Most people, when they think of massage. Think about an afternoon at the spa, being pampered with a mud bath and taking in the heat in a sauna. Perhaps refreshing and rejuvenating your skin with fresh peels and wraps. This is great if your going to be lounging about. However, is there a massage geared toward sports enthusiasts? For athletes there is a sports therapy massage. Sports massages are used to warming up and stretch muscles prior to sports activity. Don’t happen to have a masseuse, no problem massage chairs are can perform many sports related massages. Amazingly shiatsu massage chairs are have a vast array of massage therapies built into their chairs.

Athletes around the world are reaping the benefits of massage. Sports massages are designed to prepare the body for more strenuous activity. These therapies are much more than just for relaxing after the game. Massage chair manufacturers are adding more massage features that are aimed at both amateur and professional athletes alike.

Many doctors recommend sports therapy massage for their athletes before, during and after a game. Sports massage has been shown to minimize injury and speed recoveries from injuries. These sports therapies are used by professional athletes before, during and after competition. Athletes needs sports therapy massages to loosen tight muscles increase their flexibility. Additionally, these massages help to increase circulation which helps the body metabolize fuel faster, leading to greater bursts of energy and enhanced performance. Sports massages, quite simply can help reduce sports-related injuries such as sprains, fractures, spasms and pulled muscles.

The premier massage chairs from Omega, Sanyo, and Panasonic have many dedicated functions and features just for athletes. These shiatsu massage chairs can perform massage therapies such as Shiatsu, Acupressure Swedish, Reflexology and Deep Tissue massage. Massage Therapy for athletes is as common to serious athletes as cardio-vascular workouts. These athletes through massage can reduce pain due to inury and recover much more quickly after an injury.

Are you a Weekend Warrior or a Professional Athlete? Professional athletes have a daily regimen to keep them in top physical shape. Weekend Warriors by definition play intermittently and therefore, are more at risk to injury. Everyone loves an active sport such as as tennis, golf, basketball, or perhaps softball. Whatever your sport, proper warm up is important. Muscles need to be stretched and warmed up prior to vigorous activity. The Omega Montage Premier massage chair come equiped with a lower body stretch function. This lower body traction functions utilizes air pressure to hold your feet in the footrest. The footrest is first raised. The footrest then goes down to each of 3 lower positions. As it lowers, it stretches and elongates the muscles from the hips down. Proper stretching increases athletic performance and minimizes the chance of injury.

Sport Massage Therapy combines both the Swedish and Shiatsu techniques. Swedish techniques use long, flowing strokes which enhances circulation and the flow of blood. Shiatsu stimulates the acupressure points while applying a gentle squeezing action to particular areas of the body. Shiatsu relaxes the muscles and relieves tension. Massage chair recliners use these techniques for the upper body and use an air compression system for the lower body. The air compression system gently squeezes, holds and releases the muscles of the lower body. These shiatsu chairs contain many strategically placed airbags. The Panasonic EP-3222 massage recliner uses an incredible 33 airbags built into both the seat and footrest to perform lower body massages.

What is a great way to get ready before your strenuous activity? A shiatsu massage chair can be a good substitute to a professional masseuse. Even low intensity sports like golf can put stress on the body. Golf consists of swinging mainly on one side of the body repetitively. This simpe swing can cause some muscle groups to over-utilized while others are under-utilized. Did you ever hear of a golfer complain about their back? If I had a quarter for each time I heard this, well…I would retire! It goes to show that simple swinging motion done repetitively can cause muscle and tendon damage. Proper warm up can minimize these effects. Imagine getting an invigorating shiatsu massage before playing golf. It might just improve your game.

A shiatsu massage chair provides a thorough sports massage therapy. Getting a proper warm up for your muscles increases their flexibility, relieves tension and increases blood flow. A massage chair can be an integral part of your warm up. However, massage chairs are certainly not cheap, but then again, neither is being injured. A proper warm up can help to avoid injury. Is all this warming up really worth it because shiatsu massage chairs are not cheap. How much is that worth? If a massage chair can help reduce the risk of injury and enhancing your performance, then its invaluable. Whether you are a Weekend Warrior or a Professional Athlete, your most valuable player must just be your shiatsu massage chair recliner.