Late in 2021, I harm my knee fairly badly from… stepping out of a van flawed.
At first it was only a twinge, nevertheless it shortly progressed to a degree the place I couldn’t put any strain on that knee. This made so many issues unexpectedly troublesome, like enjoying with my children, strolling up stairs, selecting up issues off the ground, and even getting in a snug spot on the sofa.
A number of weeks later, at bodily remedy, I discovered that I had sprained my meniscus. Sure, from getting out of a automobile — one thing that most individuals have been doing with out damage for a number of a long time now. My bodily therapist additionally let me know that my hips and quads have been, quote, “very weak,” which most likely contributed to my damage. This started my love affair with energy coaching, and I’m completely satisfied to report that I’m now a lot stronger and a kind of annoying individuals who is obsessive about lifting weights.
However again then, after I was nonetheless coping with a whole lot of ache in my knee, there have been two issues I knew I may depend on for some aid: Bob and Brad movies and a therapeutic massage gun.
Bob and Brad are a YouTube-famous bodily remedy staff. They make movies about something and the whole lot bodily therapy-related, together with a number of self-massage and percussion therapeutic massage walkthroughs for knee ache. By and thru, they provide off main healthful dad vibes — which is a giant a part of their allure.
After I was injured and watching their movies repeatedly, I had no thought in addition they had their very own line of therapeutic massage weapons. However I not too long ago had the chance to strive the Bob and Brad D6 Professional and it’s my new favourite.
The D6 Professional is available in a conveyable case that matches all of its attachments and equipment. Credit score: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable
Bob and Brad therapeutic massage gun vs. Theragun
The D6 Professional is one in all a number of therapeutic massage weapons supplied by Bob and Brad. It’s the latest, the biggest, and essentially the most high-end. It appears very very similar to a Theragun, with an adjustable neck and an oblong deal with that enables it to be gripped in a number of methods.
It comes with seven totally different attachments to focus on varied muscle teams. You’ll discover in my picture that there have been solely six, and I’m gonna should blame my toddler for that one. I’m positive it’s stuffed in a shoe or a toy purse, and we’ll discover it will definitely.
The D6 massager and 6 of the seven attachments it comes with. Credit score: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable
Now, to get technical: Let’s discuss amplitude, stall drive, and RPMs. In case you’re looking for a higher-end percussion massager, these are phrases that you simply’re going to wish to be accustomed to.
Amplitude is actually how deeply the therapeutic massage gun is ready to press into your muscle. This one affords an amplitude of 16 millimeters, equal to essentially the most highly effective Theragun. Which means it will possibly get a bit of deeper than most different percussion massagers, particularly these within the middle-of-the-road $75 to $150 worth level.
Stall drive refers to how a lot strain it takes to cease the massager from shifting. A better stall drive could be useful once you’re actually eager to dig into muscle tissues. With a stall drive of 85 kilos, which is on the upper finish of what these gadgets are capable of supply, you should utilize this gun to use a whole lot of strain in your muscle tissues and it gained’t decelerate.
Lastly RPM, or rotations per minute, is just the velocity. This one tops out at 2,500 RPM, which once more is corresponding to top-of-the-line Theragun and Hypervolt choices. It affords 5 totally different velocity choices: 1,500; 1,700; 1,900; 2,100; 2,300; and a pair of,500. It additionally has a number of totally different modes, that are primarily simply quick packages that mechanically modify the velocity for you.
The D6 additionally arrives in a very nice zippered journey case. Inside, there’s a small bag to maintain all the attachments contained. Additionally, together with the product documentation it comprises an 86-page booklet full of recommendation from Bob and Brad themselves on utilizing self-massage for numerous totally different muscle teams and circumstances, from set off finger to shin splints to Achilles tendonitis.
I additionally actually, actually respect that this gadget comes with a USB plug. So many gadgets solely include a charging twine now, so I assumed the plug was a pleasant contact that makes this therapeutic massage gun really sensible for journey.
Utilizing the therapeutic massage gun
I’ve tried a number of midrange therapeutic massage weapons and after some time it may be onerous to inform a distinction between them. However I’ve been actually impressed with the efficiency of this therapeutic massage gun and I can safely say that it’s my new favourite.
First, the battery lasts some time. My husband makes use of it pretty repeatedly for his again, and I often want it after leg day, and it will possibly go weeks earlier than it wants a recharge.
It’s bulkier than most, positive, however the rectangular grip mixed with the adjustable neck makes it doable to succeed in anyplace you need.
D6 PRO controls and show. Credit score: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable
Nevertheless, the controls have a little bit of a studying curve. There are two buttons. One powers the gadget on and off and will increase the velocity, and the opposite modifications the modes and reduces the velocity. One contact on every button will change the velocity, and you must press and maintain the button to both energy the gadget on/off or change the mode.
The attachment heads are made out of a silicone mix somewhat than simply straight, inflexible plastic, so that they’re softer to the contact and don’t beat you up as a lot as some others can. With different therapeutic massage weapons, the tiny, pointed bullet head is often too painful for me to make use of as a result of it’s onerous as a rock. Nevertheless, the identical attachment for this massager has just a bit little bit of give to it, so I can use it pain-free to focus on tiny muscle tissues.
Lastly, it’s a lot quieter than a few of the cheaper fashions I’ve tried — regardless of having a extra highly effective motor and the next prime velocity.
Is the Bob and Brad D6 Professional therapeutic massage gun value it?
On the time of writing, the D6 Professional is $249.99 at Amazon, with a $60 coupon out there to carry the worth right down to about $190. Based mostly on specs, its closest opponents are a few of the highest-end choices from Theragun — that are within the $400+ vary.
Based mostly on that alone, I feel this massager affords very good worth — except you’re searching for a few of the different options supplied by the extra well-known manufacturers, like Bluetooth and app connectivity. The D6 Professional isn’t a sensible gadget.
In case you’re searching for a higher-end massager however not essentially able to drop a number of hundred {dollars}, it’s an important choice. However perhaps, as a Bob and Brad stan, I’m a bit of biased.
