What Is Chair Massage?

Chair massage, also referred to as seated massage, corporate massage or on-site massage, is a form of therapeutic massage that is performed in a time-condensed session. A professional practitioner performs it in a specially designed ergonomic massage chair. They were originally referred to by its creator, David Palmer, as "on-site massage" since the massage chairs were portable and were usually brought into a workplace. However, this kind of onsite massage service is now more commonly referred to as simply "chair massage" and sometimes as "seated massage".

The chair massage therapist performs the massage without oils, which eliminates the need for the client to disrobe. They are performed in all kinds of environments. Most people know about the service as a corporate massage service, although probably only half of all of them are done in the workplace. Retail chair massage, either done in massage stores or as stand alone massage booths or massage kiosks is becoming increasingly common.

One of the benefits of them is that it takes a service that is typically done behind closed doors and makes it visible to the public. The effectiveness of chair massage in lessening muscle tension has a positive effect on a client's range of motion and flexibility. Reduced muscle tension allows for greater flexibility, which is an important factor in injury prevention. Those who receive regular chair massage also benefit from improved posture and decreased back pain.

Chair massage also helps to increase circulation, which is important in maintaining healthy and nourished muscles, joints and tissues. The sessions are usually shorter than traditional massage making it very convenient for anyone to fit into their schedule. And because the sessions are shorter, the cost for a chair massage is relatively low. These benefits make chair massage a safe, convenient and affordable. It's no wonder that more people are introduced to massage through chair massage than through any other massage technique.