Theragun Sense massage gun review: More than a massage | TechRadar

Oct 17, 2024

With a great massage gun that doubles as a breathing exercise assistant, the Theragun Sense is a great pickup to take with you while traveling.

Handy routines

Heart rate readings

Clever breathing exercises

-Not as strong as some alternatives

No power adapter in the box

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While massage guns are more popular than ever, they can do so much more. That seems to be the thinking behind the Theragun Sense, a relatively compact massage gun that acts as a masseuse.

Expect guided massage routines, a whisper-quiet profile, and even breathing exercises, making it a fantastic all-rounder.

There are more powerful massage guns around for deeper, sports massages, but the size and additional features on offer make the Theragun Sense a great option - especially for $300 or less. Even better, you’ll find four massage attachments and a carry case inside the box, so you have everything you need right from the jump.

The Theragun Sense launched late last year, and you can find it at a discount already. Amazon offers it for under $230/£250/AU$400 fairly regularly, but even at full price, it’s definitely competitive with other massage guns we’ve tested.

If you’ve seen a Theragun massage gun, you’ll likely know what to expect here, with a comfortable, firm build that weighs less than you might expect.

The company’s “patented ergonomic grip” is present and accounted for, but unlike other models, you won’t be able to extend the end to be straighter (that’s a Theragun Pro feature).

The upshot of that is that the Sense is much smaller and lighter than many comparable models, Theragun or otherwise, with a weight of just 1.6 lbs/0.7kg. That’s particularly key here because of the breathing exercise we’ll come to later but also means you can enjoy an impressive massage without needing to switch arms quite as regularly.

The Theragun Sense comes in Black and White colorways, but both have a rose gold trim to them. That’s unlikely to bother many users, but it’s interesting that both share the same secondary color.

Attachments are easy to swap out, you’ll just need to pull on them until they come loose, but they do slot back in with a satisfying ‘click’.

The big draw here is the display, which sits atop four directional buttons and a central confirmation one. Not only are the menus easy to navigate (with a Quick Start option a single button press away), but they also give step-by-step massage guidance to help you move between important muscle groups.

You can also use the included companion app on your phone, too, if you’d prefer, and that ties into the biometric sensor under the handle - but more on that shortly.

Charging is done via USB-C, with the port at the front of the unit. There’s a cable included, but no power adapter, sadly.

The Theragun Sense offers what I would call a great ‘casual’ massage for newcomers. That may explain the cheaper price point compared to the Theragun Pro, but it’s also packing its own internal tutorial via the display to help you know when to switch between locations on the body.

That makes it ideal for partners and housemates, too, letting you ask them to hit the more unwieldy spots on the lower back, for example. It hits hard enough, but you’ll want something like the Bob and Brad D6 Pro for a harder massage.

There are four attachments included (Dampener, Standard Ball, Thumb, and Micro-point), as well as five speeds - all of which are impressively quiet.

If you use the biometric sensor with your finger, you can enjoy moment-to-moment heart rate, and that ties into the Therabody companion app for iOS and Android.

One of my favorite features, and one I admittedly didn’t know I needed, was the option to use the Sense for breathing exercises. Users sit with the device against their chest, and while it certainly feels unnatural at first, I found myself enjoying the process after a couple of attempts.

With some massage guns coming with dense instruction manuals, I was impressed at the potential of the companion app for helping educate users on when to massage effectively.

You’re not just interested in post-workout massages

The Theragun Sense is great for self-massage, but the breathing exercise functionality adds an extra dimension.

You’re a regular gymgoer

Still, its compact nature makes it ideal to keep in a gym bag for those bigger sessions.

You want something more powerful

While it packs a punch, there are more aggressively powered massage guns if that’s what you’re looking for.

You’re not interested in breathing exercises

The Theragun Pro adds more power at a higher price point, but will likely be better for any injury concerns.

Bob & Brad D6 Pro

Another large massage gun, this powerful option is ideal for experienced self-massages and offers plenty of guidance if you’re OK reading the manual.

Read our full review

Theragun Pro

A larger Theragun that packs more power at the cost of portability, the Pro is ideal for longtime masseurs.

I tested the Theragun Pro multiple times a week, after a weightlifting session at the gym or a run, as well as using it before bed to wind down.

Lloyd Coombes is a freelance tech and fitness writer for TechRadar. He's an expert in all things Apple as well as Computer and Gaming tech, with previous works published on TopTenReviews, Space.com, and Live Science. You'll find him regularly testing the latest MacBook or iPhone, but he spends most of his time writing about video games at Dexerto.

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