Advances In Shiatsu Massage Chair Technology Provide Therapeutic Results

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It’s just not realistic for most people to give up the $15,600 a year to have a professional massage every single day. Even so,some people have extreme stress, circulation troubles, and unremitting pain who in truth would get a therapeutic benefit from regular massage. Now, engineering provides a technological alternative in the form of robotic massage chairs.

There are many devices that are called massage chairs. Two of them should not be considered for purchase. The first of these are the cushions that slip over a chair you already own and supply simple vibration or what they call “shiatsu-like” massage. The second are chairs that simply have a vibration function. Both of these types of devices have minimal therapy value.

The massage chairs that have real value are like recliners on steroids. There are a wide variety of brands and models of these robotic chairs, and the critical thing is to buy the chair that’s correct for you. The most expensive chairs with stereo built in are actually more than you need. Focus on the massage features and not the bling.

You are also likely to be disappointed if you spend additional money getting a built in heating feature. You will get much better results by purchasing a specialized heating pad used for massage or chiropractic.

First-class robotic recliners simulate the movements of a trained massage therapist. Kneading mimics the thumbs of a massage therapist moving in a circular motion to stimulate and stretch the muscles on either side of the spine. Knocking feels similar to having a therapist gently tapping on your back. It eliminates both stiffness and muscle fatigue. Rolling mimics the hands of a Swedish massage therapist moving their hands on either side of your spine. Your chair should allow you to modify the speed and/or pressure of these simulated movements.

Higher end chairs have a back scanning feature that moves the rollers along your spine at the beginning of each session to determine the precise shape of your spine. This allows the chair to give you the best possible back massage. This is a fantastic feature, especially for people with continual back pain. Back scanning chairs often have an “over the shoulder” feature that is great for getting rid of tensions induced from sitting in front of a computer all day.

Despite claims to the contrary, robotic chairs do not provide a lifelike Shiatsu massage. Even so, what is called the Shiatsu feature in most massage chairs does supply first-rate stimulation and energy flow to the spine. That’s very therapeutic… but don’t expect the same experience as with a skilled Shiatsu therapist.

The ideal massage technology for the calves involves sequentially inflating and deflating airbags that feel like the hands of a massage therapist moving toward your heart. The secret here is that the more airbags, the better the simulation. Check to see that airbags are on both sides of your leg. A common cost cutting technique is to put airbags only on the outside of the leg. When they inflate they squeeze the leg against a cushioned board. They are a poor second place.

Airbags are also used to massage the feet, thighs, and butt. To lower the price, some chairs omit these air bags to save on cost, but they are crucial for anyone with leg circulation issues. You will be sorry if you omit air bags for the thighs and bottom. The feet air bags are excellent, but should be thought of as optional.

Robotic chairs have pre-programmed massage sequences and you will find that one of the sales points of many chairs are the number of pre-programmed massage sequences. Really, though, that isn’t so important. What is valuable is the ability to design your own programs and store them in the chair’s controller. That means that you can create customized programs to tune in to your unique problems. Chairs with 10 storable programs are first class. That is usually enough for the whole family.

High quality robotic chairs usually weigh 250-300 pounds, so you may want to purchase a chair on rollers. This is a great convenience when it comes time to vacuum.

A final important consideration is that health insurance may reimburse you for the cost of the chair if you have a authentic medical problem and your doctor will write a prescription for the chair.

Speaking of cost, high quality robotic massage recliners range in retail price from $3,000 to $6,000. Online prices can be as low as $1,300 to $$2,000. Getting the right chair will provide you and your family with years of wonderful massages.