Excessive use of a massage chair
Many people sit in a comfortable chair for hours at a time to read a book, watch TV, or just relax. However, if you are sitting in a massage chair during this period of time, it is very important that you do not receive the massage during that period of time. Almost all back and massage chair experts say you shouldn’t use massage programs on a massage chair for more than 15 minutes at a time and after using the massage they say it’s best to get up, move around, even walk. take a short walk to fully enjoy the benefits of the massage chair.
Massage chairs have crossed the border from simple vibrating chairs to full-blown therapeutic medical devices. Used correctly, they provide a very deep back massage that, if overused, can cause bruising, inflammation, and damage to muscles and other tissues in the body. Simply put, too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing in this case.
Most massage chairs have built-in timers for the massage programs to prevent this type of overuse. Make sure the chair you buy has a timer or uses some external timer to prevent the massage from taking too long. Just looking at the clock may not be the best idea. Massage chairs are designed to be comfortable as well as provide health benefits, so it’s not uncommon to fall asleep in one with the massage on. A simple nearby alarm clock may be all you need to remind you to turn off the massage, but the best option is a built-in timer to automatically turn off the massage.
This doesn’t mean you can’t sit in a massage chair for long periods of time with the massage turned off. 20 to 30 years ago, massage chairs were novelty, comfortable items that were often not properly designed to provide healthy back support. The modern massage chair, however, is in almost all cases anatomically correct for good back health. Most conventional chairs in the world today do not support the 3 curves of the back; lumbar for the lower back, thoracic for the mid back, and cervical for the upper back. Massage chairs, however, generally provide support for all areas of the human back. Therefore, a massage chair is not only great for massages, but is also often the best posture chair in homes, so feel free to use it for watching TV, reading, and just about any general purpose seating.
If you have back pain or back problems, be sure to check with your doctor or chiropractor before purchasing and using a massage chair. There are several different types of massage available on massage chairs; Shiatsu, Swedish massage and variations or a combination of the two and most chairs also allow you to vary the intensity of the massage. Your doctor may recommend a certain brand or type of massage chair. So, of course, enjoy your massage chair to the fullest and sit in it when you want and for as long as you want, but don’t use the massage programs for more than 15 minutes at a time.