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It’s simply not feasible for the majority of people to spend the $15,600 a year to have a skilled massage every single day. Even so,some people have excessive stress, movement troubles, and recurring pain who in truth would get a therapeutic benefit from frequent massage. Now, engineering provides a technological solution in the form of robotic massage chairs.

Many manufacturers claim to sell massage chairs. Two of them should be avoidedfor purchase. The first of these are the cushions that slip over a chair you already own and give simple vibration or what they call “shiatsu” massage. The second are chairs that just have a vibration function. Both of these so called “massage chairs” have minimal therapy value.

The massage chairs you should consider are like recliners on steroids. There are a wide variety of brands and models of these robotic chairs, and the crucial thing is to get the chair that’s dead on for you. The most expensive chairs with mp3 players built in are really too much. Focus on the therapeutic features and not the glitter.

You are also likely to be unhappy if you spend additional money buying a built in heating feature. You will get much better results by getting a specialized heating pad used for massage or chiropractic.

Superior robotic recliners simulate the movements of a certified massage therapist. Kneading mimics the thumbs of a massage therapist rotating in a circular motion to stimulate and stretch the muscles on either side of the spine. Knocking feels like having a Chinese Tuina therapist gently tapping on your back. It eliminates both stiffness and muscle fatigue. Rolling simulates the hands of a Swedish massage therapist rubbing their hands on either side of your spine. Your chair should permit you to vary the speed and/or pressure of these simulated movements.

More expensive chairs have a back scanning capability that scans the rollers up and down your back at the beginning of each session to determine the exact form of your spine. This enables the chair to give you a massage custom fit to your particular needs. This is a terrific feature, particularly for people with chronic back troubles. Back scanning chairs often have an “over the shoulder” feature that works well for eliminating tensions caused by looking at a computer monitor all day.

Despite claims to the contrary, robotic chairs do not provide a realistic Shiatsu massage. Even so, what is called the Shiatsu capability in most massage chairs does give excellent stimulation and energy flow to the spine. That’s very therapeutic… but don’t expect the same massage you would receive from a skilled Shiatsu therapist.

The ideal massage technology for the lower legs is provided by sequentially inflating and deflating airbags that mimic the hands of a massage therapist rubbing in a direction toward your heart. The important thing to remember here is that the more airbags, the better the simulation. Check to see that airbags are on both sides of your leg. A common cost cutting technique is to put airbags only on the outside of the leg. When they inflate they squeeze the leg against a cushioned board. They are a poor second place.

In better chairs, airbags are also used to massage the feet, thighs, and rear end. To lower the price, some chairs omit these air bags to save on cost, but they are crucial for anyone with circulation problems. You will be sorry if you omit air bags for the thighs and bottom. The feet air bags are fantastic, but should be thought of as optional.

Robotic chairs have built in massage cycles and you will find out that many chairs emphasize the number of built in cycles. Really, though, that isn’t so important. What is crucial is the ability to set up your own programs and save them in the chair’s controller. That means that you can create customized programs to tune in to your particular problems. Chairs with 10 storable programs are first class. That is usually enough for the whole family.

High quality robotic chairs usually weigh 250-300 pounds, so you may want to get a chair on rollers. This is a great convenience when it comes time to vacuum.

A final important consideration is that the price of the chair may be covered by health insurance if you have a authentic medical problem and your doctor will write a prescription for the chair.

Speaking of cost, expect a retail price of $3,000 to $6,000 for a good robotic chair. Online prices can be as low as $1,300 to $$2,000. Getting the right chair will provide you and your family with years of great massages.