Jul 3

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Friday, July 03, 2009 

Pretend you are riding a horse....

That's what you might hear in your first seated chair massage adventure. Your massage therapist will ask you to straddle the chair to help get into position. Once you are seated, your position will be checked to make sure you are aligned correctly for maximum safety. What follows is a tension relieving chair.

Take a peek below at David Palmer's first massage chair. Palmer, a massage therapist wanted to introduce people to the benefits of massage in a non-threatening manner. Palmer believed that massage done fully clothed, without the use of oils or lotions, and at an affordable price would take away many of the concerns associated with massage back in the mid-1980s. Like many inventions, the design improved over time with the result being one which may be familiar to you. 

Typically done at conferences, businesses, and other group functions, large and small, chair massage relieves muscle tightness, improves mood, and boosts energy. Corporate chair massage has become increasingly popular because it is a meaningful perk for employees. Groups having meetings with extensive sitting enjoy offering something to energize participants. Affordable at $1 per minute, chair massage is definitely a valuable tool that helps to keep people relaxed and healthy.

A chair massage study done by the Touch Research Institute in Florida showed that immediately after chair massage, study participants had a change in their brain waves with heightened alertness and better performance on math problems. The problems were done in less time with fewer errors. In addition, elevated mood and reduced job stress were reported by participants at the end of the five-week study. Benefits such as reduced achiness in neck, back, and shoulders were also documented. 

So the next time you are out and about or are at work and see that massage chair, get your dollar(s) ready!