Zero Gravity Massage Chair – The True Story
My 19 years of chiropractic and the last 9 years of massage chair usage bring me to some conclusions about the zero gravity massage chair. Also, termed “anti-gravity,” zero gravity has become a catch phrase with massage chair shoppers. It has become so
popular that much confusion about the term has resulted.
Unfortunately, many proponents of the feature make claims that cannot be supported. Nearly all sales people lately seem to be saying their chairs are zero gravity. Upon close examination of the chairs said to have this feature, I have to say the claims seem close to false advertising.
History of Zero Gravity Massage Chairs
Zero gravity first became known from NASA studies in the space program. The largestUSmassage chair manufacturer, Human Touch, used the concept of zero-gravity to design chairs for the home. They called the line of chairs – Perfect Chair.
To paraphrase the Human Touch website, NASA’s Skylab program discovered a body position which feels like weightlessness. It is the point at which muscles are balanced with lessened pressure from gravity and the result is true relaxation. The Perfect Chair recliner is designed to produce zero gravity.
There is a reason you were encouraged to avoid slumping as a teenager. Gravity exerts a horrific force on the body throughout life. If your body is not in proper alignment, gravity will cause all kinds of health problems. By positioning your body at zero gravity, pressure on joints is relieved. All those places like your knees, neck, hips, lower and upper back can relax because gravitational force is lessened. By regular sessions in your chair, you can keep your body structure aligned and healthy.
To give you an example, a common malady is a slouched shoulder posture along with a forward head carriage. Gravitational “pull” adversely affects your spine when you continue in such a body position. Fatigue sets in because it takes energy to battle the effects of gravity on your off-kilter body. The pressure on your joints causes them to wear out with such musculoskeletal conditions as degenerative arthritis the tragic result.
Perhaps you have tried out a zero gravity chair. If so, you know how the term “weightlessness” applies to such a massage chair. Your position in the chair removes pressure and is very comfortable. Sufferers of low back pain are especially helped. I have heard many people say their sleep is better in a zero gravity chair than in their own bed.
So, What On Earth Is Zero Gravity Anyway?
The best seated position to produce “weightlessness” is for the seat to tilt up 30 degrees. That’s zero gravity. A simple idea is what Human Touch used to design the Perfect Chair line. Then they applied the same concept to the HT-7450 massage chair. This was the beginning of zero gravity in a massage chair. This, along with the massage feature, spawned a whole new level of therapy from massage chair manufacturers.
Soon Sanyo introduced the Sanyo 7700 massage chair. They employed the same technology with the 30 degree seat angle along with massage therapy. The true zero gravity chairs, the Sanyo 7700 and the Human Touch HT-7450 are very popular for their respective manufacturers. I believe the tilted seat is the key to their popularity. Since then many new massage chair models have come out with zero gravity as a primary feature. Examples of some of these models include the Osaki 4000, Osaki 6000, Osaki 7000, Omega Montage Pro,
Zero Gravity Massage Chairs – False Advertising?
It is beyond me why there are so many models claiming the zero gravity feature when their seats have nowhere near a 30 degree upward tilt. It appears to be a marketing scheme to take advantage of the current zero gravity frenzy.
Regardless of the massage chair you get for your office or home, whether anti-gravity or not, it will be life changing. You will love it, and your body will thank you. If you want to own a true zero gravity massage chair, now you know enough to ask the right questions before you buy.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
