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What Does The Theragun Do?

The Theragun (more specifically, the Prime model) claims to provide a multitude of benefits. According to Therabody, the Theragun Prime can:

• Relieve pain and soreness
• Reduce tightness and tension
• Accelerate recovery
• Improve circulation and flexibility

All great stuff, right? After seeing and reading lots of rave reviews about this beloved percussive therapy tool, I just had to put it to the test.

Can The Theragun Help With Back Pain?

More than anything, I was concerned with two major problems – back pain and muscle soreness – I hoped the Theragun would help with. I attribute a majority of my back pain to a slight bout of scoliosis along with an unfortunate compression fracture I experienced a couple of years ago. These two reasons are likely to have exacerbated my tech neck aches, too. I’m talkin’ stiffness around my entire neck and some chronically achy traps.

Piling on my passion for indoor bouldering only adds to the discomfort: sore forearms, lats, and calves and sharp knots along my shoulder blades. The sport requires that I put my body in all sorts of odd positions, use my muscles to sustain those unnatural stances, and brace for 6-foot falls (albeit safely, on well-padded floors). Needless to say, it all takes a physical toll.

After just a week of use and 5- to 10-minute-long sessions a day, the Theragun Prime has significantly lessened that burden and provided my back and upper body muscles with some super satisfying relief.

Here’s my full review, including what I loved and everything I didn’t.

Day 1

My trial began with lots of sharp pain between my shoulder blades, which I was worried about not being able to reach with the Theragun on my own without someone else to help me. My worries instantly melted away after giving it a go, though – the patented triangular handle design (which claims to help you reach “80% of your body with multiple hand positions”) helped me quickly locate the most painful points in between my shoulder blades. Not only was I able to accurately pinpoint my discomfort, even the lowest of the 5 available speed settings delivered immediate relaxation. I was shocked at just how powerful this tool was!

I felt like a crazy woman in my apartment, groaning alone out of relief, but it felt so good. I also noticed that my back felt warmed after use, which I observed as the improved circulation the Theragun claims to encourage.

Days 2-4

My shoulder blade pain carried on into day 2, along with some insane forearm soreness from bouldering. I took the Theragun to my arms at the lowest speed and found the same instant relief I did with my shoulder blades.

I repeated a routine of running the tool along my shoulder blades, entire back, and arms for days 3 and 4, too. By day 4, I could tell that the most painful points weren’t as sore as they were before I started my Theragun trial.

Day 5

Day 5 was quite the opposite, though. I had attended a concert the night prior, and I think standing hours on hard floors reawakened every stiffness, soreness, and sharp pain I had been experiencing before. I woke up feeling geriatric as ever (I’m freakin’ 25, for crying out loud!) and knew I’d have to try out the Theragun on my screaming lower back and sore calves.

My neck felt extremely tweaked, too, likely from sleeping on it in a less-than-ideal position (tummy sleepers, unite). I went at all of these areas with the Theragun’s wide-set dampener attachment as I had the 4 days before, but turned the tool up to a higher speed. Oh, it felt like heaven! Again, I was surprised by how powerful of a punch the tool provided. It felt like a luxe massage technique, all possible by my hands.

Targeting my body more globally felt really nice at the faster setting, up until I was hitting my neck. The tool had a very heavy vibration that viciously rattled my teeth, ears, and eyes, which honestly distracted me from the relief I was looking for in the neck and traps area.

Days. 6-7

I was met with sore legs from a long bike ride and even more bouldering-induced stiffness on days 6 and 7. I found similar relief to what I experienced the week prior and was able to relax really well after a long, activity-filled weekend. I also tested out the multiple attachments the Theragun Prime came with on my neck and traps, like the thumb and cone toppers, which are sharper-shaped to hit more specific trigger points. I found these more-targeted attachments way more effective than the rounder dampener and ball, which didn't do as great a job at getting into the deep-set knots I deal with.

Theragun Review: The Results!

While I can’t claim my back pain and sore muscles are entirely gone with the help of the Theragun Prime, I can say that they’re noticeably lessened after 7 days of consistent use. I think it’s a very effective way to relieve any pains and aches you may be dealing with, especially if you have tried all other avenues of pain reduction.

It was easy and intuitive to use myself, and I really enjoyed the range of relief I got from the tool, thanks to the customizable attachments and varying speed settings. The only quirk I didn’t quite like was the intensely distracting vibration that occurred in my head when I brought it up to my upper neck and traps.

Theragun Prime

At an original price point of $299 (it’s also HSA and FSA-friendly!), I certainly understand it can be a steep investment for some, but given that the average cost of a massage or chiropractic visit hits around $100 (sometimes more), I believe the Theragun offers comparable relief to those methods.

Plus, you can use it anytime you like, as opposed to having to wait weeks for an appointment. It definitely is not a dependable replacement for more serious structural or muscular issues (which experts can better address), but it’s certainly appropriate for tackling everyday tightness, soreness, knots, and more.

Use a Grocery List

Buy In Bulk On Sale Items

So many things freeze beautifully. When items that you use regularly are on sale, from bread to butter to meat, snap them up in bulk. Although the savings seems minimal, when you add it up over a year’s worth of purchases, the amount of money you keep in your pocket will be significant. Plus, if you buy in bulk, you’re always guaranteed to have your favorite ingredients on hand.

Stockpile In The Freezer Section

If you’re doing things right and stockpiling, then you’re going to make good use of your freezer. Although we want to eat our favorite fruits and vegetables year-round, buying things in season is significantly cheaper, which means that when these items are affordable and available you’re going to want to stock up. Even if you’re buying pre-frozen fruits and vegetables, you’re saving money, and the research shows that you’re not losing any nutrients by doing so.

Shop In Season

Enjoy More Casseroles

Casseroles do not belong in the 1950s. In fact, they are every bit as valuable today as they were 70 years ago. Why? Because they’re a healthy and delicious way to stretch out pricier ingredients and feed more mouths. You could feed each person one chicken breast or you could use two in an entire casserole which will feed you both for dinner and leave you with leftovers for lunch the next day. If you’re not sure where to begin, find tons of Brit + Co casserole recipe inspiration.

Use Herbs and Spices

Scenting your meals with a handful of herbs and spices is a good way to add a lot of flavor with little extra cost. Bonus points if you grow your own herbs. Also, you should definitely be buying spices in the international section of the store. I recently noticed that an ounce of cloves costs $3.79 in the spice aisle but 99 cents in the international section.

Go Meatless Most Days

Meatless Mondays are all fine and dandy, but if you really want to save a few extra dollars, you need to make more than one day of the week meat-free. Not to mention, it’s better for your overall health to eat less meat. Studies show that people who eat less meat have a lower risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. So you’ll be doing something good for your wallet, and your well-being to boot.

Get Cash Back On Groceries

Credit cards, like Credit One Visa and American Express offer cash back on groceries — a simple win for saving cash when grocery bills are higher than ever.

1. Flower Crowns

Rainbow Flower Crown

When millennials wanted to look 'boho chic,' they immediately busted out the flower crowns. This accessory infiltrated practically every occasion, from high school dances and music festivals like Coachella – or even (sigh) regular trips to the mall.

While the trend might've felt fun and carefree at the time, flower crowns are super cliché today and just remind me of Tumblr's heyday (IYKYK).

2. "Geek" Glasses

Black Nerd Glasses

It's funny to think about how popular wearing fake "geek" glasses was, particularly since so many teen movies of the time, like Mean Girls, sensationalized being "cool" and "popular."

Nonetheless, plenty of millennials set out to appear quirky by topping off their outfits with thick, oversized hipster frames, even if they didn't actually need glasses. Some people even used their leftover 3D glasses from movie theaters and simply popped the lenses out – guilty!

3. Hair Feathers

Feather Hair Extension Clip

Similar to flower crowns, hair feathers emerged as a bohemian-inspired way to add a pop of color and texture to your locks. Some people opted for thinner solid or multicolored strands; meanwhile, others went full-throttle with larger feather shapes or even bead attachments.

This is another "hipster" trend that, while maybe still appropriate for some music festivals, should stay in the past when it comes to everyday wear.

4. Jeggings

Halara Flex High Waisted Stretchy Leggings

Jeggings were supposed to be the perfect blend of comfort and style... or so we thought. The idea seemed genius at the time, but in retrospect, they were just a fashion mistake.

This pant style attempted to blend two completely different types of garments and created a result that's now considered a fashion faux pas. Jeggings are just too tight to ever be flattering and don't deliver that same classic denim look.

5. Converse Sneakers With Anything

Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Canvas Sneakers

Skinny jeans, skirts, maxi dresses, and mini dresses. Today, you'd probably pick different shoe choices for all of these outfits, but millennials undoubtedly had a go-to: Converse.

These sneakers were the perfect footwear for practically any look, but the trend quickly became overused. Even celebrities were showing up in low-cut Converse to walk the red carpet, a statement that would leave younger generations scratching their heads today.

6. Belts Over Shirts

Grommet Leather Belt

Along with the excessive layering of tank tops and t-shirts came the addition of belts on top. While this might've been an attempt to add some structure or flair, many belts in the 2000s were more clunky than chic.

This trend is making a comeback, particularly with oversized outerwear. But, again, younger generations today are making more pattern- and color-conscious decisions (and not just cinching their waists while wearing Hollister v-necks, LOL).

7. Ombré Hair

Ombré hair is often associated with balayage, a hair-painting technique that remains insanely popular in 2025. However, many millennials didn't hit the salon to achieve their ombré – and took matters into their own hands at home.

Regardless of whether they tried to darken or lighten, it typically resulted in a not-very-well-blended horizontal line of color across their hair.

8. Fedoras

Finally, I believe that you should be entitled to compensation if you've been personally victimized by a fedora. Everyone from Justin Timberlake to Paris Hilton wore these hats, making millennials think they were cool. In hindsight, perhaps everyone (including the A-listers) blundered with this fad.