Authors: Therabody Scientists: Tim Roberts, MSc; Rachelle Reed, PhD, MS, ACSM-EP; Kyle Silvey, PhD, CSCS; Michelle Darian, MS, MPH, RD, LDN  

A study conducted by Therabody® Labs reveals that Theragun’s® heated attachments deliver superior performance in both heating speed and maximum temperature compared to leading competitors. 

Why do these metrics matter? A faster heat-up speed allows users to begin their treatment almost immediately. A higher yet safe maximum treatment temperature delivers the therapeutic benefits of heat therapy to the body.  

These findings can lead to more efficient and effective treatments for athletes and wellness enthusiasts seeking the ultimate recovery tools. 

In this article, we’ll dive into the therapeutic benefits of heat therapy and discuss what this recent study found. 

What Does Heat Therapy Do? 

Heat therapy (thermotherapy) has long been recognized as an effective treatment for stiff, sore, and achy muscles. When applied to a treatment area on the body, therapeutic heat [1, 2, 3]: 

Heat therapy can help muscles to function at their best: relaxed and well-nourished. [3, 4] 

The problem is that traditional heat therapy methods like hot packs or warm compresses have inconsistent temperature delivery. They start off scalding hot and quickly lose their temperatures. It’s important to use devices with temperature-maintained heat, like a Theragun with a heated attachment. These devices provide consistent, effective, and safe localized heat that can help expedite measures of recovery. 

How Was the Study Conducted? 

Therabody Labs, a dedicated R&D testing facility at Therabody Headquarters in California, aids in creating innovative technology by rigorously testing and optimizing devices during product development to deliver real benefits to the user.  

In 2024, Therabody Labs conducted a study to understand the performance across four heating devices: the Theragun PRO Plus, Theragun Prime Plus, and two leading competitors. 

The testing was divided into two phases: device only testing and participant testing.  

Phase 1: Device Testing 

During the device-only testing, device performance was assessed. The time it takes to reach maximum temperature and maximum temperature reached, without the effect of a human body, were measured. 

This testing was conducted by attaching thermocouple probes from a six channel handheld temperature data logger (RDXL6SD-USB, OMEGA Engineering, USA). This is a type of device used to measure and record temperature data.  

One lead was attached to the center of each of the four heated attachments. Each device ran on maximum settings for 10 minutes, and temperature data was continuously recorded. 

Phase 2: Participant Testing 

During this phase, the devices were directly applied to the skin of 8 study participants, and skin temperature was assessed.   

Therabody Labs recruited 8 Therabody employees (aged 26-36 years old; 7 males and 1 female). Each participant’s baseline skin temperature was measured with a dual laser infrared thermometer (20250-25, Digi-Sense, USA), taken on the rectus femoris muscle – one of the quadriceps muscles. Each device was turned onto heat-only on the highest heat setting and applied to the participants’ skin for 30 seconds. Skin temperature was then assessed again.  

Here, researchers could determine how effective the devices were at increasing skin temperature over a set time.  

What Did the Study Find? 

The study found that Theragun multi-therapy Plus devices warmed up faster and got warmer than the two leading competitors. 

The Theragun devices reached a maximum temperature that was 28% warmer than one competitor and 36% warmer than another.  

When comparing average temperatures, Theragun devices were 13% and 22% warmer than the two brands, respectively.  

Not only did Theragun devices get warmer, but they warmed up 44% and 55% faster than the leading competitors (that’s nearly half the time!).  

The study also found that Theragun multi-therapy Plus devices warmed participants’ skin temperature to higher maximum and average temperatures than two leading competitors.  

The Theragun devices warmed participants’ skin to a maximum temperature that was 20% warmer than one competitor and 12% warmer than another (while remaining within a safe temperature window). 

When comparing average skin temperatures, Theragun devices warmed skin temperature to an average that was 17% and 7% warmer than the two brands, respectively. 

Theragun devices warm up quickly, offering both convenience and efficiency, as you can use them almost immediately after pressing start. Plus, using a device that’s shown to warm actual skin more effectively allows users to experience therapeutic benefits.  

Key Takeaways:  

References: