How does a massage chair work?

The primary sources of therapy in a massage chair come from the rollers and the airbags.

The rollers move from the top of your neck down to underneath your seat, working along your spine and back muscles. These rollers dig into the muscles to break up fibrosis and scar tissue, release lactic acid, and reduce pain and tension. Depending on the model, you may also find rollers in the arms, calves, and feet, each designed to target different muscle groups.

The airbags provide compression and inflation therapy. They inflate and deflate rhythmically—sometimes even oscillating or kneading—to massage areas like your shoulders, arms, thighs, legs, and feet. In some models, the airbags also help move your body parts, such as gently guiding your feet across the foot rollers for a deeper massage.

These rollers and airbags together deliver the main therapeutic benefits of a massage chair.

Other features—like Bluetooth speakers, LED lighting, and air ionizers—are great extras, but they aren’t the primary sources of massage therapy.

This is Dr. Weidner.  See you next time!