Ease Working Out From Home Pain With Therabody (Win!)

Working out from home? We sure are! But all that fitness, even when done in our living room, has left our bodies a little, well, sore. Enter Therabody (formerly Theragun, rebranded), maker of the Theragun Elite percussion massage device, which is ideal for reducing tension and lactic acid after a workout while improving circulation and range of motion—and ultimately accelerating warm-up and recovery. Whether it’s after a virtual workout, a Peloton ride or even after a jog around the block, Therabody devices allow for a quicker recovery after the effort, but also “comfort” massages to relax the muscles that have been under great strain. We chatted with creator Dr. Jason to get his top tips to set yourself up for success to be your best active self—at home, and beyond. —Vita Daily

Hello Dr. Jason! When and why did you create Therabody (formerly Theragun)?

When I first created Theragun, it was completely selfish—I invented it to treat myself in 2008. I was the first patient using this product to address my pain and then my rehab needs and eventually in my daily routine, from waking up to working out. I eventually took the Theragun to my clinic and started using it on my patients. I was able to see some drastic changes and the effect this new modality had on the everyday person. It grew inside my office and became a requested treatment by nearly every patient. In 2012, I started using Theragun on athletes and discovered its performance enhancing effects and how much these professional athletes loved using Theragun. The demand for Theragun really started to take off in 2013. Through the years this product has helped me connect with my patients and, more importantly, as I shared the product with them, this facilitated a deeper connection my patients had with their own bodies—that is my purpose. At Therabody, our true desire is to relieve your pain and decrease the tension in your body. That is truly what we all come to work to do, every day and it’s what keeps us inspired to grow our portfolio of natural product solutions. Everyone can benefit from using a Theragun and the Therabody ecosystem.

It’s still early in the year, and resolutions to exercise more (even if it’s at home, in a virtual fitness class) are still in full swing; when it comes to sports training or intense physical activity, how can percussion massage, as delivered via Therabody, benefit the body?

Theragun Percussive Therapy has a variety of benefits, whether you are partaking in intense physical activity or not, from aiding in preventing body aches and pains, greatly reducing muscle tension in seconds, increasing mobility and range of motion, increasing blood flow to the area to reduce soreness, tightness and pain, and can assist with accelerating the repair and growth of tissues. Basically, the up-and-down motion that the Theragun makes is called a percussive motion. That motion along with our specifically calibrated frequency and amplitude moves on and off the body having a positive effect on the body, nerves, and body tissue to ease muscle tension and aches. Our devices literally put recovery and tension relief in the hands of those who use it.

We’ve also resolved to work on our stress levels, and practice more self-care in 2021; how can Therabody help?

Percussive therapy utilizes this language of pressure to communicate with your nervous system. When you use Theragun for 2-8 minutes on your body you actually turn off your stress switch and turn on your relax switch. Furthermore, different breathing practices have been shown to regulate this part of your nervous system as well. Turning on our “relax switch,” a.k.a., rest-and-digest (parasympathetic) part of our nervous system allows you to de-stress, relax, heal, recover, sleep and rebuild your body. This is so important because your ability to deal with the next challenge life brings depends on the quality of your rest and recovery. Using Theragun on the areas of your body that are tense will flip on your “relax” switch in your brain and allow you to settle into a great restful sleep. There’s a detailed guided protocol for sleep on our Therabody app.

What are some of the other one-of-a-kind qualities of Therabody devices? What sets it apart from other at-home massage devices?

Theragun is the original, gold-standard handheld percussive therapy device. We created this space in 2008 and grew the space over the last 10 years to what it is now. It’s important for people to know there’s a difference between vibration and percussion. The body responds differently to each. Theragun pioneered percussive therapy which is a deeper more effective mode of recovery and body activation. We pride ourselves in having the highest-quality standards and years of constant innovation and research, in addition to our ergonomics and easy to use features. Our unique combination of amplitude, frequency, and torque makes the Theragun more effective at improving movement and aiding in recovery than any other device available.

Who would you say Therabody devices are for, and what are your top tips for use?

Theragun doesn’t benefit one person more than another, but the frequency and type of treatment may change based on what type of training you do regularly or problem areas you are experiencing. Our mission at Therabody is to help people reconnect with their bodies. Our devices literally put recovery and tension relief in the hands of those who use it. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom that deals with back pain, a 9-to-5er that deals with tech neck, a weekend warrior, or a professional athlete, Theragun is literally for everybody. My number 1 tip is to download the Therabody app, available in the App Store and on Google Play. We have protocols for each body part and many other treatments in the Therabody app—it has protocols for every type of person, regardless of activity level. By pairing the app with your device via Bluetooth, you now have access to a fully customizable treatment, intuitive to what you’re doing. This creates the most consistent, effective treatment possible. The Therabody app is the perfect guide on how to best use your Theragun and optimize the benefits with the correct speed, grip, attachment, and time on different areas.

While we have you, can you tell us a little about Therabody’s Wave Roller? What makes it unique?

Our Wave Roller, a vibrating foam roller, creates a truly whole-body approach through our suite of products. It not only expands our offerings, but it was purposefully designed with an integration of science and engineering to create the most effective foam rolling experience possible. From the density of material to the asymmetrical wave design, the Wave Roller allows for optimal application of pressure, transmission of vibration, durability, and reduction in sound while optimizing the benefits of foam rolling.

Final, personal question: if you were stuck on a desert island, which Therabody device/piece of equipment would you not be able to be without?

Our Theragun PRO!

theragun.com

Win! A $549 Theragun Elite!

Congrats Chloe O. of Vancouver, B.C., who will receive a $549 Theragun Elite! Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadaily.ca. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.