If you’re shopping for a massage chair there are several factors to take into consideration and this article is written to help your decision making process by giving you a “layman’s” background into what to look out for. First of all you should realize that a massage chair is not just a “creature comfort” but it is an investment into your future health and well-being, so it’s very important that you choose the best massage chair available, not just to suit your state, or your condition, but also your pocket. Expensive doesn’t always mean best.

It is the rollers that determine the quality of the ensuing massage, not just the number of rollers, but their configuration and the material that they are made from. The rollers take the place of human hands and their movements are dictated by the how the frame that they site within is constructed.  The travel of some rollers is limited to a straight up and down traverse because the rollers are mounted on a fixed rail type system. However there are other models available on the market that incorporate a mechanical arm that facilitates both vertical and lateral travel enabling the massage action to travel in any direction including a circular motion. The best rollers are constructed from solid rubber which not only produces a more penetrating massage to unlock and relax even the most stubborn of aching joints and muscles, but are also guaranteed to last longer. It is generally proven and accepted that 4 rollers provide the optimum massage capability, allowing for best movement and alignment. Stroke length is another important parameter that you should be aware of. Some chairs only offer a 20” stroke length, whereas others go up to 27” which means that the massage capability covers a greater all over area of your back.

Massage chairs are becoming more state of the art as new models are being launched that incorporate the latest technology in order to provide better massage techniques. Shiatsu style massage is now commonly available providing a wonderful vigorous combination of the basic techniques of tapping, rolling, and kneading. For the uninitiated, Shiatsu massage is a Japanese massage technique developed along a more holistic approach, one which portents to treat the whole well being of a subject including the mental, physical and spiritual. The rollers have been specially designed to grip and knead. Shiatsu is related to acupuncture and the manual shiatsu massage centers on the acu-points of the body to bring maximum relief. Some of the best massage chairs also incorporate adjustable rollers that allow you to customize the rollers to exactly fit your own individual body needs and requirements. All of the motions, be they massage or chair tilt motions are provided courtesy of the latest generation of electric motors, which not only supply the power, but do so at vastly quieter levels than ever before. Massage chairs not only massage your back, but according to the model, can also provide calf and foot massage too. As competition becomes more fierce to attract clients, new state of the art innovations are being incorporated in the design; one of the latest being a stiffness detector that measures the degree of stiffness in your body and compensates by automatically adjusting the massage action, depth and speed accordingly.