High hamstring tendinopathy – Using a massage gun for those tight muscles
Sports physio does massage gun demo for tight hamstring tendons: Let me show you how to use a massage gun to find relief from that tight feeling in the hamstrings and glutes we sometimes get with high (proximal) hamstring tendinopathy.
Remember, if you need help with an injury, you're welcome to consult one of our physios online via video call.
The terms tendinitis, tendonitis, tendinosis, and tendinopathy mean the same thing for all practical purposes, and we use these interchangeably in our articles. Read more (opens in new window).
In this article:
Here's the video explanation and demonstration - there are also clips from the video further down for each of the massage gun methods.
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Why a massage gun is better than stretching
It is quite normal to get a “stiff” or “tight” feeling in your hamstring muscles (and also your gluteal muscles) when you have high hamstring tendinopathy, and it is natural to get the urge to stretch them.
Previously, clinicians thought that tight hamstring muscles caused high hamstring tendinopathy and prescribed stretching exercises for those muscles. We now know that the cause-and-effect is the other way round – it is the tendinopathy that causes the stiff feeling in the muscles.
💡 In fact, stretching your hamstrings and glutes will likely make your high hamstring pain worse, because it compresses the already injured tendon against your sit bone (similar to how pressing on a bruise hurts).
👉 Read more about why stretching is not advised for your high (proximal) hamstring tendinopathy here.
Massaging the muscles will get them to relax without interfering with the injured tendon, and using a massage gun is my favourite way. A massage gun works for reducing pain and relaxing muscles, because the vibrations stimulate the tiny little sensors inside the muscles and tendons, which relaxes the nervous system.
Mistakes to avoid
Before we get to my step-by-step demos, a few words of caution.
Avoid “skin-and-bone” areas
A massage gun is meant to be used on muscles, which provide a natural padding to protect other types of tissue against the percussion action. Fortunately, the hamstring and glute muscles provide plenty of padding.
So, stay away from other areas where things that are close to the surface might get injured, like veins and arteries, nerves, and tendons.
When massaging the hamstrings and glutes, areas to avoid are the back and sides of your knee and the bony bits on the outside of your hip (greater trochanter).
And if you want to use the massage gun on other areas of your body, stay away from your neck and face. Most user manuals warn about this, but some people have ignored it and caused themselves serious injury.
More is not better
Same as with exercise, your muscles need some time between massage gun sessions to recover and gain the benefit of each session.
Likewise, you can overdo a massage gun session in the same way that you can overdo an exercise session.
So, not more than one session a day.
Limit each session to ten minutes.
Don’t linger on one spot for more than two minutes.
It’s fine to use the highest vibration setting, but don’t apply maximum pressure – aim for firm and comfortable.
If you have other injuries
It’s OK to massage the injured tendon itself, as long as you don’t do it too vigorously.
If you also have hip bursitis, don’t use the massage gun directly on the painful bit. (The bursae are fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction against the tendon, and bursitis often goes hand-in-hand with a tendinopathy.)
Don’t use a massage gun over a newly torn hamstring or tendon. Later on – say, four weeks after you’ve torn your hamstring – it might be fine; ask your physio before you go ahead.
Demo: Massage gun for hamstrings
Position 1: On your stomach
The simplest position for this is to lie on your stomach, reach round with the massage gun, and use it on your hamstrings. This is very useful if:
your injured high hamstring tendon is too sensitive for you to lie on your side and flex your hips (see below for this position)
you also have gluteal tendinopathy, in which case lying on your side might also be painful.
Instructions
Lie on your front with a few pillows under your feet so your knees are bent – this helps your hamstring muscles to relax.
Reach back to massage your hamstrings, checking that you keep them relaxed throughout.
If you struggle to relax your hamstrings, placing a few cushions under your chest can help you to relax your lower back and hamstrings.
👉 Lying on your stomach presents a few potential problems:
Not everyone is flexible enough to reach all the way round.
Some people might inadvertently arch their back to reach better, but that action will tense up the hamstring muscles, and they should be relaxed while getting the massage gun treatment.
It’s difficult to see what you’re doing.
💡 So, if you are able to lie on your side and back without pain or discomfort, the two positions below are often better.
Position 2: Lateral (or outer) hamstrings
Instructions
Lie on your side with your injured side on top – put a pillow or cushion under your head and also between your legs to allow your body to relax.
Bend your knees up to a comfortable position that allows you to easily reach the back of your thigh and feels comfortable for your injured tendon.
Half turn your upper body back, reaching back to massage the outer (lateral) parts of your hamstrings.
Don’t go closer than a hand palm’s width to the crook of your knee, and definitely avoid the sides and back of your knee.
Position 3: Inner hamstrings
Instructions
Lie on your back with a pillow or cushion under your head.
Stack some pillows or cushions to the outside of your injured leg.
Straighten out your uninjured leg.
Bend your injured leg to a comfortable position that allows you to easily reach your inner hamstrings and move it outwards so that it rests on the pillows or cushions – if you struggle to reach, place more pillows under your head and upper back.
Massage your inner hamstring muscles with the massage gun.
Be aware that your adductor muscles (the ones you use to clench your thighs together) are also in this area – your hamstrings are the ones closer to the back of your leg. However, if your adductors are also feeling tight, there’s no harm in giving them the massage gun treatment as well.
Here are some good massage guns available on Amazon:
Demo: Massage gun for glutes
First, you want to identify the bony areas in your hip to stay away from, and this is done easier standing up.
Locate the top of your pelvis – it is the crescent-shaped bone on the outside of your hip, just below the waist.
Now move your hand directly down to the broadest part of your hips, where you'll find a bony bump – this is your greater trochanter.
You want to avoid both these areas since they don't have much padding, but you can and should use the massage gun on the fleshy part between them.
Instructions
Lie on your side with a pillow between your knees, injured side on top (same as Position 2).
Use the massage gun on the fleshy part between the bony bits (as explained above).
Also move it over to your other, bigger gluteal muscles around your backside.
How we can help
Need help with an injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the physio team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.
We're all UK Chartered Physiotherapists with Master’s Degrees related to Sports & Exercise Medicine or at least 10 years' experience in the field. But at Sports Injury Physio we don't just value qualifications; all of us also have a wealth of experience working with athletes across a broad variety of sports, ranging from recreationally active people to professional athletes. You can meet the team here.
About the author
Maryke Louw is a chartered physiotherapist with more than 20 years' experience and a Master’s Degree in Sports Injury Management. Follow her on LinkedIn and ResearchGate.
