Science has proven that massage benefits are vast in their reach and healing abilities. Extensive research explains that there are three main principles to understand how we benefit from massage therapy. These studies have shown that massage helps to promote flexibility and cut down on tension, increase blood flow and improve lymphatic flow, and raise the levels of endorphins in the body. These three major benefits have a ripple effect on several other systems in the body. The Massage Chair Experts take a closer look at these three major benefits of massage therapy along with 16 additional benefits proven by studies and research.

1. Reduces pressure on nerves by aligning the spine
2. Relaxes muscles and maintains good posture
3. Relieves from stress
4. Improved circulation
5. Convenience and privacy

1. Cost: Investing in a massage chair provides economic benefits over time.

Using a typical example, a hand massage costs about $75 to $80, and a tip is recommended. Assuming $100 per massage, and one massage per week, this comes to $400~$500 per month and $6,000 per year.

In this case, a massage chair costing $6,000 will provide a return on the investment in approximately one year. If you calculate two massages per week or $800~$1,000 monthly, the return on investment is 6 months.

This is quite compelling considering a high quality massage chair with a great warranty will provide many years of massage. importantly by owning your own massage chair, you can afford to increase the frequency of massage therapy.

2. Time: With hand massage, you need to schedule an appointment. 

With a massage chair, your “appointment” occurs and time — or the moment you decide to sit down and press the power button. With this level of flexibility for massage therapy, you can alleviate the time demands you face already — from work and family obligations, and exercise time.

With a massage chair, regular massage becomes an integral part of the day — transforming massage therapy from a luxury into a necessity. With the burden of time alleviated, those 30 minutes in a massage chair increases the frequency of your quality time, while enhancing your quality of life.

3. Pressure: With a massage chair you are in complete control of the depth and pressure of your massage.

Certainly a trained massage therapist can apply pressure and react to any feedback to create the right amount of muscular manipulation. That is why is important to be open and honest with a massage therapist if you experience pain.

Today’s premium massage chairs boast technology that has been refined for decades, and virtually replicate the massage motions of human hands for Swedish massage, Shiatsu, as well as gentle stretching you find in Thai massage. And the pressure for any of these massage styles can be customized with the press of a button, and memorized for future massages.

What is Zero Gravity and how can you benefit from it? The concept of Zero Gravity was born out of the NASA space program to deal with the problems of large compression forces felt by Astronauts as they launch into space. Astronauts were plagued with fatigue during the launch process because of Gravity's natural compression on the human body, most notably the human spine. After extensive research, NASA perfected the "Neutral Body Posture" which is ideal for evenly distributing pressures on the human body. This position benefits the whole body instead of just the spine and subsequently puts the human body into a heightened state of relaxation. This breakthrough in combating gravitational forces has been applied to many facets of wellness therapy.

It might sound obvious but L track chairs feature a track that is shaped like an “L”. These type of massage chairs are great because they provide more coverage using the roller for a massage from the back of the head, neck, and shoulders all the way under the seat for glute/buttocks massage. This is especially helpful to those that experience lower back or sciatic pain as the chair is able to stretch the muscles that connect the spine to the hips and lower extremities.

Now the L track chairs did not used to be as good in the neck and shoulder as the S track chairs could provide. The S track chairs were overall more precise in the neck and shoulders and better in the stretch functions as well. There are some new comers though that have brought the L tracks up to speed in that oh so important area for most of us, the neck and traps.