Massage Chair Features and Benefits

Making the choice to purchase a full-featured massage chair is a big decision and the chair is a big purchase that shouldn’t be entered into lightly. There are all kinds of different massage chair models out there that come with various different features; what’s right for you will really depend on why you’re purchasing the chair. For example, an individual that simply wants a chair to relieve a little stress for five minutes when they come home from work might not need the most expensive chair on the market. On the other hand, if you work in an occupation that really stresses your muscles you might want to consider a chair with all the bells and whistles.

There are some features that are common to all massage chairs and we’ll look at these more closely, but we’ll also look at some features that are probably more of a luxury as well. Only you can decide what you truly need, but hopefully this article will make things a little clearer for you and help you decide what exactly your best options are when purchasing a massage chair.

Shiatsu Massage

Massage chairs often have very different types of massage options that you can choose from and one of the most popular is a massage technique called Shiatsu. With this technique the main focus is on releasing as much tension as possible on concentrated areas of the body. This type of massage is ideal if you’ve got one or two problem areas that you really want to focus on. Shiatsu uses pressing-finger style pressure that attacks specific areas and is designed to isolate pressure points and relieve stress. The ancient Japanese believed this type of massage was ideal for restoring the proper flow of energy through your body – whether you believe that are not is up to you, but there’s no doubting that a Shiatsu massage can really reduce stress. There are quite a few expensive models of massage chairs that do include a Shiatsu massage option simulated using built-in rollers.

Swedish Massage

A Swedish massage is a little different. With this technique the therapist uses a much longer stroking motion that’s designed to cover as much of the body as possible – it doesn’t really focus on one particular area. It’s also common to use a kneading technique when performing a Swedish massage and many massage chairs are quite good at simulating this experience with their built-in rollers. This type of massage is ideal for stimulating proper circulation.

Rollers Versus Vibration

As we’ve mentioned a couple of times already in this article, many massage chairs include built-in rollers that are great at simulating human hands and giving you a real massage feel, but not all massage chairs include these built-in rollers. Some massage chairs rely on simple vibration techniques to relieve stress in the body; while this can provide some relief to those aching muscles it’s not generally considered as effective as a massage chair that has the built-in rollers. Generally, you can expect to pay a little more for a chair with built-in rollers, but overall it’s probably worth the expense.

Built-In Heat

Another common feature in many massage chairs is built-in heat points. Generally, you’ll find that chairs that include this option have the ability to add heat to your lower back region and sometimes your buttocks. It can actually be quite a stimulating experience and, when combined with either a nice Shiatsu or Swedish massage, it can leave you feeling quite relaxed even after a physically strenuous day.

Nodes in All the Right Places

For chairs that rely largely on vibration techniques to provide the massage there’s usually a series of different nodes located throughout the chair that are designed to focus on various parts of your body. If you’re looking at a chair that uses vibration for massage you’ll want to be careful to make sure that it has as many nodes as possible. You’ll definitely want to make sure there are nodes in the upper, middle, and lower back areas at a minimum, and if it has nodes that cover other areas of the body that’s definitely a big plus.

Zero Gravity

One feature of massage chairs that’s probably a little less familiar for many people is the ability of the chair to let you lie down completely flat in a zero-gravity position. This is important because it actually allows the chair to distribute your weight more evenly and reduce the stress on your heart. This feature got its start in the space program, where it was determined that a zero-gravity position was quite effective at reducing the stress on astronauts during takeoff.

A Custom Massage

The best massage chairs include lots of features that allow you to adjust the chair to your own body type. Usually the rollers can be widened or narrowed as the case may be, and in many cases they can also be moved to different areas of your body depending upon your height. All of these different functions are usually controlled by an included remote control. If you’re serious about buying a massage chair that will truly leave you feeling more relaxed at the end of a stressful day, you’ll definitely want to look for one that allows you to customize your experience like this.

There Is No One Right Answer

While there really is no perfect massage chair for everyone it’s like anything else – you’re going to get what you pay for. All of the features we mentioned above can be of major benefit to anyone; the best piece of advice I can give you is try to look for a chair that fits in your budget that includes as many of these features as possible.