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What to Know Before Buying a Massage Chair

By: Steve Esquire 1. Define Your Needs: There are a great variety of features, functions and technology available in massage chairs. Think of some of the benefits that you expect from purchasing a massage recliner. Are you looking to relieve your back, shoulders, neck, legs, feet or arms? What kind of budget do you have? Is this a long term or short term investment? Most people want 24/7 relief in the comfort and privacy of their home. Think about what you want to get out of your purchase.

2. Back Pain Relief: What are the important areas on your back? Do you need more attention on lower back or is shoulder and neck coverage more important. Some massage chairs have grasping which is good around the shoulder and neck areas. A thorough kneading massage in the lower back relieves muscles. Make sure the massage chair reaches the lower lumbar areas to ensure relief. To relieve pressure off the cervical discs, a finger press massage is very relieving. The finger press massage uses the rollers going up and down adjusting each disc as it goes. These are just a few features in massage chair recliners.

3. Massage Therapy: Are you looking for deep tissue massage that penetrates beyond the superficial muscle layers? Shiatsu massage uses the body's acupressure points combined with kneading and tapping for whole body relief. Swedish massage uses longer strokes, kneading, squeezing and heat. A gentle Hawaiian massage using sway, stroking and light tapping may take you to the islands while you relax. The technology integrated into many shiatsu massage recliners is incredible. Have fun and find the massage therapies you enjoy most and look for massage chairs that have these capabilities.

4. Lower Body Massage: Do you enjoy having your feet massaged? The premier massage chair brands deliver reflexology foot massages. The footrest has built in reflexology nodes that gently push up into your reflexology points inducing full body relaxation. Ease those tired feet with the gentle squeeze, hold and release of the reflexology foot massage. If you sit a lot, then get a buttocks massage. The massage chair cycles through massaging both hemispheres and also provides vibration therapy to enhance blood circulation. How about a little stretch? Massage chairs have lower body stretching capability. The footrest holds your feet and then extends out to more positions to stretch your lower back, hips, thighs, knees and ankles. Massage chairs have rapidly advanced the technology and effectiveness of lower body massages. Most massage chair concentrated really on the back, neck and shoulders. This was accomplished using rollers to imitate human hands. The lower body presents more challenges. These companies have developed a mechanical paddle system and air massage using air compression. Some chairs are mixed with both, but the best massage chairs use one or the other. The paddle system is limited to the calf areas. Air massage is much more flexible since the massage is delivered via air bags. These chairs have air bags for the arms, hands, feet, calves, thighs, hips, buttocks providing superior coverage.

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?

Looking for a massage chair should be a fun and rewarding experience. It is a special device that can provide years of trouble free operation or turn into a boat anchor. The reason you are looking for a massage chair is to find the relief and invigoration on demand in the comfort of your home. Find out what is important to you and determine some of the must have features of a shiatsu massage chair. Then try a few out and see what works for you. Once you have a good idea of what you like, shop around and get the best deal. Prices vary especially with variables such as tax, shipping, and return policies. This is an important long term purchase, so take your time, enjoy and find the perfect massage chair.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Looking for the Best Massage Chair for your massage therapy needs. Find the premier massage chair brands from Omega, Sanyo, AcuTec and Human Touch. Read a Massage Chair Review or article.

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