Negative Effects of Massage Chairs?

As per statistics, 8 out of 10 Americans come up with back pain issues caused by the daily work pressures and uneasy sittings. Well, How about getting a massage? Sounds good already? Medically massage is a proven effective therapy to reduce muscle tension, pain, and stress and ensure soothing body relaxation. That makes massage chairs perceptible For US citizens to alleviate their bodies and boost a healthy lifestyle. Isn’t it?

Moreover, why miss a chance to cash out on time and money? Alright! Let’s admit it gives you various massage types of options. But side effects might come with a universal massage or customized type settings for others. As priorities and cases vary person-to-person, every massage technique focuses on different pressure, intensity and speed; thus, it may cause trouble for some.

How about we dig and gander at the Negative Effects of Massage Chairs? Let’s discern the possible reasons why claiming a massage chair might not be a great option in this article, beginning with its negative effects.

Negative Effects of Massage Chairs – Are There Any?

Skin Allergies Due To Massage Chairs

Skin irritation might be frequent and annoying at times but is a not severe issue to contemplate for massage chair users. Irritation is usually triggered by prolonged massage sessions, bacteria, or allergies. Using massage chairs with high-pressure settings in a specific area might naturally cause a rash and be bound to damage the skin because of heavy rubbing.

Quick Fix: Check the universal settings options before buying a massage chair. Also, reconfirm the product material is leather, latex, or any other fiber that may trigger your allergy. Thoroughly cleanse your chair every time to avoid bacteria contamination.

Blood Circulation Issues

Massage tends to improve blood circulation as a stimulator on lymph nodes to relieve muscle tension in the human body. Massage chairs may also help relieve pressure off the body while set in a neutral body position with enhanced blood circulation. However, it might not be suitable for patients with circulatory issues history including thrombosis, low blood pressure, clotted blood veins, and hemorrhage.

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Quick Fix: It is always recommended to use massage chairs under a doctor’s advice. Moreover, not every universal setting is bound to suit a person; thus, before using it, one should pre-set the program as gentler or more intense as per their conditions.

Muscle Injury or Bruises

Massage chairs cannot harm the users directly on their muscles, skins, or bones. But incorrect settings or prolonged usage for therapy sessions might increase the chances of bruises or muscle injuries for users with weak muscles or sensitive skin types. Also, it is highly unlikable for injured users to get a massage to feel better; it might work in reverse and worsen their wounds.

Quick Fix: It is advisable to set your massage chair on low-pressure settings starting from gentle to high, with a shorter time. Once you work your way up and get used to the massage chair, go for longer sessions to feel relaxed.

Pain or Body Soreness

Different brands come up with universal settings for massage chairs, but that might not be the perfect one for you, especially as a first-timer. For some, it may be fancy, but for others, these pre-programmed settings may cause soreness or body pain. Worry not! They are usually mild and short but may last for some days if prolonged sessions continue. The main culprit behind soreness is incompatibility, and inappropriate pressure settings, as the pain, is usually caused by the excessive pressure forced for deep tissue massages.

Quick Fix: Avoid using the massage chair right next to a user. Never rely on universal settings; pre-set the program per your preference, build, and body condition. Initially, go for low-pressured settings and do not overextend the duration of treatment from the programmed timer.

Massage Chairs Cause Fatigue

It is not unusual to feel your body way more sleep, tired, slow, and burdened after a massage session. The purpose of massage is not to fasten up your physical activities but rather to release the muscle tension gradually. Though if you feel exhausted unnecessarily after a session, it is mainly because of high levels of excessive stress on the muscles during the session.

Quick Fix: Make sure to adjust the massage pressure and intensity during a session as much as your body can take. Also, never overuse the massage chair for extended periods. Always go gentle on settings to find the perfect program for you.

With hundreds of health benefits, massage chairs do come with their fair share of drawbacks. It provides maximum comfort advantages to the users, whereas the Negative effects of massage chairs mentioned above have disadvantages as well. Let’s find out some of them before you make a purchase.

Some More Negative Effects of Massage Chairs in a Nutshell

Installation and Depository

Massage chairs come with their perks. The more exquisite they look, the heavier and bulkier they are. Moreover, the futuristic advance and latest featured optimized models would also make them hectic to install adequately. So you need a considerably spacious location to install and store them. Also, modern massage chairs have various heating/cooling options, 360 degrees rotation, and zero gravity features with a super straight lying position.

To avail better results, one must have a sufficient and efficient electric supply nearby and ample space for the massage chair to expand freely. In addition, it might take many attempts to understand the massage chair installation properly because of its complex manual guides and specifications. So the major Disadvantage of Massage Chair includes users with limited space who might not install or store them effectively.

Physical Height and Weight Barriers

Usually, massage chairs are built on standard universal height and weight measures. That means according to the users with an average of 6’2″ feet height and 240 pounds weight. Most brands publish or specify the maximum and minimum weight and height barriers for various massage chair models. However, that might not be right with many short or tall-heightened, under or overweight people.

So if you are more than 6 feet tall or weigh more than 240 pounds, these restrictions might come your way to prevent getting the best massage chair. Thus, always double the product features and description before making a purchase and choose the one perfect as per your physical height and weight.

Hefty on Pocket

There is no comparison of a massage chair $8000 vs. $60 masseur weekly. A high-geared, sturdy massage chair may work perfectly for fifteen years. As strange as its math sounds in the long run, massage chairs are way better, convenient, and cheaper than going to a masseuse. However, the fact is undeniable that automated massage can never replace a human massage, and massage chairs come with a heavy price tag of course!

On average, you can get a massage chair for $2000 in the USA from Amazon with the low-quality build, poor functioning, and a beginner product hunt. However, the best decision is to lay hands on a fully geared model to achieve the benefits associated with its features, which might cost you a whopping 10,000-12,000 dollars, mainly because a low-quality massage chair might end up messing around within a year.

In contrast, a branded high-quality chair has a lifespan of at least fifteen years. So it’s essential to check the price and warranty implications before you make a purchase and must prepare your mind to invest a hefty amount in choosing a suitable option.

Limited Features Functionality

Massage chairs are programmed to facilitate the users with relaxing massages to improve blood circulation, reduce stress, and relieve pain and aches. However, all such AI-based programs in massage chairs come with their restrictions and limitations. Also, they do not even come closer to what miracles a human masseur can serve despite numerous perfect features and efficient functioning.

Undoubtedly, the limited feature functionality is a significant drawback for massage chairs as they are still ineffective in covering some parts of the body for therapy, like the face and front body. Also, the body condition of a patient or injured person may vary from one another, so machines can never understand the exact pressure and force applied to a specific muscular pain. As it’s ineffective in some cases, a masseuse is still a better option.

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Improper Usage Lead To Injuries

Massage chairs are the perfect gadget to keep your body relaxed; however, it is not the one to play or mess around with. Our human body has a spine and joints that are not meant to carry weight but function for bending. So a minor change in the setting during a therapy session or a malfunctioning mechanism can lead to severe injuries to the fragile parts of the body.

Moreover, having a session for a prolonged duration might also cause severe damage to the body. Thus, it is advisable to use a massage chair on the doctor’s advice. Low blood pressure patients with osteoporosis, arthritis, pregnancy and cervical issues must avoid using massage chairs.

Isn’t it confusing that renowned massage chair brands promise that their manufactured products are nothing but the best? They are typically amazing lifestyle furniture to provide relief for backache and muscle pain at your home though muscle overstimulation leads to harmful effects on the human body. So is it all the massage chair’s fault to serve all the bad at once or it might be you too who’s at fault? Curious to find out? Let’s See.

How Can Massage Chairs Be Harmful to Users?

As Massagers are great for stimulating the soft tissues that end up releasing the pain-relieving endorphins hormones. It helps the body to relax and ease up the aches. However, various reasons exist to measure whether Massage Chairs Can Be Harmful to their users or not. Let’s find out how.

User Error: The massage chairs have standard and customized settings options. However, it is unlikely that all universal settings would be perfect for every user. One has to customize them on their own as well. However, on a user’s end, when someone without proper knowledge tries to set up a program under zero guidance, the intensity, pressure, or speed setting might mess up. As mentioned above, malfunctioning may lead to injuries to muscles.

Bodies Not Stretched: Massage chairs work the best to relax the tense muscles. However, the users must stretch their bodies and warm up before the therapy session. It helps to reduce body soreness as well as enhance the effects of the therapy. Users who have just worked out extensively enjoy the massage session more comfortably since their bodies and muscles are heated up and have adequate blood circulation. Stretching before sitting on a massage chair enhances blood circulation; however, if a user tends to ignore it, it may result in pain and body soreness.

Prolonged Usage: Overuse of massage chairs for a more extended period often causes over-muscle stimulation, making the users tired, fatigued, and sore. The massages might feel heavenly, and you would want to keep it going, but their programs must be timed, and you must take intervals between massage sessions to minimize these side effects. If ignored, these side effects or misuse of massage chairs may cause serious health issues.

Dehydration: One of the significant essential rules for any massage or exercise is to hydrate properly. Dehydration causes blood vessel constriction leading to low blood flow to the body parts. Such circumstances maximize the chances of atrophy or muscle cramping during the massage chair sessions and may worsen more. So do you think Can Massage Chairs Be Harmful to you in any condition? Yes! A few stimuli on constricted muscles can cause significant discomfort for your dehydrated body with massage chairs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are massage chairs bad for your back?

The massage chair helps to integrate therapy sessions more regularly, certainly weekly or monthly, in your life. On the contrary, one can say it is not as beneficial as a masseur massage because of deep tissue massage, but still, it poses its benefits. It helps to relax the muscles and soothe the body. However, is it bad for your back? No, the only thing worse for your back is over usage, improper programming, and improper stretching that causes back pain after the therapy session, not the massage chair itself.

How long should you sit in a massage chair?

Massage chairs help to eradicate the stiffness of the body and improve blood flow. Though it does not mean it should be used for a longer duration. On average, a therapy session should last for 15-20 minutes. If the duration exceeds the maximum limit of 30 minutes, users may start to feel pain or nausea.

Wrapping Up Massage Chairs Negative Effects

As you can witness, apart from benefits, massage chairs have disadvantages, adverse side effects, and harmful effects on users. However, it is implausible to damage or cause any injury directly to the body until and unless used without caution.

A correctly used massage chair tends to work best for soothing the human body, and the Negative effects of massage chairs can also be minimized by seeking a professional’s guidance and assistance before purchasing a chair.