Hyperice, a California-based provider of muscle and joint restoration, mobility and performance enhancement technologies, filed a lawsuit in federal court on Jan. 3, 2024, against Therabody, Inc., which is also based in California and manufactures the Theragun line of percussion massage guns and other products, alleging infringement of Hyperice’s patented percussion massage technology.
In the lawsuit, Hyperice asserts its recently issued US Patent No. 11,857,482, which is based on technology dating back to 2013. Hyperice made national headlines in 2018 with the introduction of the Hypervolt, the world’s first “modern-day” massage gun, featuring a brushless motor system, variable speed settings, and QuietGlide® technology. The success and rapid adoption of the Hypervolt led to an influx of massage gun brands entering the market to copy this technology, including Therabody. Hyperice sells numerous products embodying the patented technology, including the Hypervolt Go 2, Hypervolt 2 and Hypervolt 2 Pro products.
Hyperice’s complaint alleges that numerous Therabody products infringe the patent, including Theragun Elite, Theragun PRO, Theragun Prime, Theragun Mini, Theragun Sense and TheraFace PRO. In the coming weeks, Hyperice will file further lawsuits against other companies alleged to have infringed this patent.
In 2023, the massage gun market was estimated at $542.6 million and is expected to reach well over $1 billion in the coming years, with growth fueled by technological advancements, consumer understanding of the benefits and prioritization of overall wellness and self-care.
“We will aggressively defend our intellectual property rights and take all appropriate steps to ensure that our innovative products and technology are not misappropriated by opportunists seeking to knock us off,” said Jon Howell, General Counsel at Hyperice. “Hyperice has successfully removed hundreds of infringing products globally and will continue to enforce its intellectual property through litigation in federal court as necessary.”
