There’s one thing that keeps me going back to my gym. It’s not the classes, the weight section, or even the sauna—it’s the massage guns. At least a dozen Theragun Pros, which retail at $599, are available for member use. And after just a few times of hammering the percussive device into my quads, calves, and glutes, I was completely addicted.

The tool mimicked the feeling of the massages I couldn’t afford. As I applied the device’s powerful vibrations to my major muscle groups, recovery seemed so simple and accessible. Whether it was the placebo effect or a true physical benefit, I felt my day-after-training soreness decrease.

Sensing my obsession with the device, my roommate gifted me a more affordable version for my birthday. I no longer had to walk four blocks to use a massage gun. Just got home from a run? Here was time for my favorite recovery tool. Curled up on the couch watching Netflix? I reached for the instrument.

But as I continuously grabbed my massage gun, I stopped engaging in other forms of recovery. My stretching regimen became lackluster. My foam roller gathered dust under the bed….