This little device packs a punch.
We curated a guide with hundreds of the best gifts of 2023, but there are a few picks our shopping editors deemed worthy of a little more attention. Read our reviews of the must-have presents we personally tested, loved, and waxed poetic about.
“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. So by adulthood, rolling my muscles was an ingrained habit. Still, relief rarely found me: That was until I was introduced to Therabody in 2018.
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 they were put onto the map in 2016 when they launched the Theragun. Percussion therapy was typically only seen in the offices of deft professionals like chiropractors and physical therapists. But 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 aiding my leg to move 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 it on Instagram, I excitedly said yes, as he hovered over me and switched it on. I was shocked and embarrassed by the intimate jolt (the vulnerable positioning wasn’t helping my giggles). But that initially uncomfortable experience made me realize my muscles were much tighter than I realized — and I haven’t stopped using Therabody tools since.
What is the Theragun?
The Theragun can give you a deep tissue massage that makes you feel such strong, tingly sensations that it seems somehow wrong, but it can be a bulky gadget to maneuver around your body while keeping a good grip. Not to mention that it’s pretty heavy and isn’t travel-friendly — and when you inevitably become dependent on the massager, you’ll stiffen up at the idea of parting with it even for a few days.
The company launched the Theragun Mini, which can give you similar relief from aches and pains, but it’s way smaller. 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, which hosts 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 the price, at only $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, at some point, you might want an option that’s easy and doesn’t cost money every time you use it. Plus, after experiencing the magic of all these fancy methods, 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 alleviation at home is the Theragun Mini, despite also owning an older model of the Theragun Pro.
The larger tool works away on my tight quads in a stronger way than the mini, but it can be heavy and cumbersome to hold. If you’re like me and want to mindlessly soothe your bod while also mindlessly watching a trashy TV show, the mini might be for you, too. The plump triangle shape is surprisingly ergonomic and doesn’t feel like a chore to use, even though it’s 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 with its compact size, my Mini has traveled with me to the gym and overseas alike (because, 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 $130 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 a tool that you might not think you need, 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 Amazing Therabody Products
Theragun PRO (Refurbished)
Therabody
$599
The full-sized Theragun PRO is a beast of a massage gun, and can basically liquify your tight hamstrings. That kind of intensity does come with a high price, but there’s a secret to getting one at a discount: Therabody also sells refurbished models that work just as well as new ones. But right now, this model is $120 off!
TheraFace PRO
Therabody
Are you struggling with TMJ, dull skin, fine lines, or all of the above? Therabody’s TheraFace addresses all that and then some. The tool applies the same percussion technology as the Theragun and the Mini, but is intended to help relieve tight masseter muscles. It also boasts skin-boosting features like a microcurrent ring and red and blue light therapy, which firm skin, address fine lines, and help combat acne.
