HOW MASSAGE CHAIRS PERFORM A THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE

Since massage therapy is the practice of a therapist using their hands to manipulate soft tissue to promote healing, you may be wondering… how does a massage chair do it?

Great question.

Most massage chairs incorporate two components to perform massage: rollers and airbags.

ROLLER MASSAGE

Rollers are essentially the hands of a massage chair, which perform the techniques of a therapist, for example, shiatsu or tapping. The rollers are located in the backrest and move up and down the track performing various massage techniques. Typically, these tracks extend from the neck to the tailbone. However, some massage chairs feature extended tracks called "L-Tracks" that allow the rollers to move into the seat.

2D, 3D, AND 4D ROLLERS

Today’s massage chairs feature a wide variety of roller technology from 2D all the way to 4D.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN EXACTLY?

2D, 3D, etc. denotes the number of dimensional movements of the rollers. So, 2D rollers move in two ways: up and down and side to side. 3D rollers add the third movement of in and out, which protrudes the rollers from the track and gives you control over the depth of your massage. And finally, 4D incorporates all of the above plus rhythm, which mimics the dynamic pressures and speeds of a therapist.