It’s fair to say that everyone enjoys being free of aches and pains and having their muscles feel loose and relaxed. They’re pretty universal goals.
Not everyone takes action to pursue them, of course. Too often, people simply accept their discomfort as a function of being active, aging, etc. That’s unfortunate because greater comfort is achievable. It’s also regrettable that many think their only options for relief from aches and pains are simple massage tools.
Raise your hand if you have any of the following home massage tools gathering dust in your home:
- Heating pads or microwaveable heat packs. Heat can increase the blood flow to an area, promoting healing. But these devices tend to be used only sporadically and provide modest improvements at best.
- Massage sticks or canes. Many people purchase these tools believing that “If I could just reach my stiff and sore back muscles, I’d take better care of them.” It’s an admirable objective, but, in practice, the owner typically places the stick or cane within arm’s reach of their chair or bed initially, only to have it gradually move farther and farther away until it ends up unused in a closet somewhere.
- Foam rollers. Rollers certainly can manipulate the back and shoulder muscles to a degree, but only in a relatively ineffective linear fashion. In time, most people find that the effort required to properly position themselves on the roller and move back and forth isn’t worth it. It may even be impossible for those with mobility issues. Soon, you can find the foam roller in the closet next to the massage cane!
- Massage guns. These devices can definitely deliver powerful stimulation to the target area. But there are a couple of problems with them. The first is that it’s difficult to reach all the key spots on your back and shoulders with a massage gun. The second is that the device only massages a few square inches of “real estate” at a time. So, getting a full-body massage in this way takes a long session!
- Electric neck, shoulder, and back massagers. These devices have many of the same drawbacks as massage guns, from their less-than-full-body contact to the difficulty of getting them into the ideal position to address a particular issue.
- Calf and foot massagers. Yes, these tools can provide some relief to their focus areas. But it’s rare to find someone whose only issue is in their calves or feet.
Each device is useful for a particular purpose or specific area of the body but cannot provide holistic, whole-body relief. Ultimately, many people who use these tools would confess that getting an incomplete and ineffective massage is almost worse than getting no massage at all. It leaves them wanting a thorough, full-body experience that they have no way to obtain without visiting a massage therapist. And as they stew about their lack of access to effective bodywork, their muscles tighten that much more!
The Alternative to Massage Tools: An Advanced In-Home Massage Chair
If you’ve relied on massage tools in the past and struggled to get adequate relief and complete relaxation, you may have resigned yourself to your discomfort. Or, if you considered buying an in-home massage chair, you might have quickly dismissed the idea for any of several reasons—from your suspicion that chairs can’t truly deliver on their claims to their cost.
However, people who push through those doubts, do some research, and, most importantly, try massage chairs from several leading providers very quickly give their self-massage tools the heave-ho! Oh, they may hold on to the devices for a while, if only to amuse visitors, but once they own a massage chair, they never look back.
Why is that? There are several reasons, including:
- A chair massage is an actual massage. Advanced massage chairs move in patterns designed to affect muscles in specific ways. Whether you need a deep, probing massage to address deep-seated issues or a light, relaxing session to help you wind down at the end of the day, the right chair can meet your needs. Some even have leading-edge choreography that faithfully reproduces the hand movements of a skilled massage therapist.
- 24/7/365 access is incredible. Nothing beats getting an effective massage whenever you want or need one. If you decide to start your day with a vigorous session, your chair is there for you. If you have a few minutes of downtime between tasks in the middle of your day, your chair is there for you. If you wake up in the middle of the night sore and unable to fall back asleep, your chair is there for you.
- Consistency delivers the best results. As noted above, most massage tools get used sporadically. A person might be diligent for a few days or even a few weeks, but soon they start to miss a session here and there, and that’s the beginning of the end for the device. A massage chair, on the other hand, is an inviting experience that’s truly hard to resist. Our customers frequently report they “can’t wait” for their next massage, partly because each session builds on the last, providing more profound healing and deeper relaxation. That can’t even be said for sessions with a skilled massage therapist—unless they live in your home and are on-call around the clock!
- They come to appreciate the mind-body connection. Massage chair owners quickly learn that addressing muscle pain and tension affects their emotions and sense of well-being. Your stiff shoulders or that pain in your back may seem like a minor annoyance—that is, until you eliminate it. Then, as if by magic, your mood improves, and you just have a brighter outlook on life. Does that sound like an empty marketing promise? Talk with someone who has experienced chronic pain and then is freed from it by their massage chair. They’ll gladly set you straight!
If you’re sore or stressed, you owe it to yourself to think beyond your massage gun or foam roller and envision yourself getting regular full-body massages.
Massage Chairs for the Home: Experience a Curated Collection
There are many massage chair manufacturers and models and countless places to purchase chairs. However, buying the wrong home massage equipment can be a decision you regret for years to come. That’s why Furniture For Life only offers The World’s Best Massage Chairs®.
We’ve been deeply immersed in this industry for a long time, trying virtually every massage chair available and also developing our own products. When we decide to offer a particular chair, the selection is based on extensive experience and insight into what chair users want and need. What that means to our customers is that the chair they like best after trying several at a Furniture For Life showroom won’t disappoint them when they get it home. And because quality and durability are essential in our assessment of massage chairs, they will find that theirs serves them reliably for many years.
So, grab that massage tool you bought or received as a well-intended gift from a loved one, wish it a fond farewell, and banish it to the closet. Or better yet, donate it so someone else can benefit from the device. Everyone deserves relief from life’s stresses.
And when you’re ready for comprehensive relaxation and healing, visit a Furniture For Life showroom and talk with one of our Comfort Consultants.
