Theragun G3PRO percussive device | Review

Accidents happen. A tip-off here, a lowside there… motorcycling is an exhilarating passion but comes with caveats when things can and do go wrong.

Mercifully we hope any injuries suffered are ultimately recoverable from but accidents big and small often result in lingering effects with aches, pains and stiffness as ailments heal. After all, we can’t all have the Dr. Mir – the doctor of choice for the MotoGP riders when they’ve had a painful spill – on the end of the phone.

This is where my latest high-tech gadget – the Theragun – comes into play. This ‘Percussive Device’ to give it its scientific name, is a powered machine designed to provide relief and iron out those knots under the skin that firm up in the wake of – for example - a heavy gym workout, bad posture or a motorcycle accident.

Indeed, it was exactly this that led to the Theragun being conceived after founder and chiropractor Dr Jason Wersland suffered a fall and was left contending with the associated aches and strains that come with recovery.

In short, the Theragun gets the benefits of a chiropractor’s magical hands into an ergonomic machine that can be used on oneself, so you can help relieve yourself of those aches without having to bribe a receptionist at your local surgery to get you an earlier appointment.

Theragun First Use & Benefits

It’s a high-quality piece of kit, feeling reassuringly solid with tight panels and design flourishes on this top of the range Theragun G3PRO model. It has been sat on my desk for a time now and it’s started a number of conversations.

More conversations occur when the Theragun fires into life as its alarming power catches you by surprise. With a 16mm stroke length moving at high-speed – a choice of two speeds depending how deep a tissue you want to massage – the sheer power it generates as you hold it in front of you will perhaps prompt second thoughts about pushing against one of your muscles…

And yet, by being rhythmic and consistent, the soft spongey attachment disperses the strength of the stroke so that while you certainly feel a concentrated ‘pounding’ (so to speak) it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, if a little unusual. You can use it on all muscles and joints, with benefits including improve range of motion - including those all-important wrists - and tendonitis.

Now, I’m a tall, broad guy with somewhat limited amount of flexibility – let’s just say applying sunscreen to my back is almost impossible – but the unusual design of the Theragun is intended to allow even the stiffest of people to reach around behind them to get into those knotted up areas of the back. Better still, get someone else to do this for you – it’s fairly entertaining to watch them try and drive it into your back.

How does the Theragun work?

Now for the science bit. Powered by an ‘industrial-grade Japanese motor’ engineered to provide 16mm Amplitude at a speed of 40 percussions per second (29 in a lower setting), the depth and speed of the Theragun has been calibrated to provide ‘professional-grade percussive therapy’ for pain relief, enhanced performance and accelerated recovery.

With a propriety gearbox to ensure efficiency, the G3PRO’s 60Ibs of force makes it the ‘sports massage’ of Theraguns. Different size attachments – varying is broadness, length and firmness – are designed to provide more concentrated relief where necessary.

We put it to the test…

As it so happens, a friend of mine did recently have a motorcycle ‘moment’ as he puts it so he conducted a live test on the areas that could have used some relief. It proved difficult to get it back from him afterwards…

“I had a massive contracture on the trapezius muscle and after using this machine for five minutes constantly on the same area it reduced the pain and the contracture almost 85%,” he says.

Price and Availability

The Theragun comes in three options – G3PRO, G3 and liv – offering minor tweaks on the basic design.

The G3PRO offers two-speeds, adjustable arm, quality travel bag and swappable batteries. It doesn’t come cheap at £549 but is a premium product and it successfully provides relief where repeated yet necessary visits to the chiropractor and massager would rack up the bills beyond that fast.

The G3 comes in at £375 and offers ‘Pro’ attachment capability, while the entry-level liv is £229 and is ideal for those who need a quick and easy relief for aches and pains, such as after a long ride.

Verdict

The Theragun G3PRO is a device I have personally never come across before, nor was it one I thought I ever needed. But using it for iron out the various kinks that form from strenuous activity, long rides or just being crumpled up on public transport, I found myself returning to it repeatedly to ease the stresses I hadn’t noticed until I realised they were gone.

It’s an investment but one with serious long-term benefits for versatile reasons. Even if you haven’t come off a motorcycle, just riding one that is perhaps designed more for speed than comfort means a device like this can do away with those ‘should I leave the sportsbike at home today’ conversations with yourself…