Can you use a Massage Gun while pregnant?

In the instruction manuals of massage guns, you can often find a note that the massager should not be used to massage pregnant women. In this article, you will find out if this is true. In addition, I will explain what to consider when giving a massage during pregnancy.

Short Answer

In principle, it is not recommended to use massage guns on pregnant women. However, if the pregnancy is healthy and there are no complications, there is nothing to be said against using massage guns on certain areas (e.g. on the arms, feet and neck). However, you should always check this with your doctor. A massage gun should not be used on the (lower) back or abdomen at any time during pregnancy.

Long Answer

You have now learned in short form that you can possibly use a massage gun during pregnancy. In the following sections, I will also explain which massages are helpful for pregnant women, what benefits the massages have, and how to massage correctly during pregnancy.

Are pregnant Women generally allowed to be massaged?

Massages are a real blessing. This is also true during pregnancy. They can help against complaints such as tension, water retention, and stretch marks. However, pregnant women may not be massaged in every case. The condition is that the pregnancy proceeds without any complications.

Therefore, you should avoid massage during pregnancy if you experience any of the following complications:

In any case, you should check with a doctor whether a massage is advisable or not.

You can also have a pregnancy massage performed by a specialized masseur if you have concerned with yourself. He knows exactly which areas he is allowed to massage and which are not. In addition, massages by experts are usually tailored to the needs of pregnant women.

What are the Benefits of Massage during Pregnancy?

Massages are usually used for relaxation. Thus, massage is often used to reduce tension and stimulate regeneration.

During pregnancy, however, other complaints occur. Many of these can also be alleviated with the help of pregnancy. Among other things, a massage helps with the following:

So am I allowed to use a Massage Gun during Pregnancy?

The clear answer to this question is: it depends.

There should be no discomfort during pregnancy when using a massage gun as with a regular massage. So if your pregnancy goes without the above complications, you can, in principle, use a massage gun during pregnancy.

However, it should be noted that the intensity of a massage gun can only be roughly adjusted. However, special care should be taken during pregnancy. Thus, many areas in pregnant women are massaged only very gently and with stroking movements.

However, this is not possible with a massage gun. Therefore, certain areas are off-limits: for example, you should not massage the abdomen² or lower back with a massage gun. Other areas, on the other hand, can be treated with a massage gun without any further concerns. Thus, carefully massaging the feet, calves, and arms as well as the neck with the gun is usually not a problem.

Here, however, you must make sure to use only the low power levels. In addition, you may only press very lightly with the massage gun.

In any case, you should discuss the application with your doctor beforehand.

Which Massage Gun is suitable for pregnant Women?

During pregnancy, you have to take care not only of yourself but also of at least one other living being. Therefore, I can only recommend not to use too cheap massage guns during pregnancy. Some of them contain harmful softeners. Instead, spend a little more money and get a massage gun of high quality.

If you want a mini massage gun, I recommend the Hypervolt Go or the Blackroll Fascia Gun. Of the classic massage guns, I can recommend, for example, the Hyperice Hypervolt, the Theragun Pro, the Theragun Prime or the addsfit MAX for pregnant women.

How to properly perform a Massage during Pregnancy?

When massaging pregnant women, there are several points to consider. One of the most important is the correct position of the person being massaged. Pregnant women should not lie on their stomachs. This also applies to special massage tables with a hole for the belly. These can exert dangerously high pressure on the baby. Instead, depending on the part of the body to be massaged, pregnant women should either adopt a comfortable sitting position or lie on their left side³.

Furthermore, certain areas such as the lower back or abdomen should not be massaged. Massaging the wrong areas can, in the worst case, harm the baby or even trigger premature labor. However, the abdomen can be carefully oiled. This moisturizes, feels relaxing, and can minimize stretch marks.

When choosing the right massage oil, however, be sure to avoid certain essential oils. If we use the wrong oil, this can also trigger premature contractions. Thus, you should not use the following essential oils for massage during pregnancy:

Instead of these oils, use other natural oils, for example, arnica massage oil or St. John’s wort oil.

Conclusion – Can you use a Massage Gun while pregnant?

Massage gun manufacturers do not recommend its use during pregnancy. If there are no complications, it is possible to massage certain body parts with a gun. Which parts you can massage when you can read in the article. I hope that I was able to help you!

References

1. https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/prenatal-massage/
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/where-not-to-massage-a-pregnant-woman#benefits
3. https://www.massagemag.com/position-matters-in-pregnancy-massage-13602/