When you think of massage, you think of an afternoon at the spa, being pampered with a mud bath, feeling the heat of the sauna, and rejuvenating your skin with fresh peels and wraps. But there’s another side-an increasing trend called sports therapy massage. Massage is a natural choice for warming up muscles prior to physical activity. Massage chairs are being built that can perform many sports related massages. Shiatsu massage chairs are assembling an arsenal of massage therapies into their chairs.
Athletes know the benefits of massage. Many athletes obtain sports massages to prepare their bodies for more strenuous exertion. These massages are more than just feeling good after the match. Today’s massage chair manufacturers are have many massage features specifically for both amateur and professional athletes.
Doctors have learned that a sports therapy massage for athletes before, during and after a game or match can limit injury and contribute to faster recovery when injuries do occur. This is because sports therapy massages loosen muscles increasing their flexibility while increasing circulation allowing them to metabolize fuel to enhance performance. This cuts down on sports-related injuries such as a pulled muscle, sprains and fractures. Other benefits for athletes are improved range of motion, increased bodily fluid flow, scar tissue break-down and endorphin releases.
Many of the high end massage chairs from Sanyo, Panasonic, and Omega have built in features specifically for athletes. These shiatsu massage chairs come with a variety of massage therapies including Reflexology, Swedish, Shiatsu, Acupressure and Deep Tissue massage. Sports therapy massage for athletes is as integral to a serious sport regimen as lifting weights. Massage increases fluid circulation, reduces pain, and speeds recovery after an injury.
You may not be a professional athlete, but a weekend warrior. Weekend warriors are more at risk since they play more intermittent. If your passion is any type of active sport such as tennis, golf, basketball, or softball, then you know the importance of warming up and warming down your muscles by stretching. The Omega Montage Premier massage chair has a lower body stretch function. This lower body traction functions by using air pressure to hold your feet in the footrest. The footrest is first raised and then lowered down in 3 steps. As the footrest goes down to each lower position, it stretches and elongates your muscles from the hips down. Proper stretching helps you perform better and reduces the chances of injury.
Sport Massage Therapy is a combination of two distinct massage techniques: Swedish and Shiatsu. Swedish massage techniques use long, flowing strokes to increase blood circulation and flow. Shiatsu works on two levels. The first level is the stimulation of acupressure points throughout the back. The second level is the application of a gentle squeezing action to particular areas of the body. Shiatsu helps relax the muscles and also to relieve tension. Massage chair recliners use both techniques to provide a full back massage. The lower body is massaged with an air compression system. Panasonic, for instance, uses the air compression system to gently squeeze, hold and release the muscles of the lower body. The Panasonic EP-3222 massage recliner has an incredible 33 airbags in the seat and footrest to perform lower body massages.
If you are looking for a great way to get ready before your strenuous activity, these chairs can be a very practical alternative to getting a professional masseuse. Even sports like golf, which do not seem too strenuous, actually put significant stress on the body. In golf, for example, one swings using the muscles on one side of the body in a singular direction. This causes you to over-utilize some muscle groups and under-utilize other muscle groups. How many golfers complain about bad backs? Too many to count! That simple swinging motion done repetitively can cause muscle and tendon damage if you do not warm up and warm down properly. An invigorating shiatsu massage before and after golf will make you feel better and might even take a couple strokes off your game.
The premier massage chair recliners give a thorough sports massage therapy helping to reduce tension, relax and warm up the muscles. Is all this warming up really worth it because shiatsu massage chairs are not cheap. How much is it worth to avoid an injury? Certainly, that would lower the perception of cost. There is no substitute for a good warm up. If you are a Weekend Warrior or a Professional Athlete, your shiatsu massage chair recliner may be the most valuable player on your team.
2009-05-26 0:51:53
[...] here: Sports Massages Are Fantastic in Massage Chair Recliners « Belly … Share and [...]
2009-06-7 0:51:53
[...] More here: Sports Massages Are Fantastic in Massage Chair Recliners : : Belly … [...]