Owning a massage chair can be like having your own personal massage therapist on call in your home 24 hours a day. However, purchasing the wrong massage chair can increase your stress and pain, leaving you gritting your teeth and in worse shape than before you sat down hoping to relax.
Massage chairs come in a variety of types, and may also include heat settings to apply warmth to the area while it is being massaged. The heat settings can help to relax the muscles being worked on, increasing the benefits of the massage chair. Vibrating options can also help to reduce stress and knots in your muscles. Massage chairs also offer speed control settings so you can tailor the intensity of massage to your own personal needs, or just simply to start off slowly and increase the intensity as you go.
There are several different types of massage chairs utilizing three main types of electronic massage therapy, they are: kneading massage, rolling massage and tapping massage.
Kneading (also known as Shiatsu) massage chairs both relax and invigorate using three movements:
- Pressure is applied gently to an accupoint,
- Pressure is held while allowing tension to transfer to the roller,
- Tension is then released allowing pressure to leave the system.
Rolling massage uses rollers to roll along the spine helping to elongate the muscles that support your spine and back and thusly relieving pressure on the discs in your back. The rollers roll up and down your spine, stimulating the spinal nerve roots and reducing muscular back pain and tension.
Tapping massage helps to improve your blood circulation.
Massage Chair Styles and Looks
Massage chairs come in a wide variety of styles, colors and shapes, all providing different levels of relief. From the less expensive, light-duty home use products to the much more costly deep tissue massage chairs that are more for intensive physical therapy. Purchasing the right massage chair will be one of the more important home use product purchases you will make.
Massage chairs are usually covered in two types of materials: vinyl or leather, although some are covered in cloth. Leather will provide longer lasting durability as opposed to vinyl or cloth covered chairs.
Investing your money in a massage chair is a decision not to be taken lightly. It will probably be one of the more expensive home-care purchases you make. The most important qualities to look for in a massage chair are comfort, durability, stability, warranty, motor and quality. Motor quality should be at the top of your list when purchasing a massage chair. The motor, or more preferably, motors, in your massage chair are as important as your engine is to your car. They are also as different from chair to chair as motors are in different makes and models of vehicles.
Learn How To Relax: discover massage chairs and what they can do for you
Imagine how relaxing it would be to have your own in-house massage specialist, available without an appointment, whenever you wanted to enjoy the relaxing benefits of a good massage. When you purchase one of the many massage chairs now available on the market, you can reap the rewards of a back of body massage.
Massage has many proven benefits including improved circulation, reduced tension, better flexibility and the release of endorphin’s. You don’t need a professional massage treatment to feel these effects. Massage chairs are specially designed to replicate the movements of a human massage therapist. By improving circulation, you improve blood flow to your muscles, which helps them remove toxins and feel better. Additional blood flow also increases the amount of oxygen your muscles receive, which means you can work them longer and harder before feeling fatigue.
Stress is one of the top reasons for lost productivity and general malaise. When tension is released from your body, you immediately de-stress on a physical level, which triggers a reduction in your mental or emotional stress level. Reducing your tension levels is key to feeling well.
Endorphin’s are your body’s pain-blocking feel-good chemicals. They are released during massage, and a number of other natural activities such as sex, exercise, laughter and meditation. While almost any kind of massage will help your body relax and feel better, there are different kinds of massage aimed at addressing particular issues. You should consult a registered massage therapist to address serious muscle-related discomfort, but for general relaxation massage, a massage chair may be the perfect solution.
Convenience of Massage Chairs
People purchase massage chairs so that getting a massage is never inconvenient. And, these days, you don’t even have to search through medical equipment catalogs to find a chair that will suit your needs and budget. Quality massage chairs can now be found at lots of major department stores, and even discount department stores like Wal-Mart and Target. For those who experience tension in the body regularly, being able to get a massage any time of day is very beneficial. Some people are also not especially comfortable with getting a massage from other people, so purchasing a home massage chair is a great alternative.
If you need to, you can even set up a schedule for massages once you purchase your chairs; most people who need massages for health problems don’t receive them on a regular basis, and everyone could use a way to relax at the end of a long day. To make sure that you enjoy your massage chair, you may want to select a room in the home that will make you feel relaxed while you’re in the chair. Rooms with neutral or calming colors (i.e. blue, light greens, browns) can help your body to calm down, and playing soothing music during your massage will also help you to make the most of your experience.
Massages have been known to help with insomnia and even some digestive discomfort, so having a chair in your home that you can use any time will provide you with the opportunity to get a massage when spas or massage therapy offices are closed. However, depending on the severity of your health complications, you may want to make arrangements for a massage therapist to come to your home to teach you the correct ways to use the massage chair, as well as administer a traditional massage in between ‘chair time.’
Body Parts to Use Caution with When Massaging
While most people are able to get massages without any problems, there are certain body parts that may not benefit as much from a massage due to a preexisting health condition. If you have health problems and want to receive massages on a regular basis, you should contact your physician before getting a massage in order to find out which massages are safe for you. If you have osteoporosis, a gentle massage may be acceptable, depending on the stage of the disease.
Also, if you’ve just finished radiation or chemotherapy treatments, your physician may recommend that you not get a massage for a few weeks, since the rigorous motion of massages may aggravate internal body systems. Individuals with varicose veins may not want to get massages for the same reason, as well as those with unhealed wounds, as a massage could induce bleeding or cause the skin to be broken.
It is also a good idea to consult your doctor if you’ve experienced any recent fractures, sprains, or bruises. It’s important to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your massages, especially if you want to purchase a massage chair for your home, so a serious discussion with your doctor is the best way to find out which types of massages will benefit you the most, as well as how often you can get massages.
