If you ever experienced a relaxing massage therapy session on a massage table in order to soothe your muscle pain and tension, you probably know that it takes at least an hour to benefit from the restful advantages of a massage session. An extensive massage therapy session takes a considerable amount of time, from undressing to lying properly on a massage table, receiving an exhaustive full body massage treatment with massage oil, cream or lotion, and then redressing. Considering the time it takes, you may not always be able to afford the time to have regular full body massage sessions. However, there are ways to relax your body and mind and reduce your pain and strains in a much shorter massage therapy treatment. One of the most common ways is chair massage.
What Are the Exclusive Benefits of Chair Massage
- Quick but easy and relaxing: Chair massage, also known as seated massage, is a massage type performed on a specifically designed chair which supports the weight of worn-out muscles, such as shoulder, upper and lowers back, and neck, with a cushioned cradle that holds the head and face. The specific chair calmly and peacefully holds the client’s body in a relaxed but semi-upright position. Therefore, it gives a sense of relaxation that a tranquilizing full-body massage can give. Moreover, the special seat is designed in a way that the massage therapist can have access to the key tense areas of the client’s body.
- Fully Clothed: A significant merit of chair massage is that you can have your clothes on. No massage oil or lotion is applied during a chair massage; as a result, there is no need to have your clothes taken off. Even the shyest people, who are not psychologically comfortable with having their clothes off, can benefit from this fully clothed type of massage.
- Shorter and faster: Another advantage is that it only deals with your neck, shoulders, arms, upper back, and lower back; therefore, it is much shorter and much faster than a full body massage, between 10 to 30 minutes. Often, there is no need for an appointment as it is fast and can be applied on the spot. In addition, as it is not applied to the whole body, the price of one chair massage session is much cheaper than a full body massage session.
Chair massage can be performed in public places or in busy locations such as airports or offices. In such a place, people have to stay in one place for a long time probably in an unsuitable position, which can cause muscle stiffness and soreness which can come with unbearable pain.
How Can Chair Massage Decrease Muscle Pain
Staying in one position for a long time, such as standing in line in public places, sitting for long hours on your plane seat, or hunching over your computer at work, can cause muscle knots which usually cause pain and discomfort.
- Releasing and relieving: Similar to any other massage type, chair massage helps to alleviate pain and stress in muscles, joints, and tendons. It can also reduce inflammation-related pain so that the client can better move their body joints. Moreover, sitting in a massage chair can open up the upper back muscles, relieve neck strains, and remove muscle knots from the neck muscle group.
- Enhanced blood circulation: Even a 10-minute chair massage can enhance blood circulation, especially in the upper body, which allows oxygen and nutrients to smoothly move along your muscles and remove the unwanted materials, helping the muscles to recover sooner.
- The psychological effect of massage treatments: Other than the abovementioned physical benefits, the positive psychological effect of relaxing your body on a chair and having gentle pressures applied to your most exhausted muscles can help you have better moods and better feelings about your body and also be less stressed and anxious. As a result, higher endorphin (happiness hormone) secretion can help your body feel a lower level of pain.
What Are Contraindications to Receiving Chair Massage
Similar to other massage types, chair massage is a safe and non-invasive treatment that can relieve stress, strain, and pain. Nevertheless, there may be a few medical conditions for which chair massage is inadvisable.
- Acute health conditions: A number of these medical contraindications include uncontrolled hypertension, any type of recent surgery, fractures, rashes, and serious skin problems, herniated discs, any sense of numbness or tingling specifically in hands and feet. Unsafe medical conditions that do not allow the client to receive massage treatments are not limited to the aforesaid conditions. In any case, the client should talk about their acute health conditions to the massage therapist before receiving any massage type including the chair massage.
- Pregnancy: Women during their first trimester of pregnancy are not advisable to receive any type of massage. Nevertheless, during the next 6 months of pregnancy, massage therapy can release ordinary mothers’ emotional and physical stress and anxiety. However, for the pregnant mother’s utmost safety and comfort, she should discuss with her massage therapist about her pregnancy conditions and age, so that the chair and massage positioning be fixed accordingly.
- Any other confusion or unexplainable pain: In addition to the aforementioned physical conditions, clients who have recently consumed alcohol or sedatives and are confused and disoriented should not receive a chair massage. Similarly, those with any other unexplainable pain or unstable blood pressure are also prohibited from receiving any massage type including chair massage.