What is a 3D Massage Chair?
2D is what you picture as your traditional back roller massage. The massage rollers move in two dimensions, up and down from your neck to your lower back, and they can also move side to side. This basic movement is effective, feels great and provides much of the benefits of massage, including alleviating back pain, easing sore muscles, to relieving stress and improving natural health and wellness.3D massage feels much more like a human masseuse caring hands than 2D massage. Not only can it move up and down and side to side, the rollers can also push out further into your back as well.
3D massage chairs are very popular nowadays because of this additional dimension where the rollers can push much further out to provide extra intensity on the massage. Most high quality ideal massage chairs offer up to 5 inches of additional intensity range, meaning the rollers can push further into your back 5 inches further than a traditional 2D massage chair.
Another benefit to 3D massage is that you can also reduce the intensity to make it very, very gentle. This wide range of adjustable intensity is very popular in households where more than one user will be using the chair. This is because every user can find the appropriate intensity level to be comfortable for them.This is where you can determine the best deep tissue massager in the market.
4D massage chairs do everything that 3D massage chairs do in terms of motion. The rollers will also go up and down, side to side and back and forth. 4D takes this a step further, by adding a 4th dimension to its massage movement technology which is that it also adjusts speed. With guidance from professional holistic massage therapists, 4D massage movements were crafted to add variations of speed to each style of massage. Much like the time-tested traditions of Japanese massage, the hands of the masseurs slow down or speed up, even pause to apply attention and pressure to tight muscles, into the areas of your back that need it the most.
4D vs 3D + Things to Consider when Buying a Massage Chair
If you've been searching for a massage chair at all lately, you would have come across a few terms that might seem confusing. We're here to break it all down for you in a very easy to understand manner.
One of the first things to consider when thinking about a massage chair is what type roller you would like. 2D rollers were the standard among massage chairs until 3D rollers a few years ago. 4D rollers have more recently become popular. Here's a good tutorial on what it all means.
2D | 3D | 4D Roller Technology
Perhaps one of the most important advancements to the industry is the 3D roller. 2D rollers move back and forth along the X-Y plane (back and forth + up and down) while the 3D roller actually protrudes intothe body from 2.2 inches to 5 inches closely mimicking the feel of human hands. With a 3D roller, you are able to enjoy a much deeper tissue massage than ever before possible from a massage chair. 4D massage chairs take this experience to an entirely new level with speed variation and more control.
2D Rollers
Until recently, almost all massage chairs were 2D. With this type of roller, you cannot adjust the intensity of the massage very well as the rollers are just able to move back and forth + up and down because the rollers remain on a flat plane in two dimensions.
3D Rollers
3D rollers allow you to access the Z-plane and 3rd dimension of a massage creating the most realistic experience possible. The depth of the rollers can be adjusted forward or backward to increase/decrease the intensity of the massage. This flexibility allows each user of the chair to create and customize the intensity to their liking. if you prefer a very deep massage and your significant other wants gentle, you have the flexibility in this chair to cater to both of you in the manual mode! The 3D Roller Technology found in premium massage chairs and provide outstanding deep tissue massage to the upper / lower back and neck area.
4D Rollers
4D massage chairs are not really all that different from 3D massage chairs exceptthe user has a lot more control over the depth and rhythm of the massage. There are often more strength adjustments with 4D chairs as well as the ability to adjust roller speed. The original technology was developed in Japan by taking the algorithm of 1000s of massage therapists in order to create the 4D massage chair which speeds up and slows down at different points during a given automatic program. With this option, you have much more control over the speed and intensity of the rollers.
Here’s a little secret: most, if not all, massage chairs have a button that can be pressed on the remote to speed up or slow down the roller function in play. For example, if you are enjoying a kneading and tapping mode in your chair, press the speed button and the speed of the kneading and tapping increases oftentimes increasing the intensity of the massage. With 4D, the speed changes are built into any given program and allow for much more control of the rollers.
Are Massage Chairs Good for You?
When You’re New to Massage Chairs, You Need to Learn the Basics
If you just bought your first high-end massage chair, we welcome you to a new life of relaxation. You have numerous days of comfort, tranquility, and an overall increase in your daily happiness ahead of you. As a first-time massage chair owner, however, you’ll want to take it slow. Getting used to your massage chair is like anything new. It takes time and patience to create the best possible outcome.
Do Massage Chairs Work?
If you’ve ever dealt with any kind of chronic muscle pain, you understand stiffness and the pain that it can bring. Thankfully, technology has come a long way to provide relief from these symptoms, and one of the best choices among them is of course the massage chair. If you are not used to full-body, deep tissue massage, we recommend starting with shorter sessions will be the best place to begin. But what does a shorter session entail and how often a day or week can you enjoy them?
Let’s dive into that now.
How Often Should You A Massage Chair?
The recommended time to spend in a massage chair at any one time is fifteen minutes, and we know that doesn’t seem like long. When you’re dealing with a lot of pain it can be tempting to sit there for longer, but when you’re just starting out it’s best to stick to the 15 minutes.
The saying, “Everything in moderation” definitely applies to this situation. Too much time spent receiving a deep tissue massage can bruise your muscles, particularly if you have just started getting used to a massage chair. It can even damage and cause inflammation in the body’s soft tissues, as well. We don’t want that.
Most models have an automatic timer on them to ensure that you do not go over a certain time limit. Some will have massage programs that will shut off after so long. If it doesn’t or the program you’re using isn’t timed or the right time, just set yourself a timer on your phone, microwave, etc. to ensure that you stop after too long. It’s important to have this timer or alarm because reclining in a massage chair can be so relaxing that you’ll actually fall asleep!
While it may feel so incredible that you want to stay all day in the chair. In reality, that of course would not be practical, but it also would not be safe to do. Plus, this may seem strange to hear, but there is also no added benefit to using the chair for longer periods of time in one day. A massage chair’s benefits are best achieved in shorter periods for a number of reasons.
Pros And Cons of a Massage Chair
It aligns your spine, promoting a correct posture and reducing pressure
Despite what you might think after a first quick glance, a massage chair doesn't act on your muscles alone!
These chairs are built in a way that assists your back in different positions while always supporting your spine;
This obviously encourages you to maintain a correct posture even when you're sitting there for hours watching a movie;
Not only that: by allowing your spine to lengthen, it'll help each vertebra return to your natural alignment, which leads to pressure relief for your poor nerves, too.
It can offer different types of massage
'Massage chair' is a fairly broad term, as there are actually lots of different options out there.
Depending on what type of massage and customization you're after, you're guaranteed to find the perfect one for you!
For example, some chairs focus on one type of massage: this is the best option if you're hoping for a more affordable chair that just helps you relax;
Some others, on the other hand, can offer you a few more (or even dozens!) types of massage: this upgrade is ideal for anyone who doesn't mind investing more money in a more luxurious experience and wants to try different types of massage for specific parts of their body.
It provides mental relief
Sometimes we forget how much of an impact our body has on our mind:
Did you know that making the most of a massage chair will help relieve your overall stress and boost your mood?
In fact, during a massage, your body will release endorphins, which have a direct impact on both of them.
How do massage chairs work?
Relaxing after a long day of school or work can be tough. But with some smart tech, massage chairs help to alleviate the stresses of each day by relaxing your body, without a human massage therapist in sight. The tech inside these chairs is actually simpler than you think, and while different manufacturers use different designs and mechanisms, there are some that are the standard across most chairs.
The simplest massage chairs work using vibration motors, similar to those found in smartphones and video game controllers. These motors have a weighted wheel or gear and when it spins it creates a vibration, which helps to provide a massage to your muscles.
However, this isn’t the only way to give a massage. Other chairs use rollers that move in defined patterns within the chair’s frame. These rollers are designed to simulate the movement of human hands on different muscles. In some more advanced chairs, these rollers can move in multiple directions or even in circles. These rollers are usually applied only to the person’s back, as they are designed to run along predefined paths.
Other techniques include airbags stored in the arms and other motors that tap or press into specific parts of the body. The airbags inflate and deflate to squeeze the arms and legs gently, while the motors can create a tapping sensation similar to the ‘karate chop’ massage technique. Bring all of these technologies together, and allow them to be controlled with a handset, and you have your very own robotic masseur.
