhance sleep quality and also help you warm up faster before exercise. Throughout testing, testers noted the time of day, duration of use, and any special features, such as additional attachments, Bluetooth connectivity, app compatibility, and more. Using a massage gunwill not eliminate arthritis, but it can help to make the surrounding muscles stronger for better support to the joints, says Peters. “Massaging the surrounding muscle will increase blood flow to that area, and that blood carries nutrients, oxygen, and other things that can help alleviate some of the symptoms of arthritis.” Some massage guns come with additional attachments—such as flat, round, and bullet massage heads—that target specific areas and concerns. If simplicity is important to you, choosing a device with just one massage head might be a good idea—the Theragun Mini Massager is a great option. But if you’re looking for a more complex and versatile massage gun, the TOLOCO Massage Gun has 15 unique head attachments, including an arrow head for deep tissue relief and an elbow head for palm and sole massage. Battery Life

Much like going for a massage, a muscle gun helps to reduce inflammation by flushing out your muscle tissues of the fluids built up by exercise and daily bodily stress. They use percussive therapy – repeated strikes to help relax muscle tension and alleviate soreness, which, if you suffer from regular DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), can be a real lifesaver. And whether they work as claimed? Our experts have put this to the test! How to use a massage gun It’s common to suffer from sore muscles after exercise, especially if you’ve recently started a new routine or increased the intensity of your work. This pain is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and it usually starts a day or two after exercising. Massage guns have been found to reduce the pain of DOMS so if you suffer with it but can’t factor in regular sports massages between workouts, you may benefit from using a massage gun at home instead. Does a massage gun really work? The Theragun Prime is a heavy-duty massage gun with four massage heads and a convenient carrying case. Our tester felt almost immediate relief after using this device. “It was very effective on sore muscles,” she said. “In very little time, I felt that tingle of lactic acid being released and didn't need to take painkillers when I was sore after a workout.” The RenPho R3 is lightweight and easy to handle in comparison to other massage guns of similar size, and you’ll get a stylish grey carry case for trips to the gym. Fully charged, the battery lasts an impressive six hours but, if you need to give it a boost when you’re out and about, there’s a useful USB charging cable too. Pros

1. Best overall massage gun: RenPho R3 Massage Gun

Professional Deep Tissue Massage Gun: ANSEGC professional electric handheld massage gun uses percussion therapy to relieve muscle soreness and accelerate recovery, which efficiently helps relax your stiff muscles, breakdown knots, boost blood flow or prevent DOMS, to increase your flexibility, extend your range of motion. Gives your professional relaxing massage experience, Anytime, Anywhere.