Is a Massage Gun Safe? What I Found as a Soft Tissue Therapist

I used to have a massage gun. Most therapists do, or have at some point. They look purposeful, they feel powerful, and the marketing around them is convincing.

But the more I used one, the less comfortable I felt recommending them to clients.

Is a massage gun safe to use on your neck?

It is a question I get asked fairly often: is a massage gun safe to use at home? The honest answer is that it depends entirely on where you use it and how.

The issue is not vibration therapy itself. The problem is that massage guns deliver percussive amplitude, which means a rapid back-and-forth hammering motion. On large, well-conditioned muscle bellies, that might be fine. But a lot of people are not using them there. They are pressing them into their necks, their Achilles tendons, their IT bands, and their lower backs, often with no real idea whether that is appropriate or how long to apply it.

One client came to me with severe headaches after using a massage gun on their neck. They had not done anything dramatically wrong, just used it the way the instructions suggested. But I looked into it properly after that, and what I found was sobering.

There are multiple published case reports in medical journals linking massage gun use on the neck to vertebral artery dissection, which is a tear in the artery wall that can cause a stroke. In one documented case, a 25-year-old woman used hers for two hours on her neck and ended up in a nursing facility. In another, a single use was enough to dislodge arterial plaque and trigger an ischaemic stroke. The neck contains structures that do not respond well to percussive force. The carotid artery, the vertebral arteries, the vagus nerve. That is not a fringe concern. It is documented. So I stopped using mine.

What the TEND Focus actually does

The TEND Focus is a different tool entirely. It uses focal vibration therapy, operating at 80 to 140Hz with ultra-low amplitude. That means high-frequency vibration concentrated to a small, precise point, rather than the hammering action of a percussion gun. The way it interacts with the nervous system is fundamentally different. It is quieter, more targeted, and designed to work with the body's pain signalling rather than just forcing tissue to release.

Because the amplitude is low, it is safe to use near tendons, around joints, and on more sensitive areas. It has four constant vibration modes and five sweep patterns, so the intensity can be adjusted depending on what the area needs.

How I use it in clinic

I use the TEND Focus on areas where precision matters more than pressure. Stubborn soft tissue that is not releasing with hands-on work alone, around the shoulder joint, the elbow, and the Achilles tendon. These are places where a massage gun would be either too aggressive or genuinely risky. The focal vibration gets into those areas without the force, which means I can work more specifically and with more confidence.

It is part of treatment, not a replacement for hands-on work. And for certain areas, it is also the most useful thing I can suggest for home use between sessions. What you do between appointments has a real effect on how quickly you progress.

If you are thinking of buying one

If you have been told to buy a massage gun for recovery, I would encourage you to think carefully about what you are actually trying to do. If the goal is to work on large muscle groups after training and you are confident in how to use it, a percussion device might feel satisfying. But if you are dealing with tendon pain, persistent tightness in a specific area, or anything where precision matters more than force, the TEND Focus is a better option.

If it comes up in a session and I think it would help you between appointments, I will mention it. If you are interested before then, feel free to get in touch and I can tell you whether it is likely to be useful for what you are dealing with.

Get 30% off with my discount code

I am an affiliate partner with TEND, which means I earn a small commission if you buy through my link. I mention that because I think you should know. I would recommend it regardless.

Use code Bodytherapy_TEND at checkout for 30% off, or purchase directly at tend.global.

Sources

Sulkowski, Grant & Brodie (2022). Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine.

Raedy et al. (2024). Neurology.

Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases (2024).