What is a Massage Chair?
With the tight schedules all through the week, people no longer have time to relax the stressed muscles in their bodies. This went on for a while until the coming of massage chairs. Massage chairs are powerful equipment. In this guide, we shall see the features embedded in massage chairs and why you should get one yourself.
What is a Massage Chair?
A massage chair is a device that massages the body. It does this by using a variety of technologies such as rollers, kneading discs, and vibration.
The devices are usually used in a sitting position and can include a headrest and lumbar support. It can be used at home or in a spa or salon or office.
It provides deep touch pressure from multiple points, which helps reduce anxiety and stress levels by triggering nerves in the brain that reduce cortisol levels within the body by up to 50%.
How do Massage Chairs work?
A massage chair has an electric motor and a programmable controller.
When the user presses on one or more pressure zones of the chair’s seat, the controller sends electronic signals to the motor which then mechanically stimulates muscles to provide relief from pain and tension.
The mechanisms behind these chairs may vary by manufacturer but they share some similarities.
The massaging movements can be customized by adjusting the intensity of each movement and the location of the body where it is applied.
Massage chairs typically have three types of massage settings: low, medium, and high intensity.
They can also be customized to include heat, cold, or even a vibration option for those who need their muscles stretched and massaged differently.
Massage Therapy Techniques
Currently, the most effective massage techniques that massage chairs are designed to try to be like are of Shiatsu and Swedish massage.
- Shiatsu tends to use pressing, sweeping, patting, rolling, and rotating movements. The defining characteristic of Shiatsu is its focus on releasing tension in specific locations of the body.
- Swedish massage is characteristic of long gliding strokes and kneading motions. This type of massage aims at fostering proper and strong circulation.
What to expect from a chair massage treatment
All massage treatments should always begin with a quick safety check to ensure that you are fit and well, essential to highlight any potential health issues to your therapist. Following this, you will be shown how to sit on the massage chair. You do not need to remove any clothing, as skin-to-skin contact is not essential – just ensure that you feel comfortable on the chair prior to the treatment.
The therapist will then use a mixture of acupressure techniques across your back, shoulders, arms, hands, neck, and head. If you wish to have the therapist focus on certain areas it is best to request this before the treatment so as not to interrupt your moment of relaxation, or of course, simply mention during the treatment that you would prefer time spent on specific areas. The therapist will generally avoid areas that have suffered a prior injury so as not the aggravate the condition.
Massage Chair Benefits
below are a few massage chair benefits to enable you to make an informed decision about buying one for your personal use.
Relief from Stress
The burden of work and fast-paced life has overwhelmed the lives of the majority of people. Few can cope with the strain effectively. Consequently, people have become more and more prone to heart ailments, anxiety attacks, and chronic depression. Massage chairs are beneficial as they use various techniques and features that help increase neurotransmitters.
These neurotransmitters are well-known to fight mental and emotional stress. Leaving you a much happier person. A massage session every night can leave you invigorated and revitalized. Subsequently, induce a sound sleep without the help of a sleeping pill.
Enhanced Blood Circulation
A massage therapy session improves blood circulation from head to toe. This is due to the increase in temperature caused on the surface of the skin. The kneading techniques, which are stronger than the stroking techniques, stimulate the flow of blood physically as well. In both cases, (traditional and massage chair benefits) circulation ensures the removal of harmful toxins from your body.
Experiments indicated that people who undertook massage chair therapies for an extended period of time. Eventually had a major reduction in strain and anxiety, which is the key source of high blood pressure. Additionally, improved circulation reduces the strain. that the heart has to face in order to ensure that blood reaches every part of the body. Which results in a healthier heart as well.
Relief of Pain and Aches
Massage chairs aid in soothing common body aches, headaches, and chronic neck/back/shoulder pain. Studies indicate a decrease in cortisol levels and an increase in serotonin by an average of 28%, due to continual massage sessions. following a study, by increasing serotonin and lowering cortisol levels, the body is better able to manage pain.
Studies also indicate that massage chairs either significantly reduced or eliminated some chronic pain. Massage chairs offer an inexpensive alternative to costly physical therapies for an aging population that is tormented by chronic pain.
Reduce Headaches/Migraines
Despite the large number of people suffering from them, migraines are perhaps the least understood of medical issues today. However, there are a few known triggers such as exhaustion, hormonal changes, sudden changes in mood, irregular sleeping patterns, etc.
Massages are known to remedy almost all of these triggers. Which can significantly help in reducing the chances of a migraine occurring. When you take a massage chair session regularly, you will feel that your nerves and muscles are working properly. There are far fewer headaches or migraine attacks.
Posture Correction
People try to correct their posture by walking straight or by practicing yoga. Often overlooked is the fact that a massage also helps in correcting posture. Massage will help you get the right posture, mobilize and loosen your stiff muscles and help to maintain balance.
When using a high-end massage chair. The backbone is forced to align itself in its natural position due to the shape of the chair. The motions of massage therapy also help to relax the muscles further, gradually undoing the built-up damage. Eventually, over a period of time and therapy, massage can increasingly aid in loosening muscles. Assisting in the alignment of your posture & spine.
Increase Flexibility
Another positive side effect of regular massage chair use is increased flexibility. Massage chairs help combat decreased flexibility caused by a trigger point. A trigger point is a painful condition caused due to strenuous exercise and over-exertion that leads to a restricted range of motion and sore muscles.
Research findings from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Ontario showed that massage decreases inflammation and even promotes the growth of new mitochondria, the body’s powerhouse on a cellular level. All these individual factors combine to create healthier tissue, which is strong and flexible as well.
Boost Energy Levels
After a long and tiring day at the office when you sit on the massage chair, it works on your tired and worn-out muscles, gets them stretched and rolled, relaxing the stiff portions and providing the much-needed revitalization your body needs. As a result, you feel rejuvenated and re-energized when you get out of the massage chair. It also improves your sleep cycle which helps the body rest and recover from everyday ordeals and makes it more energetic during waking hours.
Besides improving the quality of sleep, a deep massage can increase your energy to a great extent due to the improved circulation of blood and the nutrients it carries to the muscles and tissues. Massage therapy also improves the body posture which allows you to breathe more freely. All of these contribute towards providing you with more energy than before.
Reduce The Impact of Repetitive Motion Injuries
Repetitive motion injuries are injuries that occur due to a long-term impact of performing the same type of motion again and again. For example, typing continuously over extended durations can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome which is caused due to the pinching of nerves in the wrist during the unnatural position required to be maintained while typing. Bus drivers who drive automatic door buses need to lift their arms to pull the lever that opens the doors several times a day. They suffer from severe shoulder pain.
Massaging these parts every day can go a long way in delaying the onset of such conditions, at least until you can take out the time to address them properly.
Massage Functions
Low-end massage chairs usually offer little more than simple vibration and rolling massage. On the other hand, high-end massage chairs offer a wide variety of features to help put you at ease. These features often include, but certainly are not limited to:
- All-inclusive menu of pre-programmed functions
- 2D (basic), 3D (adjustable) & 4D (variable) roller intensity
- Heat therapy
- Kneading
- Reflexology
- Rolling
- Shiatsu
- Sound therapy
- Space-saving design
- Tapping
- Vibration
- Zero gravity & inversion therapy
Of course, the number and quality of these functions will affect the cost of the massage chair — but prioritizing your long-term health is worth the investment!
Conclusion
In conclusion, massage chairs are highly beneficial. Also, they can be of great help to the aged, as it relaxes their tensed muscles.
