How to Use a Massage Gun on an Arthritic Joint

Massage Gun Tips for Arthritic Joint Pain

If you're dealing with arthritis, here's a mistake almost everyone makes: aiming the massage gun right at the painful joint. Bob and Brad explain why that's the wrong move, and what to do instead.

The golden rule: treat upstream and downstream, never directly on the joint.

Citing Dr. Kelly Starrett (author of Becoming a Supple Leopard), Bob and Brad recommend targeting the muscles, tendons, and fascia that cross the joint — not the joint itself. For an arthritic knee, that means working the:

• Suprapatellar pouch (just above the kneecap)

• Quadriceps (all four muscles, plus gentle flossing)

• Hamstrings (all three, with knee flexion/extension)

• Upper calf (avoiding the nerve- and vessel-rich area directly behind the knee)

• IT band / tensor fascia lata (to loosen adhesions)

• Hip adductors (inner thigh — tightness here can pull the knee inward)

  
  

For an arthritic neck, the same principle applies: skip the joint, work the upper traps, levator scapulae, and rhomboids below it instead.

Choosing the right attachment

The video and guide break down eight massage gun heads, from the gentle air-filled pneumatic head (best for bony areas and sensitive spots) to the more aggressive bullet head (great for stubborn knots and trigger points), so you can match intensity to your pain level.

Watch the full video walkthrough, then download our free printable guide for quick reference next time you reach for your massage gun.