Chair Massage

Chair (or seated) massage reduces stress and increases energy levels among employees. The massage also helps relieve neck, shoulder, and arm tension that contribute to repetitive stress injuries among workers. Companies benefit in the form of increased productivity, lower absenteeism, and higher morale.

But this type of massage is not limited to the workplace. You will find massage kiosks set up in malls and airports and at trade shows, conventions, or sporting events. A portable massage chair can go almost anyplace!

The advantages of seated massage are that it's convenient (you keep your clothes on), fast (from 5 to 30 minutes long), and affordable. The massage typically focuses on tension areas in the back, neck, shoulders, and arms.

The massage techniques for a seated massage are different from typical massage therapy techniques. Traditional Swedish massage techniques don't translate well to massage in a chair because they largely consist of gliding strokes that don't work well over clothing.

• Compression techniques, including acupressure, are most commonly used. David Palmer was trained in Amma massage, an ancient system of acupressure techniques, and many massage therapists have trained in his system.
• Squeezing techniques are often performed on large muscle groups and muscles that are not firmly attached to underlying structures.
• Kneading techniques are circular movements.
• Percussion (or tapotement) are stimulating techniques are what many people call karate chops.

Although Palmer advocates a set chair massage routine and discourages treatment during seated massage, massage therapist Raymond Blalock disagrees, stating:

Pictures courtesy Massage Nerd."The depth of training for this approach at most massage schools overlooks the fact that a massage chair is a great tool for rehabilitation. It is not promoted as a therapeutic tool in your average school curriculum. My original work with a chair was when I was part of a physical therapy team. I found that for upper body work the massage chair is actually superior to working on a table. Plus the majority of the average client's complaints are upper body to wit the chair's superior applicability for this type of work." - from Using Chair Massage to Fully Actualize Your Massage Practice.

So, like all massage therapy, seated massage offers a variety of opportunities for both the massage therapist and the client.



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