A Guide to Best Massage Chairs [2020]

Regardless of our professions, all of us look forward to a comfortable round of massage after a tedious day at work.

Herein comes massage chairs to your rescue.

For the uninitiated, massage chairs are specific chairs that are tailored to massage your neck or back.

In addition to catering to the requirements of individuals needing frequent massages, these chairs are also equally useful for everyone diagnosed with clinical neck or back issues.

But with so many massage chairs out there, how do you know which one makes the cut?

Well, that is exactly why we’ve come up with this detailed guide, informing you about the nitty-gritty of a quality massage chair.

Keep reading to clarify all your doubts about these nifty tools.

Our favourite massage chairs in 2020

Best Massage Chair Reviews 2020

1. 3D Kahuna Exquisite SM-9000

When it comes to massage chairs, you can never go wrong with Kahuna. This is yet another product that lives up to the brand’s reputation.

This unique model sports a perfect combination of incredible features and absolute comfort, offering exactly the kind of support you need.

One of the biggest highlights of this chair is probably the zero-gravity experience.

Thanks to this feature, you get to enjoy an immersive experience of a lifetime.

The rollers are great at imitating the professional massage and the airbags offer proper pressure in areas where the rollers cannot reach as easily.

Although this massage chair is expensive, it is still worth your money!

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2. Osaki OS-Champ 

Powered by a zero-gravity function and a solid control panel, this massage chair offers excellent support and comfort.

Its defining feature is the 3D technology which effectively scans and tweaks the features as per the specificities of your spine.

In addition to offering a fully customized massaging experience, this chair also boasts an incredible combination of technologies.

This way, you are completely assured of receiving massage via your favorite techniques.

The common options include air rolling, air massaging, seat vibrating, heat therapies, and everything else that comes in between.

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3. Kahuna LM-6800 Massage Chair 

Sleek, compact and incredibly easy to operate, this is one of the best massage chairs in the market.

Unlike other products available in the market, this device comes with a dedicated feature for offering chiropractic massages.

This is especially useful for people struggling with back pain. The next feature in line is tailored to stretch your muscles in absolute familiarity with yoga programs.

As with the other massage chairs featured on our list, this one comes with a zero-gravity feature that is designed to offer three different zero gravity positions.

As a user, you have complete flexibility to explore these positions and choose one that works best for your needs.

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4. Relaxonchair MK-II PLUS Massage Chair 

Offering complete value for money, this compact device blends multiple techniques, including its iconic zero-gravity feature.

This chair also offers incredible immersion sensation and its combination of airbags and rolling techniques keep your back, arm, joints comfortable.

A major highlight of this device is the decompression feature that targets your spine and stretches the subsequent muscles.

This is especially ideal for people working at office jobs.

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5. Ideal Massage Full Featured Shiatsu Chair 

Available at an affordable price, this is yet another incredible massage chair.

One of its defining elements is the perfect combination of features that are tailored to meet the needs of users. Unlike many other massage chairs listed in this guide, this one is powered by the 3D technology.

Thanks to this feature, the chair can now evaluate the curves along your spine, thereby offering you a personalized massage.

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6. Real Relax Full Body Massage Chair 

A quality model, the Real Relax massage chair has a perfect blend of useful massage techniques that collectively offer a comfortable experience.

Despite the affordable price point, the features, especially the zero-gravity mode is incredibly impressive.

This feature alone exemplifies your massage experience, offering you complete ergonomics as and when you need it.

This device, however, comes with a downside. Since it isn’t priced at a higher point, the techniques employed here are slightly repetitive.

That is why we’d only suggest you get this product when you’re on a stringent budget.

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7. OOTORI Massage Chair Recliner 

If you look forward to a different and yet relaxing massage experience, this device from OOTORI will certainly make the cut.

Armed with functions for warming up and stretching your muscles, this product offers a truly relaxing massaging experience.

Every massage session lasts for half an hour and you also have the flexibility to tweak the individual massages as per your preference.

So, if you want a certain body area to receive greater attention, you can always do that with this chair.

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8. Relaxonchair MK-IV Massage Chair 

This high-end device comes with plenty of features. What’s more, it is also ergonomic, comfortable and easy to operate.

The underlining feature of this product is its compactness.

Due to this feature, you can now easily fold or unfold your chair in seconds. So, if you are in the middle of a space crunch, this device will have you covered.

Unlike other affordable massage chairs, this one offers incredible diversity in the massaging techniques and features.

Since it comes powered by five different modes, you can choose one based on your specific requirements. The best part: you will also have the complete flexibility of creating a massage program for yourself.

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Why Should You Use a Massage Chair?

The benefits of massage chairs are manifold. They offer immense comfort after a long day at work. What’s more, they also provide you with the kind of back and neck support you look forward to. Over the next few sections, we will discuss these advantages in detail.

Why Should You Get a Massage?

Massages aren’t a recent addition. On the contrary, people have relied on them since the beginning of time. With the advent of technology, people started spending a huge chunk of their time standing. Since this often led to back issues, massage chairs entered the picture.

Upon close observation, you’ll notice that most people around us grapple with some sort of posture issues. In some cases, they even suffer from these issues inadvertently. If left, unaddressed for long, this stress will affect your shoulders, neck, and entire back. In some cases, you might also experience similar issues along the glutes and the lower back region. The result: sudden or even persistent discomfort.

Regardless of the area, back or neck pain. Although you can enjoy temporary relief by stretching these areas, this isn’t in any way, a permanent solution. This is one of the many reasons why you should consider massages. Note that back pain isn’t just common in people who stand for long hours. On the contrary, people who sit at their desks or cars might be equally affected by the issue.

As previously mentioned, massages go a long way in ameliorating your pain and relieving the caught-up muscles. It does this by boosting your blood circulation. This has also been concurred by multiple studies, one of the primary ones being the case study (2011) by Laura Allen [1].

Note that in addition to improving your overall posture, massage also plays a major role in eliminating stress and inducing sleep. The main aspect behind massage is to offer relaxation and since relaxation almost instantly reduces stress, you are more comfortable and sleep better after the massage session.

Massages play a vital role in offering you the kind of rest you need, and this is prevalent from the time you’re born. When done the right way, massages will soothe you and allow you to relax better. If done frequently, massages will help individuals enjoy consistent and uninterrupted rounds of sleep.

Is It Worth Getting a Massage Chair?

As previously mentioned, there are multiple reasons why you should consider investing in a quality massage chair. In this section, we will offer a detailed insight into the topic.

• Consistent Comfort: One of the biggest benefits of massage chairs is their constant availability. When you have the right chair at home, you’ll no longer have to depend on the schedules of human massage professionals. With these chairs in place, you will get the right massage as and when you need it
• Diverse Techniques: This is yet another vital benefit of these chairs. You will notice that most of these chairs are versatile in terms of the techniques they offer. Since almost all chairs come with three techniques or more, you can always choose the one you want. The best part: you can also personalize techniques or combine multiple techniques for added support
• Better Ergonomics: Since you won’t have to venture outside your homes for getting a massage, these chairs are incredibly handy in terms of ergonomics. With the right devices in place, you can enjoy your massage while watching your favourite shows on your laptop or TV
• Unwavering Support: At times, massage chairs offer the kind of support that humans fail to offer. Most of these devices come with special tools tailored to handle lower back issues. Some advanced machines also use airbags and rollers for enhancing the muscle movement along the lower back region. Other devices go the extra mile by using heated pads. Either way, these chairs offer immense back relief
• Excellent Investment: While most of these chairs come with an expensive price tag, this is only the initial cost. Since these devices do not require much maintenance, the recurring cost is almost negligible or zero

Either way, they will turn out to be your money’s worth. Note that almost all massage chairs are incredibly durable and some of them also come warranties.

This way, you enjoy an extra degree of security in terms of massage. Since these chairs are priced lesser than frequent visits to a professional massager, they will also help you save the extra bucks.

Spot Massage: Another major highlight of these chairs is that they offer spot massages. So, whether you want a hand or foot massage- they will have you covered. In a bid to customize the experience, certain chairs also come with fully adaptable foot massagers.

Excellent Stretch Movement: The key to a good massage is proper stretching and that is exactly what a quality massage chair does.

These devices will stretch your muscles just the way you want. Additionally, some also come with special offerings that make way for muscle stretches like yoga sessions.

Relief to Your Spine and Back: Certain massage chairs are powered by a combination of technologies that monitor your spine in a bid to target the affected muscles. This reduces back pain and offers relief along your entire spinal cord.

Extremely Relaxing: It goes without mention that massage chairs offer a truly relaxing experience. All of us, look forward to relaxation after a tough day, and this is exactly what the chair offers. Since you do not have to go anywhere to receive this benefit, it is certainly worth the money.

A Complete Buying Guide For Massage Chairs

Buying the right massage chair is not easy. So, here’s a dedicated buying guide that’ll help make better buying decisions. In the following sections, we offer a step-by-step walkthrough about the things you should absolutely consider before making your pick.

Massage Chair FAQs

Here are some of the questions you should always ask before investing in a massage chair.

What about Space?

While massage chairs are an excellent addition, they are not as compact as you’d want them. That is why make sure you have ample space to accommodate the chair before investing in it. Since folding chairs require more space than regular variants, make sure you have at least 3 inches of disposable space to accommodate the chair.

What Type Is It?

As previously mentioned, massage chairs are extremely diverse, offering a wide range of massage functions. While some users want them all, others need only one. So, while buying the chair, make sure it offers the kind of function you need. Some of the common functions are listed below

• Knead function
• Tap function
• Rolling Motion
• Shiatsu function
• Extra Techniques

Which Brand to Go for?

Massage chairs are available from almost all leading brands. Before zeroing in on your preferred brand, make sure they have extensive experience in producing massage units. If you are still unsure, consider checking testimonials.

What Is the Price?

It is important to figure out the cost even before picking a massage chair. Since most models have a huge price gap, avoid wasting your time considering high-priced variants, if you cannot afford to buy them. However, do note that your chair is going to be priced higher if the quality is exceptional and if the device contains multiple features.

What about Warranty?

Almost all massage chairs come with a warranty; the shortest being one year, and the longest being five. Since the warranty is one of the biggest determinants of your chair’s integrity, make sure your preferred chair comes with a solid warranty to back it up. Also, look up testimonials to check if the company indeed respects the integrity of these warranties.

What Features Should You Consider?

If you’re looking to maximize the efficiency of your massage chair, it is important to get one with the right features. In this section, we will discuss the features you should almost invariably consider.

1. Power

This is one of the biggest determinants of a quality massage chair. Powerful massage chairs offer rougher massages, while the low-powered variants offer soft massages. Consider your specific requirements, and buy the product depending on your preferred power level. We would, however, suggest you strike a balance by getting a product that allows you to change the intensity of the massage.

2. Rollers

Certain massage chairs, especially the expensive ones are powered by rollers for offering a comforting experience to the users. These rollers are tailored to imitate the exact motion of human hands and they can move up, down, towards the right or left. Since rollers offer a soothing experience, always ensure your device comes with this feature.

3. Heat Massage Sessions

If you are looking to soothe and relax your muscles, get a device that offers heat massage. These massages are usually delivered via heat pads that render lukewarm heat across your back.

4. Body Scan

This is probably one of the best features available in the present-day massage chairs. This technology allows the chair to personalize the massage depending on the body type of the users. It usually works with sensors that automatically tracks your spine’s curvature and other essential physical features.

5. Air Compression

This is a type of massage where the chair uses airbags for boosting your massage experience. The compression and depression of these bags push your muscles, thereby offering the kind of stretching and massage you need. Air compression technology works well for all body areas.

6. Vibration

Although the expensive massage chairs will fully reach your buttocks, the lower-priced devices use a vibration seat for massaging your calves and buttocks.

7. Zero Gravity

Available in the expensive variants, this feature causes your chair to recline allowing your body to be free in a position where it won’t have to hold its weight. It works the same way as a zero-gravity environment. The feature is excellent as it allows your vertebral column to relax thereby enhancing your massage experience.

Certain massage chairs come with multiple zero-gravity stages where the last stage ends up elevating your legs just as high as your heart. This way your heart is relaxed, and it works out more efficiently for some time.

8. 3D Massage

These massages offer greater depth than your regular massage and they do this by combining the movements of the rollers and the airbags. Since the bags are full of air, your entire body will be lined by it. After your system is fully locked with the air function, the roller will start massaging your legs and back. This feature is best known for the immersive experience it offers.

9. Recline Movement

Since the inexpensive massage chairs do not come with zero-gravity function, they are operated via the reclining mode. Unlike the zero-gravity function, the recline movement doesn’t entirely support your body movement. Similarly, your legs too won’t be elevated at a lofty height.

Note that while this feature may not be as advanced as its expensive counterpart, it is still extremely relaxing. You can enjoy the recline movement while watching your favourite shows, reading a good book, or simply relaxing. As you relax and stay comfortably, the chair will do all the work by massaging your back and soothing your nerves and muscles.

10. Yoga/Muscle Stretch

Several massage chairs come with the yoga or the muscle stretch function where the chair utilizes the air compression massage for warming up your muscles and gently stretching them. This feature offers incredible support to your glutes, back, and arm. It is also one of the best features for people who frequently participate in exercises or sports.

11. Spine Stretch

Usually available inexpensive massage chairs, this feature causes your back to stretch thereby eliminating the pressure along your vertebral column. Right after this, the muscles along your spine are thoroughly massaged for treating the pain. This feature is excellent for people grappling with spinal issues.

12. Acupressure

Certain massage chairs utilize acupressure points for enhancing the degree of massages. These points offer a gripping sensation making the massage appear human-like.

13. Additional Features

Although these features may not seem as important, they go a long way in soothing and relaxing your muscles. Here are some of the top extra features’ to consider.

14. Foot Massage

This is one of the most vital features for people who spend a large part of their day standing up. The foot massage chairs ensure that your feet and calves are perfectly massaged with the airbag technology. Some higher-end products also have facilities of heated foot massage.

15. Arm Massage

If you do a desk job, this is one feature you should never overlook. Arm massages are extremely relaxing, and they are usually conducted via air compression techniques. The massage chairs equipped with this facility come with small pockets designed to hold your arms. The airbags, on the other hand, will hold your muscles.

16. Hip and Head Massage

If you want to make the most from your massage chair, look for a device that offers head and hip massage (individually or collectively). Both are extremely relaxing, and they also provide your body with the required support.

17. Preset Programs

When it comes to massage chairs, it is always great to have a product that has plenty of pre-set versions. This way, you can choose from multiple technologies and even blend one massage technology with the other.

18. Manual Control

If you are looking for a truly personalized massage experience, manual control is what you should look for. This feature lets you design your preferred massage sessions with the type of techniques you love.

19. Material

When it comes to material, most massage chairs use faux leather as the primary coverage. Since actual leather won’t manage to handle the pressure coming from the airbags, faux leathers do the job. The expensive massage chairs usually come with better quality faux leather compared to the lower-end variants. The former also uses a thick leather layer.

20. LED Lights

In a bid to enhance your massage experience, some massage chairs come with in-built LED lights. These lights offer a truly immersive massage experience and allow you to relax better.

21. Simple Operation

Almost all massage chairs come with a control panel where you can see the massage mode or the current intensity of the massage. If you want to maximize the efficiency of your chair, make sure its control panel is easy to set up and operate.

22. Remote Controlled

If you want your massage chairs to have maximum accessibility, consider getting the ones with remote-controlled functionality. As evident from the name, you can use the remote for tweaking the massage mode or increasing/decreasing the intensity of the massage.

23. Cup Holding Facility

While this might not seem useful at the onset, the cup holding facility is an excellent addition for the times you want to enjoy the massage while sipping your favourite beverage.

24. Bluetooth Functions

A couple of high-end massage chair units come with in-built Bluetooth adapters. You can connect them with any streaming device for listening to your favourite music during the massage session.

25. Noise-Free

Since some massage chairs are bulky, they end up producing plenty of unnecessary noise. If sharp noise concerns you, try settling with a noise-free variant of these chairs.

26. Portable

Certain massage chairs are lightweight and are therefore more portable than the others. This usually happens as they come powered by casters that allow you to slide the chair across multiple rooms.

What Is the Working Mechanism Of Massage Chairs?

Massage chairs aren’t a novel invention. They’ve been around since the beginning of time.

But what exactly is their working mechanism? Well, the modern variants of these chairs work by combining the motor movements, vibration movements, gear mechanisms and roller functions for offering the best massage.

While some principles used in modern chairs are almost similar to their predecessors, they are still more sophisticated than the former.

Right now, every massage chair is different from the other one. The simpler variants follow a straightforward approach while massaging. They operate via adding several vibrating areas for massing your legs and back.

The manufacturers usually have tiny devices with a wheel or weighed gears. Since the weight doesn’t focus on the gear/wheel, they tend to be slightly wobbly. As the motor starts rotating the gear, it leads to vibration which further renders the massage function of these chairs.

The manufacturers of these chairs need to be extra careful about balancing the chair because it might otherwise create discomfort for the users.

If you are looking to invest in a quality massage chair, get one that comes backed with rollers. As previously mentioned, these rollers will imitate the action of human hands and they’ll perform even better as they work with electric motors.

These rollers will further move according to the patterns allocated by the structural frame of the chair.

Note that while certain rollers have a limited range, others feature a mechanical arm and move wider. In addition to moving up, down, left, and right, these rollers can also rotate.

Massage chairs also come with a specific microprocessor that keeps the recorded patterns made by the mechanical arms. While using the chair, you can choose any prefixed movement.

What Should Be The Intensity Of The Massages?

In addition to rolling and vibrating movements, expensive massage chairs come powered by varying intensities of massages.

For tweaking the intensity, manufacturers either let the chair control the movement of the rollers or mount their frame along a solid pivot.

This way, the frame will automatically move further from the individual using these chairs.

Since most modern massage chairs come with the recline function, manufacturers create them for performing in several positions.

They usually achieve this by following either of the two methods. For the first method, they add a motorized reclining unit that naturally changes the position of your chair every time you push a button.

Alternatively, they add a small lever that allows you to manually switch the position. This can be done when you pull the lever and push it in the opposite direction of the backrest.

What Is An Air Compression Massage Chair?

This is one of the recent additions in the market. This feature usually operates by using several airbags that are tailored to squeeze multiple body parts like your arms, back, and shoulders.

Massage chairs achieve this function by using a tiny air compressor that’s placed right within your chair. Connecting the airbags with pipes, this compressor makes way for the air compression function.

Expensive massage chairs come with dedicated switches that are used for opening and closing specific airbags without affecting the others. The less expensive ones use multiple compressors for one set of airbags.

Here, an in-built processor will set a connection between the compressors and the chair and it will also regulate when you need to activate the airbags.

What Are The Different Types of Massage Techniques?

Massage techniques can be classified into multiple categories, in this section, we will look at them in detail

• Rollers: In this massage, two sets of rollers go up, down, back and forth, offering a relaxing experience
• Kneading: This massage is carried out in a circular, kneading pattern
• Tapping: Devised in the same manner as the karate-chopping technique, the tapping function involves pushing against the back after which they completely push out
• Shiatsu: Designed for people with neck issues, this function operates by addressing the sensitive zones along your neck. It soothes your neck while also providing it required support
• Gripping: This is usually carried out with airbags that strongly grips your feet and arms, effectively stretching the muscles in these areas

What Are Pre-Defined Massage Sessions?

Certain massage chairs come with pre-defined functions. All you need to do is sit in your chair, pick your preferred function and start enjoying it. You can either do this via the control panel or the remote.

Massage chairs with this feature come with microprocessors that collect all the vital details about massage sessions. Every time you pick a mode, this processor will send the relevant command to the components that are a part of the massage.

What Is the Body Scanning Feature?

This feature is often present in the higher-end variants of massage chairs. These scanners are crafted from several infrared sensors that will automatically detect when a specific body part will be contacted by the chair.

Right after that, the microprocessors, as informed by the sensors will modify the massaging technique for customizing it according to your height and overall width.

How Frequently Should You Use These Chairs?

The biggest highlight of massage chairs is probably the fact that they are always available for offering you a massage. To avail the facilities, you won’t have to consult anyone and schedule an appointment. The best part: this entirely eliminates your need of leaving the home or shelling out money for each session.

If you are baffled about how frequently these chairs should be used, be assured to note that you can operate them as and when you want. You do, however, have to ensure that every massage session is helping your body. If you try more sessions every day or week, your recovery will be faster and you will feel relaxed more often.

For added safety, you can also refer to the manufacturer’s guide and use the chair accordingly.

Do These Chairs Relieve Pain?

If you’re one of those individuals who’s struggling with pain along your lower back, neck or shoulder area, getting a massage chair is one of your best bets. This has been further proved in this study conducted by Mayoclinic in 2009. [2]

Note that around three to four massage sessions every seven days is likely to bring in a noticeable difference.

That said, avoid rushing into the process. Since you have this chair at home, you can use it almost anywhere. You can check the best massage chair for neck, back, and shoulder support on this page.

While using these chairs, it is important to focus on the way your body is feeling. Observe your feelings even after completing the massage.

Once you have this clarity, the massage sessions can be tweaked accordingly. We would suggest you to go slow before eventually moving up the speed.

This way, you will feel relaxed and there’ll be no possibility of experiencing sore muscles. The key here is to strike a balance between complete relief and your physical best.

Massage Chairs for Consistent Relaxation

If muscle relief isn’t your concern and you are simply looking to invest in these chairs for better relaxation, try using these devices every time you find your stress levels going up.

Note that while visiting professional massage experts, you’d possibly take around three to five sessions every week.

Since you personally own the chair, you can use it as frequently as you want. The only thing to ensure is that it doesn’t impair your muscles in any way.

If you’re using these chairs for relaxation, try sitting on them before bedtime for a good night’s sleep. Since you will be thoroughly relaxed, you won’t be interrupted in the sleep either.

What Happens When You Overuse These Chairs?

While you can use these chairs as frequently as you’d want, it isn’t always the best way to approach it. Why? Because too frequent use might lead to sore muscles that might otherwise be a cause of discomfort.

The key here is to avoid using these chairs for an unnecessarily long time. But how long should you use them? Ideally, you should ensure that every massage session lasts for 10 to 15 minutes and not more than that.

You can achieve every important benefit of these chairs within this time. Avoid choosing longer sessions even if you assume that they will offer you more relief as this isn’t usually true.

Massage sessions lasting more than fifteen minutes can end up bruising your muscles. This is especially true when you just start operating the chair. These minor damages can also end up in the inflammation of subsequent tissues.

Almost all massage chairs come powered with an auto-timer to ensure that you do not cross the recommend fifteen-minute threshold during the sessions.

A couple of them also come with pre-set programs that will immediately stop after this point and others do not let you come up with a longer session.

If, however, your chair lets you participate in longer sessions, make sure you have an alarm or a timer for stopping it. This is even more important for reclined motion as it always has a possibility whereby you can fall asleep as your chair is still working.

After completing the 15-minute session, get up from the chair and stroll inside the room for a while. You can also try any other mild activities.

Physical activities are especially recommended as they end up removing the toxins created by your body as a part of the massage. You should also drink lots of water to speed up this process.

Massage Chairs During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the most relevant times in your life. It is one of those times when your body witnesses some major changes.

While the consequences of most changes are good, some of them might result in bodily discomfort.

Yes, many pregnant individuals suffer constant pain along their back and neck. Since massage chairs offer comfort to these target areas, they turn out to be one of the top options. But should these chairs be used during pregnancy?

According to several manufacturers, pregnant ladies should avoid using these chairs. Their primary argument lies in the fact that these chairs end up stimulating the pressure points in these ladies which might eventually cause their water to break. Note that there isn’t any veritable proof for backing up this claim.

When you are pregnant, your little one is wrapped in multiple muscle and fluid-based layers. These layers, in turn, play a vital role in cushioning the baby from the external world.

That is why there aren’t any major differences between choosing a regular massage facility or operating a massage chair.

Is It Safe to Use Massage Chairs During Pregnancy?

While massage chairs are essentially safe, it is best to consult your healthcare professional before using them. This is especially true for people with high-risk pregnancies or the women suffering from a range of medical conditions.

If the condition hinders the safe use of these chairs, it is best to avoid them.

Since massage effectively reduces your stress levels, thereby relaxing the tense muscles, vibrating chairs are one of your top options.

These chairs are one of the best devices to reduce back pain and cramp by boosting the circulation of blood. Note that none of the vibrations will harm your baby. Rather, they will ensure your body produces less movement than it would have produced if you walked.

Most doctors ask patients to avoid using these chairs during their first trimester. This is primarily because the miscarriage risk is incredibly high at this point.

If you are using these chairs while you are pregnant, do not use them for more than fifteen minutes as it might otherwise bruise your muscles. Also, avoid squeezing in these chairs if your belly is extremely big due to the pregnancy.

What Features Should You Avoid When You Are Pregnant?

Although some doctors consider massage chairs safe for pregnant ladies [3], it is always best to exercise some caution.

Over the following section, we have listed some features you should avoid in a massage chair while you are pregnant.

1. Heat Massage

As we mentioned in the previous sections, certain massage chairs come with rollers or heated pads that further offer a hot massage to the user. On the onset, it might appear that this feature will significantly boost your comfort.

Sadly, such is not the case. In fact, this feature is likely to put your child’s safety at stake. The hot massage will significantly increase your body temperature which will inadvertently boost the heart rate of your child. Since this results in cardiovascular problems, it is best to entirely avoid it.

2. Shiatsu Massage

This massage is tailored to target some of the most important pressure points across your body. However, when you stress some specific pressure points, you end up inducing premature labor.

That is why you should avoid using them. Note that although there is a low chance whereby the chair will trigger your pressure points, it is still best to avoid them.

When to Avoid These Chairs?

While massage chairs are deemed safe for almost all pregnant women, you should avoid them in the following conditions.

• Pre-eclampsia pregnancy
• High-risk pregnancies
• When you experience severe bouts of swelling or headache
• When you have a history with premature labor

Why Should You Use These Chairs While Pregnant?

If you do not suffer from these medical conditions, you can consider using them. Here’s why:

1. Soothe Back Pain

Pregnancy often leads to pain along your lower back and legs. Since your large uterus will occupy plenty of space, your body is under immense pressure. Massage sessions are useful in these moments as they help you feel much better.

2. Reduces Stress

Since your body is undergoing plenty of changes, pregnancy is indeed a stressful time. It causes hormonal imbalances and even depression and anxiety in some people. Amid such situations, a quality massage session will help reduce stress.

3. Reduce Labor Pain

When you try frequent massage therapies, it might reduce the intensity of labor pain, thereby preventing the possibility of postnatal depression.

Where to Keep These Chairs?

Ideally, you should place these chairs in rooms that do not have any access to TV, laptops or any form of media streaming. When you use these massage chairs without indulging in anything else, you will enjoy a truly immersive experience.

Certain chairs come with special functions that double up your fun during the massage. One common feature is LED lights. Altering lights while carrying out the massage, these lights will help you relax better.

Regardless of the area, you choose to place them in, make sure it spacious enough to accommodate the chair.

How to Clean Them?

Let’s now take a closer look at the strategies to follow while cleaning the chairs.

• Since most chairs are made of faux leather, avoid using strong detergents as it might hurt the chair’s surface.
• Avoid adding cleaning substances in the moving or the mechanical parts as it might lead to malfunction.
• Try removing the chair’s upholstery for faster cleanups.
• You won’t necessarily have to clean the chair with cleaning agents. Use a damp, clean cloth instead.
• Always allow the upholstery to completely dry out before placing it on the chair.
• Make it a practice to clean those areas that you frequently touch or contact.
• Try to ensure that all the corners are fully clean without the presence of dirt, debris or hair.
• Yes, you can always use spray bottles for comfortably spreading the detergent and water across wider areas. This will also result in the faster drying of the upholstery after the entire cleanup.

Bottom Line

Buying the right massage chair may not be as easy as it seems. However, once you follow the right guidelines, zeroing in on the best product is easier. Since we listed some of the major considerations you should make while investing in a quality massage chair, we are certain that you will now take a more informed decision.

Resources

[1]- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5017818/

[2] https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00975026

[3] https://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-sit-in-a-vibrating-massage-chair-during-pregna_1246925.bc

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