How To Use A Massage Gun For Sciatica (Explained)

By Steven

On March 9, 2021

The term “Sciatica” refers to a group of symptoms that arises from an underlying medical condition. A person suffering from sciatica usually experiences persistent shooting pain or burning sensation.

This pain begins from the buttock or lower back and goes down the front or back of the thigh and feet or leg.

Furthermore, numbness in the back of the leg may accompany sciatica pain. And other times, it could be weakness or tingling.

Also, it’s noteworthy to mention that this condition usually affects one leg. Most times, sciatica causes a feeling of heaviness in the affected leg. It’s rare for sciatica to affect both legs.

So Can A Massage Gun Help With Sciatica?

Yes, massage guns or theraguns are helpful in the treatment of sciatica pains. This post provides all the relevant details on how to use a massage gun for sciatica.

Follow along!

Also Read: Best Massage Gun For Sciatica (Complete Reviews And Buyer’s Guide) 2021

How To Use Massage Gun To Fix Sciatica Pains

Suppose you suffer from sciatica pain or nerve pain that radiates down the legs. What’s mostly on your mind is how to alleviate your pains.

The good news is that you can use a massage gun or theragun to manage this condition. I bet the question probably on your mind is how do you use a massage gun for sciatica?

Nevertheless, the paragraphs below provide an answer to the question. And it’s as follows:

Firstly, you should pick up the device to treat the side where you are experiencing pain. However, ensure you focus on your lower back, thigh muscle, and calves for one minute. If there is pain on both sides of your body, then treat both sides.

Secondly, as discussed earlier, calves, hamstrings, the lower backs are the best areas to focus on. But ensure to be cautious when putting pressure on the nerve, particularly around the piriformis muscle. Avoid pushing right on the piriformis for no longer than three seconds. You should do this once.

Moreso, if you move the massage gun directly on the piriformis, it will make the piriformis angry. As a result, your sciatic nerve will make you suffer for it. So allow your massage gun to do the work; no additional pressure is required.

Lastly, avoid treating the sciatic nerve directly with the massage gun. Instead, you can work around the target areas and wipe down the sciatic nerve. Again, no pressure is needed!

Massage Gun For Sciatic Pains (My Recommendation)

We have different massage guns and theragun brands available in the market today. But, unfortunately, some are very expensive to purchase.

Furthermore, others are cheap but may not have specific features that make a massage gun much more effective and user-friendly.

I recommend the Opove M3 Pro Massage Gun for sciatica because it’s budget-friendly, easy to use, and effective.

This device also has a good battery life, sleek design, and features that you will usually find on other high-end and expensive recovery tools like the theragun.

Click here to read the Opove M3 Pro Massage Gun review if you wish to get further information about the product

ALSO READ: OPOVE M3 Pro Massage Gun Review: Why It’s Worth The Hype

4 Effects Of Massage Gun On Sciatic Nerves And Soft Tissues

Using a massage gun, or a theragun may produce different effects on your joints, muscles, nerves, or connective tissue layers deep under your skin.

Below are some changes a massage gun can cause which helps to alleviate sciatica pain:

#1. Release Endorphins

Massage gun can stimulate specific pressure receptors in your brain, special nerve fibers. Stimulating these pressure receptors helps relieve pain by releasing endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormone.

#2. Facilitate The Circulation Of Healing Nutrients

The manipulation of soft tissue through massage stimulates the blood vessels in your deeper tissues and skin. This equally promotes blood, oxygen, and other nutrients in the sore areas, which quickens healing.

#3. Reduce Stress

Stimulating the pressure receptors also helps lower levels of cortisol in your body. Cortisol is the hormone that causes stress. Therefore, reduced stress enhances a feeling of relaxation and relief with less perception of pain.

#4. Loosen And Relax Muscles

You most likely will feel pressure on the sciatic nerve root in your low back when your low back muscles, core, and trunk are tight. Besides, tight muscles can also knot into small painful nodules, which results in trigger point pain.

Hence, massage gun therapy can help to loosen, elongate and stretch these muscles. Thereby easing the pain and improving function in your lower back and legs.

Also Read: Best Massage Gun For Sciatica (Complete Reviews And Buyer’s Guide) 2021

Frequently Asked Questions

We recommend you use this percussive massager a minimum of three times each day. Or better still, use it whenever you feel the tension or pains coming back. Also note, it’s best if you apply the theragun for about two minutes on each muscle set.

Are there any instances where you shouldn’t use the Theragun for sciatica?

Yes, they’re instances when it’s not appropriate to use the theragun. Don’t use the device if you have recently undergone surgery in that part of your body. Also, avoid the use of massagers when you’re pregnant.

Most times, expectant mothers will experience a bad case of sciatica. Hence it’s best for pregnant women to use the theragun only on the hamstrings and hips. They should avoid using it on their low back.

How can Theragun and massage therapy help sciatic nerve pain?

Knowing how to use a theragun for sciatica can help to ease the pain, release tension and boost blood flow, to mention a few. Besides, the Theragun percussive motion relieves the muscles around the sciatic nerve. This will reduce the nerves’ pressure.

What are the common medical conditions that may cause sciatica?

The common conditions which may cause sciatica are as follows:

Muscle spasm or inflammation of the lumbar or pelvic muscles

Lumbar degenerative disc disease
A herniated lumbar disc

General degenerative changes in vertebrae or discs
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
Spondylolisthesis

Lumbar spinal stenosis

Also Read: Can Masssage Guns Be Harmful?

Wrapping Up

Ensure you exercise caution when using your massage gun. It doesn’t matter whether you suffer or not from a chronic back pain condition. So why must you pay attention to how to use a massage gun for sciatica?

Not only are most massage guns powerful, but you also have to take the time to learn how to use different features of the device. Finally, high-end theraguns have several applications, and you need to know about them.

So it’s advisable you start gradually, or not at all if you’re injured.

We recommend you try the Opove M3 Pro massage gun because the device is cost-effective, and durable. Click here to read a review of this device.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website results from in-depth research on various topics. The articles on this site are only for informational and educational purposes, and it’s not intended as medical or health advice. Hence, we suggest you always ensure to seek the opinion of your doctor or other qualified health personnel regarding any questions that relate to health objectives or medical conditions.