How to Use a Massage Gun for Low Back Pain Relief

Best Massage Gun Technique for Back Pain Relief

Got a stiff, achy low back and a massage gun collecting dust in the closet? You might be using it on all the wrong spots. In this video, Bob and Brad break down exactly where, and how to use a massage gun to actually relieve low back pain, instead of just buzzing around the surface and hoping for the best.

Where to Actually Aim the Massage Gun

The biggest mistake people make with a massage gun on their lower back is working the wrong muscles. Bob and Brad walk through the targets that make the biggest difference:

Lumbar Paraspinals (Start Here) Your primary focus should be the muscles closest to the spine. Work up and down the lumbar paraspinals, staying close to the spinous processes. A second person is recommended to apply this safely and effectively — it's tough to reach this area well on your own. Use whichever massage head feels comfortable, and the field goal attachment works especially well here since it's designed to treat both sides of the spine at the same time.

Latissimus Dorsi Once the paraspinals are loosened up, move to the lats. This muscle has extensive attachments to the spine and surrounding fascia, making it a key player in low back tension.

Gluteus Maximus Don't skip the glutes. They connect to the same thoracolumbar fascia network that supports your lower back, so tightness here can directly contribute to low back pain.

Quadratus Lumborum (Advanced) This one's trickier. The quadratus lumborum runs from the pelvic crest up to the last rib and the side of the L1–L4 vertebrae, but it sits deep beneath the erector spinae, so it takes a more targeted approach to reach effectively.

One Muscle to Skip: Bob and Brad specifically advise against using the massage gun on the iliopsoas. It's positioned too deep to reach safely with this tool, so it's better left to other treatment methods.

A Few Key Tips Before You Start

• Always begin at the lowest variable speed setting and work your way up

• Use a second person for the lumbar region whenever possible — self-treatment is much harder to do accurately here

• Choose a massage head that feels comfortable for you; there's no single "right" attachment

  
  

Want the Full Self-Massage Series?

This video is part of Bob and Brad's complete self-massage series, covering pain-relief techniques for muscles throughout the body. You can watch the full series, plus download guide sheets for each video.