Looking For a Massage Chair? What You Need to Know Before Buying

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 familiar with different massage therapy techniques? A little information here goes a long way. Many massage therapies are steeped in long traditions, such as Swedish or Shiatsu or Hawaiian. Deep tissue penetrates deeply into the muscle providing more thorough relief. Shiatsu uses kneading, chopping and acu pressure points to help reduce stress and induce relaxation. Hawaiian massage uses light stroking and swaying like waves gently lapping on your back. Try a massage chair recliner and find the ones you like most.

4. Lower Body Massage: 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?

It is an exciting time to be looking for a massage chair. The technology is so advanced and the features are very effective. Research into the various massage therapies and find the ones that will most effectively work for you. When you start to find some models, check around for others that match what you want in a chair. The best is always to try the massage recliner, and then you can test its effectiveness directly. Shop around to find the best deal; do not forget to factor in taxes and shipping. Most of all, find a massage chair to meet your needs today and tomorrow.