Can You Use a Massage Gun on Stomach? The Dos and Don’ts from the Physical Therapist

Massage guns are more popular than ever before, and their users are getting more creative every day. While creativity is a great thing, it can lead to some pretty controversial ideas. One heavily debated massage gun topic is the use of massage gun on stomach.

Should you use your massage gun on your stomach? We don’t think so, but you should know all of the important facts to weigh your options accordingly and make the safest choice possible.

In this article we’ll break down the potential benefits and risks of using a massage gun on your stomach, explain how to use your massage gun around your stomach safely, and hopefully make our stance clear in the massage gun on stomach debate.

Let’s dive in.

Why Trust Our Advice and Some Disclaimer

Here at Massage Gun Advice, we review all of the latest massage gun devices, stay up-to-date with the most current research, and give our honest recommendations based on the best evidence available.

Rest assured that this article is written by a licensed physiotherapist, Dr. Alex Stone, DPT. This article has not been reviewed by a medical doctor. Please consult with your trusted healthcare professional before using any of the advice in this article.

Can You Use a Massage Gun on Stomach?

The internet is full of articles and videos featuring people massaging their abdomens with massage guns. In fact, there are even loads of articles that say using a massage gun on your stomach is not only safe, but beneficial for many different reasons.

Our stance at Massage Gun Advice is a little more reserved. In general, we recommend avoiding your abdominal area altogether if you can.

This is because your abdomen contains several of your vital organs (including your stomach), which can be sensitive to extreme pressure and vibration.

Potential Benefits of Using Percussion Massager on Stomach

For most people, a big benefit of using massage guns is improving recovery and reducing muscle soreness. So, doesn’t it make sense to use a massage gun on your stomach to help reduce abdominal muscle soreness and improve recovery? 

In theory, yes. However, it would be very challenging – or impossible – to get an effective percussion massage on your abdominal muscles without adding some serious percussion to your internal organs at the same time.

Unless you have a good reason to massage your belly, don’t do it. That said, if you decide to give it a shot, safety should always be your top priority. Be sure to check out the How to Use a Massage Gun on Stomach section below for more details.

So are there any benefits of massage gun on stomach? Yes, there are a few potential benefits of using a massage gun over your abdomen that are worth considering.

Can a Massage Gun Help You Lose Weight?

There are plenty of stories and videos talking about the benefits of massage guns for weight loss, but can a massage gun help you lose belly fat? This is a common question that we get, so it’s important to cover it here.

While many people believe that you can use a massage gun on stomach fat to break up fat deposits, there isn’t any scientific evidence to support this. This means that even if you’re struggling with your weight, you’re not going to see much benefit from hammering away at your abdomen with your favorite massage gun.

No matter how you slice it, a healthy diet, exercise, and keeping your body in a calorie deficit are going to be the pillars of an effective weight loss plan ^​2​. These vital rules of weight loss science can be difficult to follow, but they are going to work much better than any product you can buy in a store.

However, massage guns may have some indirect uses in your weight loss journey. This is because they play an important role in recovery. The faster you recover from exercise, the more often you’re able to get quality exercise. More exercise means a more active metabolism, which can make a huge difference for weight loss.

When Not to Use a Massage Gun on Stomach or Abdomen

While there are few instances of benefits of massage gun on stomach, there are some examples of when to definitely not use a massage gun on your stomach.

Remember If you’re unsure about the safety of any potential massage gun use, be sure to talk to your doctor before trying anything that could be risky.

Is Using Theragun on Stomach a Good Idea?

Because Therabody is the leading massage gun brand, many people choose their devices, which are named Theraguns, for a variety of needs. It’s important to remember that Theraguns are massage guns like any other brand, so all of the same rules apply here.

One major consideration when using Theragun on stomach when compared to other devices is their high amplitude. This means that while they rev slower than many other devices, it’s because the strokes in each percussion is higher than most of the competition. 

While high amplitude is great for many different uses, it’s definitely not a great feature for abdominal massage. This is because the long strokes create hard-hitting punches, which many people will consider uncomfortable or even painful. Extra deep hits may also translate to irritation of internal organs, which we definitely don’t think is a good idea.

If you feel like you need to try using a Theragun on stomach anyway, at least opt for a softer attachment, such as the Dampener or even the Supersoft head to be on the safe side.

Want to try Anyway? Use a Low-Amplitude Massager

One great option for those looking to try an abdominal massage is the Ekrin 365. We really like this device because it feels slightly vibrational thanks to its fast revving (verified at 3200 RPM by us), but also powerful enough to give clearly defined hits when you need them.

The Ekrin 365 is also very compact and ergonomic with great attachments, including one of the softest ball heads that we’ve seen in a massage gun – this might be a nice option if you are trying an abdominal massage.

It also has high enough stall force to make it versatile for many body areas (40 lbs) while being easy to hold for users of all sizes.

Read More Check out our in-depth Ekrin 365 review for more information and real photos to explore this massage gun further.

How to Use a Massage Gun on Stomach – Safety First

If you’re absolutely set on using your massage gun on your stomach, there are a few guidelines you can follow to get the best results and help avoid injury:

• Be gentle.
  This means using your massage gun on a faster, more vibrational setting with very light pressure over your abdomen. If it hurts, change your approach or stop what you’re doing.
• Avoid nerves.
  There is a very sensitive area in your upper abdomen directly below your sternum known as your solar plexus ^​3​. Make sure not to move your massage gun over this area, as this could cause serious discomfort or nerve complications.
• Use a soft attachment.
  Make sure that any attachment you use is soft with round edges. Any hard plastic or abrupt edges could cause major irritation if your gun is hitting your abdomen at an awkward angle.

Remember As with any new or potentially risky self-care technique, we recommend using your best judgment and consulting a licensed healthcare professional with any questions or concerns that you may have. 

FAQ from Readers

Massage Gun on Stomach – Bottom Line

To reiterate, using a massage gun on stomach probably isn’t the best idea for most people. Although there are some viable uses and devices such as the Ekrin 365 that have potential to get the job done safely, the risks ultimately outweigh the potential benefits.

If you have more questions about using a massage gun on stomach, be sure to talk to your doctor or physiotherapist.

Take care!