Monday, November 10, 2008

5 Things You Should Know Before You Obtain a Massage Chair

By Steve Esquire

1. Define Your Needs: Think about how the massage chair will meet your long term needs. There is a tremendous variety of choices of models, makes and features. Start with the areas you are looking for daily relief. Are there certain problem areas, you want to focus on? Next, match the areas with the type of massage that would be most effective. If you are looking for full body massage, see what massage therapy techniques you would enjoy most. If you know the massage types you want this will help get the best massage chair for your needs.

2. Back Pain Relief: Suffering from back pain or discomfort? Massage chair recliners started with back massages and have built a full arsenal of massage therapies for the back. There is the finger press massage for decompressing the cervical discs of the spine. The rollers move up and down the spine gently pressing to relieve pressure. Shoulders and neck can be effectively relieved with a gripping or grasping massage. The rollers provide a gentle squeezing action to relieve built up stress. Lower back pain is effectively relieved with a shiatsu massage.

3. Massage Therapy: Massage chairs have many massage therapies available. Choose from Shiatsu, Swedish, Hawaiian, Acu pressure, Reflexology, Deep Tissue and many more. It is important to familiarize yourself with the different types as each provides certain benefits. Also, massages can be light and gentle to more invigorating depending on your needs and comfort. Most massage chair recliners offer multiple massage therapies, so make sure the most important ones are covered.

4. Lower Body Massage: Do not forget your lower body. Shiatsu massage chairs have very effective lower body massage therapies. There are two technologies to consider for the footrest. The mechanical paddle systems or the air massage system. The mechanical paddle system is basically a motor driven paddle system which is used to massage the calves. The paddle system is limited to just the calf massage. The paddle system provides a vigorous tapping massage. The air massage system is driven by a compressor and delivers a compression massage to throughout the lower body. The air massage system uses a squeeze, hold and release massage while also stimulating reflexology points. There are some chairs which combine both technologies. The lower body massages have improved tremendously over the last few years.

5. Warranty Coverage: Warranty coverage varies as much as the variety of massage chairs on the market. First, sort your list down to reputable manufacturers. Find out if the manufacturer has national retail accounts, this ensures that there warranty means something. Typical warranty coverage includes parts; labor, in home service vs. service center, shipping expenses. Interestingly, Fortune 500 manufacturers like Panasonic and Sanyo have short warranties from the manufacturer, but then sell extended warranties to match the rest of the massage chair industry. How long does the manufacturer cover parts? If you need service, can a technician come to your home or do you need to send your massage chair to a service center. This is important, as sending around 200 lbs of massage chair is not an easy task. Also, how long will the manufacturer pick up any shipping expenses to repair the massage chair?

It is an exciting time to be looking for a massage chair. The technology is so advanced and the features are very effective. Research into the various massage therapies and find the ones that will most effectively work for you. When you start to find some models, check around for others that match what you want in a chair. The best is always to try the massage recliner, and then you can test its effectiveness directly. Shop around to find the best deal; do not forget to factor in taxes and shipping. Most of all, find a massage chair to meet your needs today and tomorrow. - 14130

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