Can a Massage Chair Mess Up Your Back

The Best Massage Chairs For People With Back Pain - And Are They Worth The Money?

A luxury item? Sure. But do they help your tight and aching back muscles to relax? You bet! So find out which are the best massage chairs for back pain here.

My Top Pick

Luraco iRobotics 7 PLUS Medical Massage Chair (Cream)

The best massage chair for back pain

This massage chair is ideal for helping to relieve back pain as it delivers a strong and targeted massage that can release even the tightest of muscles.

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Now you've probably seen massage chairs in shopping malls and airports before.

Hell, you may have even had a go on one yourself. Am I right?

And if you have then you'll know just how relaxing and soothing they can be.

As just a few minutes can really loosen you up and take away the stresses and strains of the day.

However, while people love the experience of sitting in a full body massage chair, very few consider buying one for themselves to use at home.

And the reason for that is totally understandable, as massage chairs are bloody expensive!

So it's the hefty price tag that puts them out of reach for most of us.

But for those that can stretch to owning their own massage chair, I thought I'd put together this guide of the best ones on the market for your back pain.

Because while being expensive, they are also a great way to relax both your body and mind at the end of a long day on site.

And they work fantastically well for loosening up your tight and aching back muscles.

So read on and I'll explain just how these massage chairs work and the health benefits they bring.

And I recommend the following massage chairs for anyone with back pain.

Best overall massage chair for back pain - Luraco iRobotics 7 Massage Chair.
Best mid-range massage chair - Kahuna LM-7800 Shiatsu Massage Chair.
Best value massage chair - Kahuna LM-6800 Yoga Massage Chair.

I'll also give you a buyers guide that lets you know what you should be looking out for when deciding to buy a massage chair.

And I'll end with the all important question.....are they worth your hard-earned cash?

How Does A Full Body Massage Chair Work?

How does a massage chair work?

Massage chairs aim to emulate the feel and motions of a masseuses hands and fingers to give you a full body massage experience from the comfort of your own home.

This will help you to relax and relieve stress and muscle tension and they do this in a number of ways.

Firstly, there are mechanically motored nodes and rollers within the chair that apply tapping, vibrating, rolling and kneading motions to your sore and aching muscles.

And most high quality chairs also come equipped with airbags within the seat that inflate and deflate in a rhythm that also provides a nice massage.

There is usually an option to add heat to the lumbar section and legs, which allows your muscles to relax more deeply while you are being massaged by the nodes and rollers.

And there are generally two massage styles that massage chairs tend to emulate.

The most common one is the Swedish massage style which will give you a gentle and relaxing massage by kneading your muscles gently in circular motions.

But the massage chairs that are better for your back pain come with the option of a Shiatsu type massage.

As a Shiatsu massage chair is more intense, as the rollers and nodes work to press against the various acupressure points across your body.

Giving you a deep tissue massage that relieves muscle tension and encourages tight muscle knots to release.

How Easy Is It To Use A Massage Chair?

How to use a massage chair

So how do you use a massage chair?

It's mostly a case of just sitting back and relaxing.

As the chair will put you into a comfortable reclined position that takes the pressure and strain off your lower back (if they are really good they will have a zero gravity option like the 3 chairs I've featured here).

Then using the remote control you simply choose the type of massage you want from the various pre-programmed massage settings.

This will set the nodes and rollers to work and move in a certain way depending on which type of massage you've selected.

And you can also manually adjust the intensity so you can get it just right for you.

Which is great, as you can choose to get deep into tough to reach muscle knots or just give yourself a nice, gentle and relaxing massage depending on how you're feeling.

Also most high quality chairs will automatically adjust themselves to fit your height, weight and body dimensions.

They do this by using infrared body scanners which then sends messages to the microprocessor to adjust the position of the rollers and nodes to fit your specific size and shape.

Clever stuff indeed.

And this not only ensures that these nodes and rollers will be able to focus on the exact areas you need massaging.

It's also a great feature if more than one person will be using the chair, as it will adjust itself to fit each individual.

The Benefits Of Using A Massage Chair For Your Back

So what exactly can a massage chair do for you and your back pain when used regularly?

Well the answer to that is very similar benefits to those that you would get from getting regular professional massages.

Which is great because massaging your back is the best way of getting rid of tight muscle knots and blockages that may be causing you pain.

As massaging these areas of tight and contracted muscles encourages them to release.

And by releasing them your blood flow to the damaged muscles increases. which helps to deliver the oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

It also allows trapped waste and toxins that may have been causing you irritation and inflammation to be flushed away and eliminated.

Which will lead to less pain, tightness and tension in your body.

Great news!

And that's not all your back gains from using a massage chair as it can also:

Reduce tension in your muscles making you more flexible and giving you a greater range of motion.
Keep your body well-balanced which prevents any muscle imbalances from developing.
Help to improve your posture by relaxing your muscles, which relieves pressure on your body throughout the day.
Lower the levels of pain you feel in your muscles and joints by stimulating the release of endorphins which are the body's natural painkiller.
Help you to relax your mind too, which allows your muscles to rest as stress and tension is usually held within your body.
This will also help you to get a better night's sleep which is where your body can heal and repair itself.
Lower your blood pressure and boost your immune system.

Which all makes time in a massage chair time well-spent.

And there are plenty of different massage chairs for you to choose from.

However, I didn't want to overload you any more than is necessary, so instead I've chosen 3 great massage chairs at different price points so you can choose the one that best suits you.

As all 3 are great for helping you to relax and relieve your back pain.

But obviously the higher up in price you go the more features and better quality massage experience you get.

So let's start with my top choice which is the Luraco iRobotics 7 massage chair.

Best Overall - Luraco iRobotics 7 Massage Chair

Luraco iRobotics 7 PLUS Medical Massage Chair (Cream)

The Top Reason You Should Buy The Luraco iRobotics Massage Chair

You want a first-class, versatile, 3D massage chair that feels luxurious to sit in and relaxes every part of your body.

Features

3D roller massage system.
S-track dual rollers.
Zero gravity option.
100 airbag massage system.
Advanced body scan technology.
9 automatic massage programs.
5 memory settings to save customised massages.
Mechanical foot rollers.
Full body heat option.
Noise reduction technology.
Built-in MP3 music system.
Touch screen remote control.
FDA, UL and CE listed.

What's Good for the Back?

The dual rollers provide a strong massage from your neck to the top of your buttocks.
While the zero gravity position helps to relieve pressure on your spine.
The 3D roller system allows you to vary the massage intensity on your spine.
And the heat option allows your back muscles to relax more fully.
The body stretching feature helps to decompress your spine.
This chair comes with a pre-programmed Shiatsu massage option.

Support and Warranty

3-year warranty covering parts and labour plus in home repairs.
Additional 2-year warranty for parts.
60-day free return period (you just pay for the original shipping costs).
US-based after-sales support.

The Luraco iRobotics 7 massage chair comes with just about every feature you could think of in a massage chair, which is why it's priced at the high-end of the market.

For starters there are three different elements to the massage you get from this chair: rollers, airbags, and heat.

Firstly t he dual rollers run on an S-track between your neck and the top of your glutes to give your back a full massage.

And they work on a 3D system meaning they move into and away from your body at various points to mimic the natural S-curve of your spine (you can adjust the intensity to suit you too).

There are also mechanical rollers in the foot area meaning you can get reflexology treatment too and this feels so relaxing!

Then comes the 100 airbags built-in throughout the chair that inflate and deflate to massage various areas of your body.

These work great, especially for your shoulders, legs and calves.

And the full body heat option (with 5 intensity levels) in the feet, seat, and back will help to relax your muscles further and allow you to get a deeper massage.

There is also a zero gravity option with this chair where at the touch of a button the seat is tilted at a 30 degree angle with the seat and chair at a 120 degree angle to each other.

This places you in an optimal position where the weight and pressure is evenly distributed across your body.

Which relieves any strain on it and puts you in the perfect position to get a deep and soothing massage.

Why It's Good For Your Back

The big advantage of the Luraco iRobotics 7 massage chair for people with bad backs is the strength and intensity of the massage it gives you.

As t he dual rollers are powerful enough to really work deep into your muscles and get right into hard to reach muscle knots.

This gives you the best chance of releasing tight muscles and becoming looser and more comfortable in no time.

The pre-programmed Shiatsu massage setting in this chair is especially great for doing this.

Also the 3D roller system ensures your lower back, thoracic spine, and neck will all get a firm and consistent massage.

And y ou can adjust the intensity of the rollers and their position if you feel like it's getting too strong for you.

The zero gravity position this chair puts you in is great for relieving pressure on your lower spine.

And it will also improve your circulation, which will help to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your back muscles to allow them to heal and repair.

Also the airbag system in the seat is brilliant, as it introduces a swivel and rotation into your hip muscles which gets your lower back moving and helps to decompress your spine.

And there's a back stretching feature that will help your spine to decompress even further.

While t he full body heat option in this chair allows your back muscles to relax more fully as the rollers work their magic, which lets them go deeper.

So all in all this chair works wonders for the stiff and sore muscles in your back.

However, the only down point for me is that the rollers run on an S-track and not an L-track.

This means that they only run between your neck and the top of your glutes.

Whereas on an L-track the rollers will continue on through the seat area to work your glutes, piriformis muscle, and hamstrings too.

Which is great as all these muscles can become tight and tense when you suffer from back pain.

But i t's not a deal breaker, as the airbags in the seat will still give these muscles a good working over.

Ease Of Use

As you can see from the video above, using the Luraco iRobotics 7 chair couldn't be easier.

Because as soon as you sit down the full body scanner will get to work on adjusting the roller positions to match to your body dimensions for a truly customised massage.

And once this is done it will automatically start on one of the pre-programmed massage settings.

So there's nothing you need to do unless you want to choose a different program.

And if you do there are 9 programs to choose from, so you should be able to find one that is right for you.

You can also easily customise the massage so it has the exact positioning, strength and intensity you desire.

And there are 5 memory slots so you can save your customised massage settings to use for next time.

This is especially helpful if more than one person will be using the chair.

And the touch screen remote control makes this really easy to do.

Pros & Cons

PROS

Provides a strong and intense massage to help to relax and release your sore and aching back muscles.
Has 3 forms of massage (rollers, airbags, and heat) that work your body simultaneously.
The 3D roller technology allows the rollers to adapt to the natural S-curve of your spine.
While the advanced body scanner customises the massage to the exact dimensions of your body.
The zero gravity function evenly distributes pressure across your body taking away any strain.
While the full body heat function deepens relaxation.
The mechanical foot rollers are a massive bonus!
And the chair is easy to operate using the touchscreen remote control.
It's suitable for larger people (up to 6' 7" and 300lbs).
And has a fantastic warranty and after-sales service.

CONS

Having an S-track roller system rather than an L-track means the rollers can't massage your glutes and hamstrings.
The built in speakers aren't of the best quality.
The price tag means it's a big purchase.

What's The Verdict?

I really like the Luraco iRobotics 7 massage chair and think it's ideal for helping to relieve your back pain.

As i t provides a really strong and targeted massage that can unlock even the hardest to reach muscle knots.

It's outstanding for helping you to relax too, with the 3D rollers, heat, and airbags all working their magic.

And it comes with so many cool features that they have covered nearly every possible base.

So while this is the most expensive chair in this review, if you are serious about getting a massage chair as a long-term investment in your health then this one is definitely worth consideration.

Best Mid-Range - Kahuna LM-7800 Shiatsu Massage Chair

Best Performance L-Track Shiatsu Kahuna Massage Chair LM-7800 - Black

The Top Reason You Should Buy The Kahuna LM-7800 Shiatsu Massage Chair

You want a massage chair that can deliver a strong Shiatsu style massage to keep your back muscles loose and relaxed.

Features

2D roller massage system.
L-track quad roller system.
4 different zero gravity settings.
36 airbag massage system.
Smart body scanner.
4 automatic massage programs.
Foot rollers.
Heating option for your lower back and legs.
Built-in speakers.
LCD remote control.
FDA approved.

What's Good for the Back?

The L-track rollers mean you can massage your glutes and hamstrings as well as your back.
Although quad rollers are not as strong as dual rollers, but they still give an intense massage.
The 2D system means you can't manage the intensity on your spine as well as with a 3D chair.
But the zero gravity positions will help to decompress your spinal discs.
The heat option in the lumbar region allows your muscles to relax more deeply.
And the auto-programs are based on Shiatsu massage therapy, which is great for back pain.

Support and Warranty

2-year warranty covering parts and labour plus on site repairs.
3rd year parts only.
30-day returns policy, however comes with hefty charges.

The Kahuna LM-7800 Shiatsu massage chair comes with features that you might only expect to see in higher priced chairs.

For instance, just like the Luraco iRobotics 7 massage chair this one also offers 3 different types of massage simultaneously (rollers, heat and airbags).

And this chair also comes with rollers in the foot area so you can get a nice foot massage too.

The quad rollers in this chair run on an L-track from your neck right down to your thighs.

However, the 2D roller system is not as intuitive as the 3D roller system on more expensive chairs, making the massage a little less intense and consistent along the spine.

In total there are 36 airbags throughout the chair that also work on massaging your whole body.

And this chair has 4 different zero gravity positions to choose from, so you can find the ideal reclined angle that suits you the best.

There is also the option to add heat to the massage with this located in the lumbar area of the back of the seat and in the legs area.

However, a couple of drawbacks are you can't adjust the temperature and you have to heat both areas at once rather than just focusing on your lower back.