This little device packs a punch.
“It’s OK if you live in a tight body,” my soft-spoken yoga instructor regularly coos to our class, in rhythm with my popping joints. I’ve given up on being a flexible, loose-limbed person, and after decades of dance, pilates, surfing, hiking, and basically every sport in between — except running, no thank you — I’ve earned my tight, stiff muscles. More importantly, I also have early-onset osteoarthritis, thanks to a severe hip condition that I was born with. Suffice it to say, I’ve known nothing but aches and sore muscles since birth.
It’s not something I dwell on often — I have no other body to compare it to, so it’s mine and I love it — but it does inform how I move through life, quite literally. I know when to stop pushing myself at the gym, and I’m confident in telling a Pilates instructor that my hip simply won’t open the way they might want it to. But the real work in keeping my body safe comes after I’ve put it through the wringer. I always try to take the time and effort to prioritize my recovery routine, whether I need to heal from my 10,000 daily steps or because I’ve been slumped over in an office chair all day.
As a kid whose father had similar issues, a foam roller was literally my toddler toy, and by adulthood rolling my muscles was an ingrained habit. Still, relief rarely found me: That was until I was introduced to Therabody in 2018, and it became the best gift I ever gave my dad.
For more dad-approved finds, shop our complete Father’s Day Gift Guide.
Thera-who?
Therabody is kind of the Rolls-Royce of wellness gadgets. The brand engineers innovative tools that address everything from muscle tension to acne, but were officially put onto the map in 2016 when they launched the Theragun. Before that, percussive therapy was typically only seen in the offices of deft professionals like chiropractors and physical therapists.
Two years into Theragun’s existence, I was gifted a private training session with a renowned fitness expert who just so happened to work with Bella Hadid. (To say I was nervous is an understatement.) I like to think of myself as a relatively fit person, but my instructor instantly clocked my tight hamstrings and quads, and we swiftly transitioned from weightlifting to stretching. I assumed an awkward position: lying on my back, one leg skyward, with him moving my leg toward my stomach — my hamstrings froze. To loosen them up, my very nice, very fit, and very much still a stranger instructor asked if he could use a Theragun on me.
Having only seen the tool on Instagram, I excitedly said yes, as he hovered over me and switched it on; I was shocked and embarrassed by the intimate vibrational jolt (and my vulnerable position didn’t help). But that initially uncomfortable experience made me realize my muscles were much tighter than I realized, and helped loosen them significantly — and I haven’t stopped using Therabody tools since.
What is the Theragun?
The original Theragun can give you a powerful deep-tissue massage, but it can be bulky to maneuver around your body while keeping a good grip. It’s pretty heavy and therefore isn’t travel-friendly — and when you inevitably become dependent on it, you’ll stiffen up (maybe literally) at the idea of parting with it even for a few days.
Luckily, the company launched the Theragun Mini, which can give you similar relief from aches and pains, in a way smaller package. The second-generation tool weighs less than a pound, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in power. With three speeds and 120 minutes of battery life, it’s a useful instrument for everyone, from pro athletes to your father-in-law who hasn’t woken up without a stiff neck in years. It also connects to your phone via Bluetooth, so you can log onto the Therabody app and view a ton of wellness routines and demos on how to use their products.
The best part about the Therabody Mini is its price: While the Pro gun costs $599, the pocket-sized one costs a fraction of that, at $199. This price point makes it a perfect splurge-worthy gift for your closest friends and family. Trust us, every body will be grateful, tight or not.
My Theragun review
I’ve tried acupuncture, physical therapy, deep tissue massages — you name it — to help my tight muscles recover. And while I have nothing bad to say about any of these treatments, it’s great to have an option that’s ultraconvenient and doesn’t cost money every time you use it. After experiencing the magic of all those fancy professional treatments, I never thought I’d be able to provide my own relief, but the Theragun proved me wrong. Now the tool I rely on for consistent at-home help is the Theragun Mini, even though I also own a Theragun Pro.
The larger tool works on my tight quads in a stronger way than the mini, but if you don’t want to deal with its size and weight, the mini might be for you, too. The plump triangle shape is surprisingly ergonomic and doesn’t strain your fingers or hands if you struggle with arthritis, and is way more powerful than it looks. A quick five-minute session with the Mini, and my hip flexors no longer feel like they’re holding a grudge against me. And thanks to its compact size, my Mini has traveled with me to the gym and overseas alike. (Unfortunately, I’m also that person who works out on vacation.)
There are plenty of more-affordable massage tools (I also really like the Roll Recovery R1, which is only $129 on Amazon), but when it comes to convenience paired with a surprising amount of power, I can’t recommend the Mini enough. I’ll be the first to admit that $199 is a steep price for something that might not be medically necessary, but it’s actually saved me money when I’m between in-office treatments. Whether you consider the Theragun Mini a luxury in your wellness journey or an essential tool (I land somewhere in the middle), you won’t regret investing in it for yourself or your loved ones.
More Editor-Recommended Therabody Products
Theragun PRO Plus
Therabody
The full-sized Theragun PRO Plus is a beast of a massage gun and will basically liquify your tight hamstrings. It’s the most advanced version of the brand’s percussion tools, and its intensity does come with a higher price. But given that you’ll look forward to using this daily, we think the initial investment will easily be worth it.
Theragun Mini
Therabody
Want all the benefits of a Theragun mini at half the price? We’ll let you in on a little secret: Therabody also sells refurbished models that work just as well as new ones. It has all the same capabilities as the new-in-box models, and you won’t even know it’s been pre-loved.
Theragun Relief
Therabody
The brand’s newest and most affordable model, the Theragun Relief, is intended to take a softer approach with a milder level of massage therapy, while still providing soothing relaxation for your tender muscles.
TheraFace Mask
Therabody
Red-light therapy is all the rage for addressing skin issues like fine lines and collagen loss: Research verifies that it can truly help diminish wrinkles. Still, there are so many wellness tools out there, that it’s difficult to know which ones actually work. If you’re already a loyal Therabody customer, you’ll be happy to hear that the company makes an FDA-cleared TheraFace mask; customers rave that it helps improve skin firmness and hyperpigmentation.
