3 Misconceptions About Massage Chairs

Massage chairs have been around for more than a decade. And yet, not many people pay attention to them. Why? This is because so many wrong impressions about them have been made that a lot of people don’t even bother checking them out. You see, despite recently being proven to provide plenty of health benefits, massage chairs are still ranking low in people’s priority lists because of these three biggest misconceptions.

1. Massage chairs are overly expensive and should be considered a luxury item.

Although this might have been the case when they first came out, massage chairs nowadays are not as expensive as they used to be. In fact, if you search carefully, you can even find certain massage chair models that are somewhere between half a grand to a grand. Putting it in another way, it is possible to get a massage chair that is more affordable than a brand-new iPhone.

Besides, if you think about it, a 1-2 hours massage in a spa nowadays would  you around 100 bucks. And if you go for a massage every 2 weeks, you would be spending roughly 2,600 dollars a year, which is already enough to buy your own massage chair at home. See the comparison graph below (click the photo for a more detailed explanation).

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At the same time, if you are experiencing chronic back pains or are recovering from muscle soreness or injuries, the benefits of a more regular (or even daily) massage would be invaluable. Furthermore, with a massage chair, you have access to a relaxing massage any time you want (or need) – which is a fantastic solution if you’re suffering from hypertension, poor circulation, or even insomnia.

Would you still consider this luxury? How much exactly are you willing to pay for such benefits and convenience?

2. Massage chairs are inferior to or less effective than human massage

If you’ve never tried a massage chair before, you would probably find it extremely difficult to believe that any amount of tech could ever rival a massage by a professional masseuse. But this is nothing more than another misconception about massage chairs. You see, massage chairs have come a considerably long way over the last decade. Advanced technological features like 3D scanning; fully adjustable, precision quad-rollers; airbags; and some AI are enabling massage chairs to give convincingly great spa-level massages.

For example, 3D scanning paired with the highly versatile quad-rollers program massages that conform specifically to the contours of your body, much like how professional masseuses would tailor-fit their massages to each client or customer. However, unlike traditional massages that usually last for no longer than an hour, you can have longer massage sessions with a massage chair.

Not to mention, with a massage chair, you are not restricted by any schedule. You can wake up in the middle of the night and then go back to sleep with the help of a relaxing massage thanks to your ever-available massage chair.

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In addition to these, nifty features like lumbar heating, programmability, and advanced entertainment features (like Bluetooth speakers) just make chair massages a notch better than traditional spa massages.

3. Massage chairs are only good for muscle relaxation

Massage chairs are often criticized for having little to no benefits on the body other than on specific muscles like those on the back and shoulders. This is another unfortunately popular misconception about massage chairs. You see, in addition to providing traditional massages, modern massage chairs are now equipped with features that improve blood circulation and give further relaxation through several means.

For example, the zero-gravity positions that most modern massage chairs come with, are designed to elevate the feet while lowering the head and upper torso region to simulate weightlessness. This feature effectively reduces work on the heart, thereby leading to better overall blood circulation.

In addition to this, recent massage chair models also come with lumbar heating pads which help relieve tension in the lower back region. Some, on the other hand, are equipped with multiple airbags deliberately placed along the sides to provide compression massages on the shoulder, arms, and legs. Then, some models utilize rollers on the soles of the feet to provide reflexology therapy or massages.

To sum it up, massage chairs have been constantly improving throughout the years and they are now at a point where these previous notions about them no longer apply. In other words, these misconceptions are nothing more than products of first impressions – impressions that have already been addressed by manufacturers and have been met thoroughly with improvements.

So why not keep an open mind? Give massage chairs a try, and then you decide for yourself whether these innovations are nothing more than inferior and unnecessary products, or are they really brilliant, and a future must-have for every household.