How to Choose Massage Gun Heads for You

As you all know, the massage gun is very popular, more and more people have it. The head of the massage gun has also increased from 4 types at the beginning to 8 types and more. Are so many different shapes of massage heads really useful? Do we really need so many massage heads? Anyone as curious as I am? Hand up! So I randomly selected a seller on Amazon with high ratings and rankings. This store offers a total of 15 different types of massage heads! (I really didn't think there were so many massage heads now.) Fifteen types of massage heads really take a lot of time to experience. I also invited my family to come with me to review. I believe it will be more objective. I will also put the link to my purchase at the end of the article.

Before the main body of the article begins in earnest, let me answer a question based on the information I have gathered:

Why Use Different Massage Heads?

Massage guns can be used in several scenarios to help us relieve fatigue, exercise and relax, physical therapy and repair, massage points, etc. In order to achieve as many functions as possible, it is necessary to equip massage guns with different heads. Different shaped connectors allow you to adjust the intensity and pressure on the target area, and in doing so, provide more effective relief and faster muscle healing. It is very easy to unlock as many scenarios of use as possible by familiarizing yourself with the different connectors' intended uses. You can experience different techniques until you find the one that works best for you.

Before I introduce you to the characteristics of different massage heads and how I feel about using them, there are some things I want to say in advance. Everyone is different, it is very natural to have diverse feelings. So, you shouldn't think that what you see on the Internet will produce the same effect on your own body. I would rather suggest that you treat your massage technique as an evolving process. Spend time on trying a massage method and keeping track of the used head, and see how you feel the next day. By paying attention to these details, you can develop a superior technique that works for you. Most importantly: don't hurt yourself! If you feel discomfort or pain, stop right now and let your muscles rest before you try again. Often, muscles are too sore because the injury has just occurred and needs some time to repair from within.

I will arm you with the information from three parts:

(1) impact strength;

(2) best for;

(3) usage

Ok, let's find out!

1. Ball head

• Impact strength：3 stars
• Best for:Sensitive muscle groups; all areas
• Usage：Ball head exists in every massage gun accessories. Why ball head is so popular? This shape is perfectly round, so we can rotate the contact points smoothly with even, steady force. The beauty of the ball attachment is that we can have graded control over the massage. "Graded control" here does not refer to varying the amplitude of vibration of the fascial gun, it means adjusting the intensity of the tap by simply tilting the head away from the affected area. By adjusting different angles, you can achieve more of a cross-friction massage. My mom loves this for tender areas such as the forearms, feet and shoulders, she said "It has a moderate impact and a large massage area". From my view, it is ideal for relaxing large muscle groups on the body, such as our lower back, hips, chest, thighs, and calves. You can increase a little gear when massaging large muscule groups, and there will not be very painful discomfort. By the way, don't be too closed to the sternum and ribcage . If you insist on having a try, remember reducing the amplitude. In total, the ball head is used frequently in daily life, can be used to relax fatigue after work. It is not friendly to cleaning due to the material.

2. Bullet head

• Impact strength：5 stars
• Best for: Large tight muscles; deep tissue; target spots
• Usage："Bullet head matches massage gun perfectly". It is one of the most useful accessories with both precision and impact. Round head is not very targeted, and bullet head makes up for this shortcoming. It is more "specific", stronger impact, to stimulate the deeper muscle groups. Mentioned in the instructions for use"It is suitable for myofascial bonding, such as meridians, palms and soles". To some extent, I approve of this description. If there are sore spots in the muscles, it can help me hit them precisely. If the myofascialyour massage gun is strong enough, it is also great for relaxing my hip muscles. But if I want to relax sensitive areas like the shoulders and forearms, the bullet head would not be my first choice. Because the bullet head will make the treatment too intensely. So, It's not the most often massage gun head I used. Remember to use it for short periods of time, targeting the muscles with this massage head for too long may lead to undesirable consequences. Make sure to give the area plenty of rest time between uses to avoid excessive muscle tension. When using it, you can start with a small gear, then slowly increase to a large gear to avoid hurting yourself.
• Note：Stay away from spine heads

3. Flat Head

• Impact strength：3 stars
• Best for:Medium to large muscles; sore muscles
• Usage：This head looks ordinary, but it is the one I use most frequently. When I shopped all day and came home to lie on the couch, I would pick it up and it moved very smoothly with very little resistance. The flat head gives a much more moderate feel. It feels like slapping the muscles with the palm of an air hand, which is wonderful and comfortable. It also has a wide range of application and can be used to relax muscles all over the body as long as it does not vibrate against the bones and aorta of the body. The flat head is very friendly for medium to large muscle groups. It is used for areas that are open but have thicker muscles, such as the legs and buttocks, compared to the round head. It is also a good choice for scapulae and IT band. With this head you don't have to worry about pounding painful or sensitive muscles. But my mom told me the flat head also has a disadvantage:being less flexible, I don't think it is a big problem. Trust me, you will need it if you're an avid fan of high heels.

4. U-shape Head/Spinal head

• Impact strength：4 stars
• Best for:Large, tight muscles; deep tissue; recovery
• Usage：This massage head is also very common among the accessories of the massage gun. Why design such a massage head? I was curious, so I went to find some sellers' statements that asfollows. Massage guns are designed to relax our muscles, not bones. This head is based on the design concept of "cleverly avoiding bones". According to above statement，It is more suitable for massaging the muscles close to the bones, and is very comfortable to use on both sides of the spine, achilles tendon and shoulder obliques. Because it has two massage heads, so I have reason to believe that it can ensure the accuracy and faster recovery of muscle groups. In fact, I use this head most often to massage the back of my calves because I do more aerobic exercise. Massage from the achilles tendon all the way to the calf belly, and the line of my calves really becomes more slender. When massaging the back muscles the wrist should press hard on the fascial gun. Especially when massaging both sides of the spine ,you'd better ask family member or friend to keep the spine and massage head in balance. Once you accidentally touch the bone, it will really make you uncomfortable. Don't ask me how I know. You can place the ends of the fork on either side of the spine and slowly work your way down. Make sure to never put it directly on the spine itself, and don't go too far, as you may start to hit the neck area. Here's a good rule of thumb to tell you: stop before the massage head reaches that raised bone on the neck and focus most of your massage time on the middle and lower back area. If it's used to aid in rehabilitation, be sure to do it under the guidance of a professional. It's best to use this massage head for within 15 seconds at the same point.
• Note: Some buyers say that this head is not very comfortable to use on both sides of the spine, or easily hurts the bones.

5. Arc Head/Crescent head

• Impact strength：4 stars
• Best for:Large area of soreness
• Usage：This massage head is suitable for relaxing muscle in the arms and hips. I think it will be used more frequently on men，especially after doing long weight training, it can promote the breakdown of lactic acid and effectively relieve the soreness that may occur the next day. If you have large soreness in deep tissues such as the soles of your feet and hands, this massage head you will love，it gives a different kind of stimulation to these sensitive areas. It can massage more areas than the bullet head so that our hands don't have to move frequently. When using this massage head, please notice avoiding places where there are many bones. Every time I get near the bones, the whole massage gun will be popped up, so it's still quite dangerous.

6. Thumb Head

• Impact strength：4 stars
• Best for:pelvic
• Usage：I really thought this massage head was creative and quite interesting when I first saw it.  Actually, it's still more replaceable, although this massage head is really cute. So, it won't be one of the massage heads you use most often. Next, I will describe how my family and I feel about using it. This massage head is finger-shaped and can be a good substitute for our fingertips for point pressure relaxation. It vibrates at a higher frequency and with more force than a finger. It can massage deeper into the muscles and hit your soreness precisely. According to my using expercience, I feel good to use thumb head at the pelvis and the muscles on the side of the waist. This massage head isn't suitable for the body parts with many nerve sensors. If the head encounters bones, don't press hard, otherwise you will get a rebound if you hit hard. Just gently press the massage head against your body and enjoy the relaxation process.

7. Y-Shape Head

• Impact strength：4 stars
• Best for:arms and legs
• Usage：This massage head presents a certain curvature with many massage points on it. Do you think it is no different from one of the massage heads above. Actually, I have the same feelings first. However, it differs from arc Head. Arc Head only has round spots over the surface. The shape of the Y-Shape head's massage points varies, there are round, triangular and oval. It is more suitable for thigh muscle relaxation. The head has abvious advantage: certain impact, larger massage areas, high massage efficiency. This massage head is good for arm and leg relaxation, because its curved design can fit the skin well and take care of as many areas as possible. If you often need to lower your head in work and study, and you like to have impact massage in the neck position, I highly recommend you try this massage head. It can be well wrapped around your neck, so you can experience neck massage without leaving home. But be sure to have family and friends around to help you operate, the amplitude is adjusted to a minimum.

8. Umbrella Head/convex head

• Impact strength：3 stars
• Best for:large muscles；arms
• Usage：This massage head actually just flip the arc head above. The massage points are same, but the umbrella head reduces surface area. So, maybe it is more portable? The instruction said it is suitable for large muscle groups, such as the buttocks and the low back. According to my experience, using it to massage around the shoulders will also have a different feeling. It will not have a strong sense of irritation to the skin, due to characteristics of the massage points on this massage head are less raised and smoother. It is designed as a curved shape, convenient to adjust the angle of its pressure on the muscle. In addition, it has a wider range of applications than the Y-Shape Head. But if you need to stimulate pressure on painful points, this massage head is not strong enough.

9. D-shaped Head

• Impact strength：4 stars
• Best for:larger muscles around Legs, Chest, and Back
• Usage：If you want your muscles lines to be more smoother, this massage head is a good partner for enhancing muscle shaping. Its shape allows it to push the muscles better. This massage head can be used for the shaping massage of large muscle groups. For example, it can be used in the abdominal muscle group, which is conducive to the sculpting and relaxation of the abdominal muscle group. Boys who want to have perfect abs are worth getting one. Or you can imagine it as an electric scraping board. You just need to use a little force to push it slowly. I am a person who is very prone to edema, and I use it most often to dehydrate my legs. But its flexibility is lacking, this leads us to replace it with other heads in the area of dense bones.

10. Conic Head

• Impact strength：5 stars
• Best for:small muscles;tight muscles;target spots
• Usage：This massage head is an upgrade to the conic head. The conic head is also known as an arrow head. It is similar to the bullet head, but sharper than bullet head. The top of the bullet head is rounded, while the top of this massage head is flat. So the flexibility will also be slightly less than 10%, and the resistance to moving on the skin will become greater. So you should start at a smaller gear in order not to exceed your pain threshold. The conic head is suitable for small contact surfaces with strong irritation, such as joints, palms and soles of the feet. It is also good for hitting points on the calves after a long day of walking. But the dwell time at one point should be shortened.
• note：More difficult to plug in, not hard to plug in it is easy to fall out, especially for girls.

11. Four-Claw Head/dispersed shaped head

• Impact strength：5 stars
• Best for:abdominal oblique；shoulder
• Usage：The shape of the massage head is also very interesting. This massage head is shaped like an animal's paw. It also feels like a cat's fleshy paw when used, able to gently knead a tired body while patting. The instrution said it can be applied to the whole body muscle groups. However, it brings larger impact and stronger massage feeling than the flat massage head.So, we'd better use it in thick muscle groups. But the amplitude can be lower during use. It also has a larger contact area. Please avoid using at the bones of the legs as much as possible as to reduce accidental injury to yourself.

12. Wedge Head/fan-shaped head

• Impact strength：3 stars
• Best for:back
• Usage：This head just have a little improvement than others. This massage head has small serrations which give it little more massage presence and a strong sense of vibration. I am a very ticklish user, I can not use it on your thighs. I'm not sure you will have the same experience, or maybe you have another area that can't be touched. I usually use it to wake up my muscles in the morning. It is a good helper to chase away sleepiness, the whole person will be awake after a few minutes of massage. This toothed massage head is also good for massaging acupuncture points, relieving edema and eliminating fat. With it, you can put down the scraping board in your hands and never worry about your hands getting sore again.
• note：It needs to be stuffed very hard and deep in order not to fall out, and it is also very difficult to pull out.

13. Tower head/gyro head

• Impact strength：2stars
• Best for:target spots；soft tissues
• Usage：This massage head is an upgraded version of the flat head. Suitable for people who often work with their heads down. Because the impact of this massage head is slightly smaller, it can effectively relieve the fatigue and soreness of the spine on the basis of protecting our soft tissues. This is comfortable for sedentary office population to massage their pelvis near. Straighten your back and take a few minutes to relieve fatigue. Women's small muscle groups are also very suitable for this massage head to relax, such as calves, arms and abdominal muscles. But this massage head in the process of use will make some loud noises. Maybe the noise will attract your pets' attention.

14. Silicone air cushion head/mushroom head

• Impact strength：3 stars
• Best for:Sensitive and bony areas;joints
• Usage：This massage head uses air to soften the force of its blows, has a shock-absorbing effect, and is great for painful areas. It is really comfortable to hit on the spine, shoulders, wrists, feet, and even the upper neck where there are bony prominences. This massage head is perfect for the elders in the family and can massage well while protecting them. My mom always use it for my grandma's legs, it's very safe. If you are a person with a very low pain threshold or are sensitive to blowing skin,  this massage head is designed for you. This massage head is also suitable for massaging the more sensitive parts of the muscles, such as bone surfaces and thin muscles. If you want to try vibration therapy but have some worries, starting from using this massage head will be absolutely no problem.

15. Double Silicone air cushion head

• Impact strength：4 stars
• Best for:all body;joints
• Usage：The double heads use the same material with the above one. This massage head also uses air to soften its striking force. It also uses a softer material than plastic to improve the comfort of contact with your skin. If this attachment accidentally touches your cartilage, you will not jump up in pain at once. After using a period of time, I think it is better for daily massage.  If it is used for the relaxation of the muscle layer after exercise, the intensity will not be high enough. The elderly and rehabilitators with this is also more appropriate and safe. Two massage heads, massage efficiency is greatly improved. But if you use to massage the back by yourself, the massage head may make a loud noise. If you hear a loud sound, do not panic.

Here is the link with these 15 types of massage gun attachments:  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/mpc/A2BVR9ID3OFO64

And you can get a discount with code: 10XG3OGF

Overall the quality of this group of massage heads is quite good, not crude. Their adaptability is also quite strong.They are also lighter in weight and come with a small bag for easy storage. Before buying a massage head separately, be sure to measure the caliber of your own fascia gun. If you wait for the goods to arrive but find that it does not fit, it can be too sad. Finally, I also summarized a few points to consider when selecting a massage head based on user reviews on Amazon.

 Doesn't such a thoughtful writer deserve a compliment?

1.How good is the workmanship, especially if the seams are handled smooth or burrs.

2.Resistance to unplugging.

3.The degree of softness and hardness of the massage head, whether it is skin-friendly.

4.Material: whether good cleaning, etc.

5.Are there any special features.

I hope this article can help you, and welcome any different feelings to discuss together.