Massage gun heads: which head is for what?

"I've unpacked it, and there are twenty heads in front of me. Which one should I start with?" We get this question often, and it is a fair one. At first glance the heads look similar, but the difference is immediately noticeable when you use them: a different pressure point, a different contact surface, a different hardness.

This article is a handbook for the heads. For each head, we describe what it is for, which body area it works best on, and what to watch out for. We have written about general massage gun use and the technical numbers in the massage gun guide.

How do you choose a head for a given body area?

Choose the head based on three questions: how large the area is, how close the bone is, and whether you want to work on a point or over a surface. For large muscle groups (thighs, glutes, back), use the ball, flat, wide or quad head. For areas close to bone, the rubber or bastion head. For a tight spot you can feel, the cone, focus or trigger head. For curved areas (where the neck meets the shoulder, hip flexors), the mushroom or fork head.

Our advice for beginners: for the first week or two, stick to the ball and flat heads on a low level. Once you know how the gun feels on each muscle group, move on to the precision and contour heads. That way you will also feel the difference better.

Ball, flat, wide, quad, groove: heads for large areas

General-purpose heads deliver the percussion evenly over a large area, which is why most sessions start with them. The ball head can be used on almost any muscle group, the flat head is good for refreshing, loosening work, the wide and groove heads wrap around the curve of the muscle, and the quad head, with four pressure points, also reaches the deeper fibres of thick muscles.

• Ball head: the most versatile head, safe but strong enough. It is the best for getting started and for preparing the area before you switch to a precision head.
• Flat head: at a medium pace, it works the whole muscle with surface "hammering". It is good when you want a refreshing, general loosening effect, for example on the thighs and back after a long day.
• Wide head: works on the same principle as the groove head, in a larger size. It works well when the curve of the muscle fills the curve of the head. If the muscle touches the two edges of the head but leaves a gap in the middle, switch to a smaller head.
• Quad head: works with four pressure points, so on thick muscles (for example the quadriceps, where the muscle is several centimetres thick) it does not just move the surface.
• Groove head: for small and medium muscles whose curve matches the size of the head: forearm, calf, the two heads of the hamstrings. The head almost "hugs" the muscle.

Cone, focus, trigger, scraper: heads for targeted work

Precision heads concentrate the pressure on a small area, so they are for tight, knotted spots you can feel. They are stronger than the general-purpose heads, so work with them on a lower level and for a shorter time, and do not use them near bones at all.

• Cone head: one of the strongest and most focused heads. It is for tense spots you can feel in the belly of the muscle, not close to bone.
• Focus head: an intense, high-precision head for stuck, tight spots. Use it with extra care, because it works very effectively.
• Trigger head: a head with a high pressure point, but it is best used not by pressing deep, rather with pushing, sideways strokes. This way it loosens the fibres rather than pressing into them.
• Scraper head: thanks to its design, it is good for separating fibres and bundles more finely, mainly along the IT band and the outer thigh muscles. You can also work it well under a protruding shoulder blade.

Soft and rubber heads: near joints and bones

Soft and rubber heads cushion the percussion, so you can get closer to areas where a hard head would be unpleasant or risky. Their effect on the muscle is smaller, but in return you can also work around the joints, on muscles next to bony prominences, and along the spine.

• Soft ball head: for smaller muscles (forearm, calf, hamstrings), it works the tissue more gently.
• Double soft ball head: best for the muscles next to the spine and for the calf, because the two balls work either side of the area. Easy to clean, and gentle on more sensitive skin.
• Rubber head: near joints and around bones. Because of the cushioning, it has less effect on the muscle, but it lets you reach places where a stronger head should not go.
• Double rubber head: one of the most comfortable heads for the muscles along the spine. Only use it with cream or oil: dry, it does not glide, it overloads the head sleeve, and the device gets louder.
• Rubber ball head: a softer version of the ball head for more sensitive areas.
• Bastion head: works with a strong pressure point, but its rim stops it from going deep. Good for knots in muscles close to bone, and also the one to start with if you are sensitive to the stronger precision heads.
• Solid pointed rubber head: for targeted, more forceful work on muscles next to joints and bones. The solid rubber allows a lot of force, and the pointed tip is precise.
• Soft pointed rubber head: for small points and muscle attachments, for example at the top of the shoulder, on the edge of the shoulder blade or on the tendons around the hip.

Fork, mushroom, comb: for the body's curves

Contour heads are made for the curve of a specific body shape. The fork head works either side of the neck muscles or the Achilles tendon area, the mushroom head fits into creases and curved areas, and the comb head spreads the percussion over several prongs. When used on the area they are made for, they work more effectively than a general-purpose head.

• Fork head: a head with strong pressure points that works either side of the cervical vertebrae, loosening the muscles at the back of the neck while leaving out the spine itself. It also works well on the lower part of the calf, around the Achilles tendon. Make sure only the two tips touch the skin, not the base of the fork.
• Mushroom head: for creases and curves: where the neck meets the shoulder girdle, the hip flexors, where the chest muscle meets the shoulder joint, the inner thigh at the hip.
• Comb head: it has two jobs. Stimulating a larger area, and loosening thinner but deeper-lying muscles, for example between the shoulder blades or the muscle next to the shin.

Metal, cellulite, Hot and Cold: for cream and heat

Metal heads are made for use with cream or oil, because they glide well on the skin and are easy to clean. The cellulite head works on the layers of the thighs and hips close to the skin surface. The Hot and Cold head combines a cold and warm effect with massage, and the Heat head warms up the area you are working on.

• Steel (metal steel) head: similar to the ball head, but thanks to its material it works best with creams. It helps spread the cream evenly and work it in.
• Metal flat head: the same on the flat head principle, for use with cream on a larger, flat surface.
• Cellulite head: for work close to the skin surface on the thighs and hips. It is often used as part of a skin-firming routine, which we cover in our guide to skin firmness.
• Hot and Cold head: works with two cold (16 and 13 °C) and two warm (50 and 60 °C) settings, and you can switch between them quickly. After training, people tend to choose the cold mode, and for stiffer muscles the warm mode.

Which head comes in which package?

The Classic comes with 7 heads, the AIR Mini with 9, the Pro+ with 15 and the Elit with 20. The fork, trigger, cone and rubber heads are included in all four packages. You will find the quad, wide, bastion and cellulite heads in the Pro+ and Elit packages, while the focus, double rubber, double soft ball, solid pointed rubber and metal flat heads are only in the Elit set.

This clearly shows why a larger set is worth it: the Classic's seven heads cover the main body areas, while the Pro+ also gives you dedicated heads for thick muscles (quad, wide), knots close to bone (bastion) and use with cream (steel). The soft pointed rubber, rubber ball and Heat heads are not part of any current package, and the Hot and Cold head is an accessory sold separately. The Elit's twenty heads then give you even more options for work along the spine and targeted work. We go into detail about which model suits whom in our comparison of the models.

Changing, cleaning and wear

Always change heads with the device switched off: push the shaft of the head straight into the socket all the way, and when removing it, pull it straight out, do not twist it. After use, wipe the heads with a soft, slightly damp cloth or a disinfectant wipe. If a head wobbles or spins, first push it in all the way, and if its shaft or rubber ring is worn, replace it.

1. Change it while switched off. With the motor running, the head does not seat properly.
2. Push it in all the way. A head that is only half in can come loose during use, and its neck is subjected to shear forces. This is the most common reason a gun gets louder over time.
3. Hold it perpendicular. Pressed at an angle, both the head and the sleeve wear faster.
4. Wipe after using cream. Cream dries on the steel and rubber heads if you do not wipe it off.
5. Oil it about every 3 months. Push the head sleeve all the way in and put a few drops of lubricating oil on the outside of its rim, at 3–4 points around it.

In summary

Choosing a head is not complicated if you start from the area. For large muscles, a general-purpose head, near bone, the rubber or bastion head, for a tight spot, the cone, focus or trigger head, for curved areas, the mushroom or fork head, and for cream, a metal head.

Start with the ball and flat heads, and gradually try the others. The more heads in your set, the less often you have to compromise on a body area.