Massage chairs have evolved far beyond their humble beginnings as lounge chairs with built in vibratorsThe improvements have made the chairs truly wonderful therapeutic devicesThe physical and psychological benefits are very real for anyone of almost any ageBut as the complexity of massage chairs has increased so also has the need for the consumer to know what they are getting into when they buy oneSo if you plan to buy one here are a few things you should know before hand.
Most modern massage chairs have several different types of massage motions and it is recommended that you try to get one that has the following three massage techniquesThe first type of massage is commonly called ShiatsuThis is a massage method that kneads your back muscles horizontally from side to side on either side of your backboneReal Shiatsu is much more complicated than this but that is the basic ideaThere are also several different types of Shiatsu massage so make sure you understand as much as you can about what the Shiatsu mechanism in the chair is doing to your backThe second type of motion is a gentle thumping or tapping up and down your back like little chops or a shower massageThe third motion is a roller motion up and down on either side of your spineThis lengthens and relaxes the spine and back musclesMost chairs combine these motions into automatic programsSome automatic programs vary the intensity of the massage and others vary the type of massage so understand the differences between the different programs as best you can.
Many of the best massage chairs now offer leg and foot massageThese generally do an excellent job and are highly recommendedSome have arm massage mechanisms but these have not proven to be as effective as the back, leg and foot massageMost massage chairs recline to improve the massageIf you can get one that reclines a full 180 degrees you maximize your weight on the massage mechanism and enhance the benefits of the massage.
You may think that the best massage chairs are made with leather but they are actually made of vinyl and other synthetic materialsMany of the top massage chairs have build in heaters and leather simply will dry out and crack if subjected to a lot of temperature changesIn the same manner leather will not stand up to the constant motion of the back rollersThe synthetic material used in a good quality massage chair is designed to handle the constant motion of massage whereas leather would crack and deteriorateSome companies will promote the leather in their massage chairs as a sales gimmick but the truth is you are better off with a good quality synthetic or vinyl chair.
You will want to make sure you understand the warranty policy on the chairModern massage chairs have lots of motors, controls and electronics in them so if your chair breaks for some reason you want to know before you buy it how it will get repairedMost massage chairs will never break but if the main massage motors stop working after one week you don't want to have to put the chair in a shipping container and pay to send it half way around the world to get it repairedIdeally it would be nice if someone locally came to your house to fix it if needed but the idea is to know before you buy what you are getting into as far as warranty and repairs are concerned.