A massage chair is a great way to enjoy the benefits of massage therapy from the comfort of your own home. The convenience and health benefits of regular massages make them well worth the initial cost of buying a chair. Before making a purchase, however, it's important to make sure you have enough space in your home for one, as they can take up quite a bit of room. Massage chairs can provide some type of general pain relief, but for acute injuries such as low back pain, it's best to seek professional help.
When choosing a chair, you'll need to consider your budget and the features you're looking for. Professional athletes often use massage chairs to improve their sports performance, and studies have shown that nurses' stress levels are reduced when they use massage chairs in the middle of their shift. It's not always true that “more is better” when it comes to massage chairs, as there are some cases where hard-to-reach knots or deep levels of stiffness can't be achieved with a chair. Interestingly, massage chairs were developed by a Japanese inventor, and Japan is still the most prolific user of massage chairs in the world - it's estimated that 20% of households have one.
If you just want to relax with massages, a massage chair is likely to save you money in the long run compared to spa visits. When shopping for a massage chair, there are certain qualities you should look for. This includes massage rollers, massage courts, heated seats, foot massage, adjustable compression, intensity and movement, among many others. Studies have found no conclusive evidence of the benefits of massage chairs when used with various combinations of massage and mental training. However, there was a reduction in anxiety due to “somatic traits” in the control group that used only the massage chair.