A massage chair is a great addition to your home or office. This relaxation device provides myriad benefits. And if you engage in sports activities, whether casual or professional, massage chairs can offer twofold benefits. They can provide great relaxation, and a high level of relief from soreness of the muscles and joints resulting from physical activities.
How Can a Massage Chair Help You?
The best massage chairs can be big ticket items. But there are many reasons why they are well worth every penny! For starters, massage chairs can speed up recovery time by increasing blood circulation in areas that need it.
Regardless of whether you’ve been injured or feeling sore from an exercise, massage chairs can help replenish nutrients in your cells, and help your body feel and perform better.
But that’s not all, massaging chairs can boost your lymph system health, and stimulate your body’s muscles to boost your immunity. With regard to pain relief, this range of chairs can release endorphins – hormones that make you happy.
This proves to be highly beneficial over and above over the counter medication, massage chair therapy gets to the root of the problem. That said, buying the best massage chairs can leave you spoilt for choice, given the many options available.
Luckily for you, we’ve checked out multiple options in this segment, and after hours of research, rounded off the best massage chairs in the market today!
In a Hurry? Here’s our Top Pick!
Best Massage Chair for Athletes Buying Guide
Zero gravity
When shopping for the best massage chair, you’ve probably heard the words zero gravity crop up often. Massage chairs with zero gravity are designed to evenly distribute your weight by taken the pressure off your legs and back. This results in optimal relief from your sports injuries.
Shape
Massage chairs are available across a wide range of shapes. Common ones include:
- S-shape – aka S-Shape tracking system means that the massage you receive from the shape will follow the curvature of your spine i.e. in the “S” pattern.
- L-shape – this type of massage chairs uses a slightly different technique is that they provide a massage under the seat as well as all across your back. This is one of the biggest reasons L-shaped massage chairs are a preferred choice over S-shaped massage chairs.
Massage types
You want to buy a massage chair that offers several different types of massages. To name a few common ones, they include kneading to get relief from knots in your back, and compression to recreate a tapping massage with the help of airbags.
Other common types of massages include stretching to help get relief from sore joints and muscles, and tapping to improve circulation.
Intensity and speed settings
most of the best massage chair models offer different levels of speed and intensity settings to choose from. This allows you to customize your massage towards your individual needs. The ability to customize these settings also means that everyone in your home and office can use the massage chair, and get the massage they desire.
Number of auto-programs
A massage chair comes with preconfigured massage programs so you can get the relief you need quickly. The number of programs varies across massage chairs, but typically range from five to ten+ programs.
Heat and vibration
Heat provides great relief from pain, making it one of the most sought after features in a massage chair. If you want more relief than this, buy a massage chair that offers vibration functionality as well.
Timer
This feature shuts the massage function of the chair off automatically after a preconfigured period of time.
Body scan technology
If the massage chair is going to be used by several people, look for a chair that offers body scan technology. It works by scanning the individual body type, and then contouring the massage to suit individual needs.
Best Massage Chair for Athletes
The Medical Breakthrough 6 v4 Recliner 3D claims to provide world class massage treatment right in the comfort of your home for several reasons.
This massage chair is extremely comfortable, and offers an array of different types of massages including shiatsu massage, Egyptian massage, Swedish air-cell therapy, and New Delhi yoga stretching.
Furthermore, the Medical Breakthrough 6 v4 massage chair comes with different size comfort pads (1/2 inch, 1-inch, 2-inch), which make it feel super-soft around your shoulders.
It is a 3D massage chair, meaning it is fitted with an extra motor (L-TRACK technology) on the rollers that push them forward for extremely intense deep tissue massages right from your had to your butt.
The Medical Breakthrough 3D massage chair scans your body automatically the moment you sit in it, and determines the best positions for the onsite massage rollers, so you get a massage that’s tailored towards your needs. Its ability to customize massages is impressive with several different pre-programmed massages to choose from.
It even features a zero-gravity position, which to explain briefly distributes your weight evenly across the chair, resulting in a great sense of relaxation, and unmatched comfort. You can even activate the reflexology, adjust the speed, intensity and width of the rollers.
At the time of writing this review, there are about 38 reviews on Amazon, with majority of them being positive – click here to read them.
Be sure to check out our list of Best Percussion Massage Guns for more great items like this.
PROS
- Embedded heating air cells
- 3D L-TRACK technology
- Unlimited customizations
- Wheels to easily move the chair around
- Bluetooth connectivity and plush cushions
CONS
- Pricey
If you are looking for a massage chair that’s a perfect balance between price and quality, the the iRest massage chair is one you should go for.
To begin with, the iRest massage chair is designed with SL track system, which is a system that offers the perfect amount of support from neck to hips when seated in position.
As soon as you seat in the chair, the “Auto Body Scan” feature scans your body and detect your height, weight, shoulder width, and then adjust to massage the right points in your body.
Not only does this massage chair come with zero gravity function, it also has 3 levels which allows you to adjust to an angle you feel most comfortable, by clicking of a button.
It also comes with 12 automatic massage functions, making it super convenient to pick a massage of your choice in ease with a touch of a button.
Another thing worth mentioning is the infrared heating function, which helps with blood circulation, and soothes sore muscles and damaged tissues.
One feature we like a lot is the shortcut key pad on the handrail, it might not seem much but it’s a really handy feature to have as it allows you to easily adjust settings while getting a massage.
It might not concern everyone, but if you care about aesthetics, the iRest massage chair is one of the best looking massage chairs out there even compared to the much more expensive options.
Overall the iRest massage chair is probably one of the best value massage chairs in the market today. In fact, if you’re on a budget, we would highly recommend you give this massage chair a try.
At the time of writing this review, there are over 300 reviews on Amazon, with majority of them being positive – click here to read them.
Be sure to check out our list of Best Massage Cushions for more great items like this.
PROS
- 3 level Zero Gravity
- SL track design
- 12 automatic massage functions
- Integrated bluetooth speakers
- 3 year warranty
CONS
- AI voice control does not work as it should
If you’d like to take your massage experience to a whole new level, the Human Touch Novo XT massage chair is worth a second look.
Endorsed by the World Federation of Chiropractic, the Human Touch Novo XT massage chair can be had in an assortment of five great colors including red, cream, and grey.
We love the stunning design, and the top class performance, so you can expect nothing less than a therapeutic massage each time you use it. Furthermore, it features warm air technology, which when triggered directs heat quickly to the lumbar area to gently sooth muscles, relieve pain, and keep you warm.
With regards to programs, the Human Touch Novo XT scores high with a total of 35 expertly designed programs. These are geared towards providing you with relief from several different physical conditions including arthritis, fibromyalgia, sciatica, and back pain.
These programs work great to improve physical mobility, and considerably minimize recovery time from injuries. It features a zero-gravity mode, which can be activated with the push of a button, and puts you in a neutral posture position to reduce backpain.
Speaking of the back, the Novo XT massage chair showcases an L-track unibody design, which extends the power of the massage to 60 percent more of your back, neck, shoulders, and all the way to your glutes.
Additionally, it is equipped with Bluetooth speakers, so you can listen to your favorite tunes during your massage session.
The Human Touch Novo XT is easy to use with its LCD remote, which allows you to control several functions of the chair. These include speed adjustment, width adjustment, user height range adjustment, kneading speed, and massage direction.To top things off, the Novo XT massage chair is backed by an industry leading 5-year in-home labor service warranty, 5-years on the frame, and 5-years on its parts. This allows you to buy with the confidence knowing that it will last you for several years to come
At the time of writing this review, there are majority positive ratings on amazon – click here to read them.
Be sure to check out our list of Best Head/Scalp Massager for more great items like this.
PROS
- 35 expertly designed programs
- LCD remote control
- L-track unibody design
- Arrives fully assembled
- 5-year manufacturer warranty
CONS
- Quality of speakers needs improvement
Kahuna is one of the leading names in the relaxation products segment, and the LM-6800S massage chair is yet another hit addition to the company’s lineup of products.
The Kahuna massage chair LM-6800S boasts an improved L-track frame ergonomic design, and is equipped with four rollers. These rollers coupled with a class leading air-cell massage system provides an effective massage for several parts of your body.
These include arms, waist, hips, and shoulders. The L-track system is designed to offer the right level of support from your neck all the way to your back, and buttocks when seated in position.
Unlike cheap massage chairs, the Kahuna LM-6800S massage chair comes with three zero gravity positions, which help distribute a user’s weight evenly across the chair. It also features space saving technology, where it only requires three inches to transition to zero gravity positions.
The air-cell system of this Kahuna massage chair model is uniquely designed to cover most of the surface area. And to do this, it uses a minimum number of massage cells, resulting in enhanced massage quality, and quiet operation.
Speaking of air cells, they are configured to inflate separately, which causes the body to move and deep stretches for a comfortable massage.
It is not only a great choice for back and neck massages, but also works well to provide relief for sore feet, thanks to its dedicated heating therapy system. Furthermore, it is fitted with Bluetooth speakers, so you can listen to your favorite tunes while you relax.
The speed of the rollers of the Kahuna LM-6800S massage chair is adjustable, allowing you to get a massage, the way you like it.
You can also configure your own massage settings, and save them for future massage sessions. With regards to number of massage programs, the Kahuna LM-6800S massage chair doesn’t fall short with a total of twelve auto programs. This includes four Elite programs for your back, upper back and senior mode.
You also get four Stretching programs to select from – yoga, active, dynamic, and SV-Chrio stretching. The four Basic programs are refresh, energize, deep tissue, and sleep aid.
Other noteworthy features of the Kahuna LM-6800S massage chair include an adjustable shoulder pad, removable and washable zipper covering, and a head pillow that can also be used as padding for your back.
At the time of writing this review, there are over 75 reviews on Amazon, with majority of them being positive – click here to read them.
Be sure to check out our list of Best Shiatsu Foot Massagers for more great items like this.
PROS
- 3 zero gravity positions
- Two colors available – black and brown
- Computerized body scan technology
- 4 roller massage system
CONS
- Auto scan may not always be accurate
Brought to you by American Engineering Luraco Technologies, the iRobotics 7 PLUS Medical massage chair is truly in a league of its own.
Researched, developed and assembled in the USA, the iRobotics 7 PLUS massage chair is a recent addition to the Luraco portfolio of award worthy massage chairs, and is CE, UL and FDA listed, making it extremely safe to use.
It can be ordered in a choice of three eye catching colors – black, chocolate brown, and cream, and is engineered to provide a massage for six locations in your body – upper back, neck, lower back, arms, calves and feet.
Adding to this, it is appointed with multi-intensity massage controls for a true 3D massage experience ranging from super soft to super hard.
The iRobotics 7 PLUS massage chair offers an array of manual settings as well. This allows you to target specific areas of your body including tapping and kneading, controlled via variable speed controls. It is a great fit for users between 4’7” and 6’7” in height, and those weighing up to 300 lbs.
This 3D robotic massage chair features accurate automatic body shape detection, which provides you with a personalized massage. It provides full body heat, and an unmatched three-layer massage for your feet and calves.
The iRobotics 7 PLUS massage chair is fitted with powerful 10-watt Bluetooth speakers, allowing you to pair your Bluetooth devices, and play your music out loud.
But that’s not all, the iRobotics 7 PLUS massage chair comes with a human voice command system that can comprehend commands in seven different languages including French, German, Spanish, and English.
All the functions and programs of the chair can be controlled via the onboard handheld touchscreen control, so all you have to do is sit in the iRobotics 7 PLUS massage chair for an unsurpassed massage experience.
At the time of writing this review, there are over 30 reviews on Amazon, with majority of them being positive – click here to read them.
Be sure to check out our list of Best Leg Massagers for more great items like this.
PROS
- CE, UL and FDA listed
- Handheld touchscreen control
- Accurate automatic body shape detection
- Great fit for users between 4’7” and 6’7” in height, and under 300 lbs
- 10-watt Bluetooth speakers
CONS
- Pricey
For a massage chair that exceeds expectations and gives you much more for its price tag, the OS-4000T massage chair is hard to beat.
It is available in three different colors – black, charcoal and cream, and is backed by next generation air massage technology.
It is equipped with improved arm air massagers that are designed to give you a relaxing massage, and provide great relief from your sports injuries.
The innovative OS-4000T massage chair offers a computerized body scan to give you a highly accurate and precise massage that is customized specifically towards your body type.
It features a zero-gravity design, and comes with a unique foot roller complete with auto recline, and even a leg extension.
The OS-4000T electric chair massager measures 52″ x 31″ x3 4″, making it easy to tuck away in most limited spaces, and a great fit for apartment use.
Another key feature of the Osaki OS-4000T massage chair is its lower back heat therapy feature, which with the help of heating pads help improve your overall blood circulation.
Furthermore, the OS-4000T massage chair by Osaki comes with an easy to use full-size remote, which allows you to control several functions of the chair including the programs and intensity.
On that note, the Osaki OS-4000T massage chair offers six massage styles to choose from, and six unique auto programs.
Additionally, it features an auto timer to set the duration of the massage, and provides an adjustable five levels of speed and intensity.
It is powered by PCB Motors, and comes with everything you need to get started right out of the box including a 3-year manufacturer warranty.
At the time of writing this review, ratings on amazon are majority positive – click here to read them.
Be sure to check out our list of Best Neck and Shoulder Massagers for more great items like this.
PROS
- 6 massage styles and 6 auto programs
- Zero gravity design
- Auto timer and 3-year manufacturer warranty
CONS
- Installing the armrest screws can be a bit challenging
The Infinity IT-8500 X3 electric massage chair comes in at the #5 position on this list of best massage chair for athletes, owing mostly to its rich set of features. It can be ordered in a choice of three great colors – artistic taupe, chocolate brown, and classic black.
This zero-gravity massage chair elevates your legs above your heart, which consequently releases tension, reduces heart rate, and the pressure on your spine.
Adding to its advanced set of features is 3D technology, which allows you to adjust the depth of the roller starting from a low intensity massage to a powerful deep tissue massage.
Unlike cheap electric massagers available in the market, the Infinity IT-8500 X3 massage chair features heat technology as well. This helps relax, soothe, and prepare your muscles for the massage. Adding to this, it arrives factory fitted with excellent heating modules, which collectively reduce pain, soreness, and improve overall circulation.
The Infinity IT-8500 X3 massager is further equipped with eight airbags and six rolling sole massagers in each foot. These airbags provide kneading, rolling and swing massages for the sole, heel, arch, and ankle. It comes with an easy to use remote, and features Bluetooth technology to pair your compatible devices with the chair.
Click here to check out the Infinity IT 8500 X3 massage chair on Amazon.
Be sure to check out our list of Best Foot Massagers for Neuropathy for more great items like this.
PROS
- Zero gravity and 3D technology
- Total 8 airbags
- Heat technology
- 6 preset programs
- Bluetooth and remote control
CONS
- Very heavy
Massage Chair FAQs
Can I use a massage chair if I have sports injury?
Even though several consumers claim that massage chairs have worked miraculously towards getting relief from injuries, it is highly recommended that you speak to your doctor first to see if a massage chair is right for you.
Do massage chairs come with warranty?
Most massage chairs do come with some type of manufacturer warranty. If the model you’re interested in doesn’t have a warranty, read massage chair reviews to determine if the chair is a good choice.
Final Thoughts
Buying a massage is definitely a great investment if you’re suffering from sports injuries. They also work great for people who seek comfort after a long tiring day.
The 5 best massage chairs mentioned on this list are some of the best models you can get in this segment. So, buying any of them is bound to provide you with a great massage experience right in the comfort of your home.
