Percussion Therapy - Rehabilitative Therapies at Portland Backsmith

Why Percussion Therapy?

Percussion therapy is a soft tissue therapy that is commonly used in the physical medicine profession to relieve muscle soreness. This technology has been around chiropractic and physical therapy clinics for decades but has just recently become popular for exercise and home use due to increasing accessibility. Some proposed benefits of percussion therapy include improved mobility, faster recovery time, pain reduction, less treatment time, and promotion of circulation. We use percussion therapy in office because it has been shown to be complementary to the other therapies we offer in office such as chiropractic manipulations, mobilizations and exercise therapy. It is a great tool to quickly address the trigger points, tension, and other soft tissue dysfunction.

How It Works and What to Expect

Percussion therapy is considered as a specific type of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), or a technique that involves the use of tools to address muscular and soft tissue conditions. Here at our office, we have two different percussion tools (HyperVolt and Theragun) that are often used  in tandem with specific movements and exercises to improve posture and movement patterns that are being impacted by muscular asymmetries. Depending on the session, a treatment will taake anywhere from 5-15min and commonly incorporates multiple regions of the body. IASTM has shown effectiveness in improving range of motion and many patients experience decreased tension and stiffness following treatment1. Percussion therapy specifically has demonstrated its effectiveness in relieving improving balance, improving mobility, relieving trigger points, and assisting in recovery from strenuous exercise2,3,4

Treatable Conditions

There are many different conditions that can benefit from percussion therapy and the literature has proven it to be especially effective in some specific situations. There are some contraindications to percussion therapy so be sure to consult with a professional if you are interested. Conditions that percussion therapy may help include:

  • Muscle trigger points

  • Postural tension

  • Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

  • Muscle spasm

  • Sprains and strains

  • Shin splints

  • Neck pain

  • Back Pain

  • Knee pain 

  • Headaches

  • Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow

  • Postural correction

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)

  • TMJ disorders

  • Sports injuries

  • IT band syndrome

  • Shoulder tendinopathies

  • Plantar Fasciitis 

References:

  1. Kim, J., Sung, D. J., & Lee, J. (2017). Therapeutic effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization for soft tissue injury: mechanisms and practical application. Journal of exercise rehabilitation, 13(1), 12.

  2. Rees, S., Murphy, A., & Watsford, M. (2007). Effects of vibration exercise on muscle performance and mobility in an older population. Journal of aging and physical activity, 15(4), 367-381.

  3. Gartside, M., Henss, B., Horn, M., & Tamminga, E. (2013). The effects of Arthrostim percussion therapy on upper trapezius trigger points.

  4. Best, T. M., Hunter, R., Wilcox, A., & Haq, F. (2008). Effectiveness of sports massage for recovery of skeletal muscle from strenuous exercise. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 18(5), 446-460.