Are you contemplating of buying a massage chair? Perhaps you’ve been overwhelmed by the sheer number of massage chairs in the market. If so, this buying guide is designed to help you decide of the type of massage chair you will finally carry home.
Before I take you through the different features you need to consider when buying a massage chair, here is something quite intriguing.
What is a Massage Chair?
Simply put, a massage chair is a special chair designed for conducting body massage. The aim is to help massage therapists access the head, back, and shoulders of the person on the massage chair. Robotic massage chairs on the other hand use electronic vibrators as well as motors to give massage to the body part that needs it.
Now that you have an idea of what a massage chair is, it is time to look at the different factors you need to put in mind.
Why You Need It?
In essence, everyone needs a massage chair. It is arguable that kids do not need a massage but well, if you know why the adults need a massage, then you will relate why a kid will also need one.
To be honest, adults need a massage from time to time. We all suffer fatigue and depending on out health conditions and the type of work we do, we may find that we seriously need more massages on different parts of the body.
Knowing why and what part of the body seriously needs a massage is the first step towards finding your right massage chair. As you will see, different massage chairs perform better on different body parts.
In addition, there are times traditional massage chairs don’t offer the quality of massage that robotic massage chairs offer. Therefore, it is important to ascertain why you need a massage chair.
The current market offers two distinctive – therapeutic and hobbyist massage chair. What is the difference between the two types?
Therapeutic Massage Chair – as the word suggests, they are designed in a way that makes them need the person’s specific medical as well as chiropractic needs. Do these chairs help? On average, 8 in 10 Americans suffer severe backache whether it is on a regular basis or at certain points of their lives. As such, there is need for these people to have their backs massaged. Although this is only in the Malaysia, the numbers are not really different in other countries. Many adults need therapeutic massages. Apart from the back, therapeutic massage chairs are good at relieving pain at the neck, shoulders, and knee and can be a good tool in alleviating pain and stress that might be brought up by other health conditions such as stress and high blood pressure.
Hobbyist Massage Chair – like therapeutic massage chairs, they offer some form of therapeutic solutions. However, these chairs are more of convenience than therapy-based. Because they are convenience-based, most hobbyist massage chairs come with additional features that offer extended functionalities. Some of these modern features include LED lights, memory and USB slots that allow you to read soothing messages from your previous friendly chats. They also come with MP3 players that allow you to listen to your favorite music when receiving therapeutic massage.
It is true that your therapeutic needs surpass any other conveniences a hobbyist massage chair can come with. But come to think of it, is there any harm in enjoying any other services as you go about relieving your neck, head, shoulder and back pain? Hardly!
Features
Although this point is closely related with number one above, it is important to separate the two. Number one above was meant to help you identify the type of massage chair you need. Upon choosing the type, you now dig deeper in a bid to know the kind of features that should suit your needs.
You need to look for things such as fixed frames, S-track, L-track, and roller arrays. These three features may seem basic but they are the fundamentals of a massage chair.
Take for instance, a roller. As you know, a massage chair without a roller is nothing. With that in mind, a good and modern massage chair should have additional rollers. The more rollers a massage chair has the convenient it gets.
But, even with the more rollers, you need to learn how to adjust the rollers for a better experience. Otherwise, the rollers will be a nuisance to you.
Design
For many people, design would be the first thing. If you love good things, then you must beware that most people do. It is only a small number of people that does not concern itself with the design of whatever they purchase.
For a massage chair, you need to look beyond the general design. When going shopping for one, look for a massage chair whose design will fit the space you intend to place it. Most massage chairs in the market require you to have a space of about 18 to 24 inches. This should be a clear space without any obstacle between the massage chair’s back and the next object, which in this case would be a wall or another massage chair.
PS: Generally, massage chairs, whether traditional or modern, tend to take up a large space. Therefore, do not be surprised that one massage chair can actually fill the whole room.
Cost
Yes, the cost is an important aspect. The truth is that massage chairs are not cheap, and most of them sell at a premium price. With that in mind, you might want to look for a massage chair whose cost is close to what is in your pocket. Nonetheless, for a good massage chair, be ready to part with not less than RM 1000 with some going for up to RM 5000. Still the price is not too high compared with the value you will get afterwards.
Final Thoughts
Whether you like it or not, you need a best massage chair, some time in your life. Following increased fatigue, stress at work, school, and at home, you definitely need a good massage at the end of the week while listening to soothing music via memory slots or MP3 player attached to the chair. The value you get at the end of the day surpasses whatever cost you may need to incur and yes; you will have a lively week ahead after sitting on that massage chair. If you think this is useful for you, please share the article on “Buying Guide: Way to Buying a Massage Chair” with your friends and family.