A day at the Day Spa is just a wonderful experience. There are so many treatments to choose from and you know you will be revitalized when you are done. The soothing relaxation and pampering is just what the doctor ordered. The day spa is always something I looked forward to doing, but I am just not finding the time to go as much. With the stress of the new economy upon us, we are all working harder to stay where we are at. Although, I do not make it to the day spa as much, I have found massage chairs to be a very convenient supplement for my massage therapy.

Just as science has advanced, so has the massage recliners produced today. Electronics companies like Panasonic produce massage chairs with tremendous capability. These chairs can massage you from your head to your toes. These massage therapies are very effective. Many of the technologies are designed at replicating hand movements. The Real Pro Ultra uses its Swede-Atsu technology to provide realistic feeling massages.

The convenience of having a massage chair at home is phenomenal. You do not need to make an appointment. It is available 24/7, when you most need a massage. You do not have to go out of your way to get a massage. You can get a quick warm up or a long warm down massage. You can continue the day spa treatment in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Now that really is convenient.

Day spas have some wonderful massage therapies. Do you enjoy having your feet massaged? The Montage Premier by Omega Massage sports a reflexology massage for your feet. Sit back and let the Montage Premier apply gentle pressure to hold your feet. The arch airbag then stretch your foot by elongating the muscles and tendons. The heal airbag then stretches the area around your heal. You feet are the gateway to relaxing your whole body. Omega does a great job in delivering a terrific foot massage.

The experience of getting a massage comes with the environment to relax. Typically, the lights are low. Soft rhythmic music is played in the background. You are encouraged to close your eyes and get in touch with you body. Empty the thoughts from your mind and become one again. Some massage chair companies really understand this and incorporate music therapy. Music helps to get your mind off of the thoughts that make you anxious. So turn the lights low and put on your favorite music to relax and you are back in the spa.

I wish I could snap my fingers and my private massage therapists would appear. Until I figure out how to do that, massage chairs provide an effective and economic alternative. They certainly deliver a thorough and invigorating massage treatment. I can use it as much or as little as I like. I can pinpoint exactly where I need more treatment and I can keep it there to work out all the kinks. I put on the headphones, play some soft music and let my massage chair recliner take me to the heights of relaxation.

What is a shiatsu massage chair? Shiatsu massage is a specific type of massage therapy with its roots in Japan. Many massage chairs came from Japan and shiatsu is what Japanese are most familiar. So many massage chairs got labeled as shiatsu massage chairs. Now it seems everyone is using the shiatsu designation. We take a look at shiatsu massage and its origins which can then be used as a benchmark to determine which massage recliners would fit in this category.

Massage therapy has been used for over 5,000 years. It has different origins in China, Egypt and India. Shiatsu massage therapy is an offshoot of Chinese medical arts such as acupuncture. Acupuncture uses pressure points in the body to promote healing. The Japanese adapted acu pressure to control and regulate the flow of energy in the body. They noticed that applying pressure to specific points reduced discomfort and pain in the body. A body of knowledge developed using specific pressure points to induce total bod relaxation which formed into the traditional shiatsu massage.

Traditional shiatsu massage incorporates both kneading with the thumbs and fingers and chopping action with the sides of the palms. Kneading was found to stretch out tight muslces making them more elastic. This help to restore flexibility and improve the range of motion. Chopping massage was found to invigorate an given area to enhance blood circulation. The chopping action helps to loosen tight muscles which then make it easier to perform the kneading massage. The use of pressure point massage helps the major organs relax while the kneading and chopping work on relaxing the muscles.

With this background in shiatsu massage therapy, we can now look at massage chair recliners that provide this type of techniques. Some of the premier massage chair brands like Panasonic, Omega and Sanyo have chairs that meet these parameters. Many of these chairs have sensors to detect your acupressure points. The software then adjusts the massage to target your individual pressure points. Some of the best massage chair recliners providing shiatsu massage therapy are presented here.

The Panasonic EP30004 Real Pro Ultra creates a virtual map of your back. It takes into consideration the curvature of your spine and shoulder height. This chair also comes with an ultra-fine kneading function called Junetsu. Junetsu uses small circular motions that reverberate to the bone to provide muscle invigoration and relaxation. These massage techniques are particularly effective for the whole back region. The Junetsu is a unique massage only incorporated in the Panasonic chair.

The Sanyo SA 5000 uses a physical shape sensor to measure the users body. This is a high tech gadget to keep the shiatsu massage hitting the right acu pressure points. The interesting feature is that you can move around in the chair and the shape sensor readjusts where your pressure points are located. This is perfect for those who squirm more during the massage. The chair will still zero in on your points and hit them with relieving accuracy. Sanyo has got your back!

Some massage chairs have taken shiatsu massage and elevated into higher dimensions. Take the Montage Premier by Omega. This chair brings in the dimension of sound with the MP3 music player. Put on the headphones and let the music soothe your mind. Meanwhile, add full body heat or individual area heat to reduce swelling and ease aches and pains. Or add some traditional shiatsu lower body stretching. The Montage Premier incorporates a lower body traction that elongates the whole lower body for comprehensive relief.

Of course, there are more massage chairs that provide shiatsu massage therapy, but these are the best of the best. Find out if shiatsu massage is right for you. If so, then you will do very well with any of these chairs. Many companies advertise that they perform certain functions, but they may not actually deliver it. If you stick with the top brands like Sanyo, Omega and Panasonic then you will get years of shiatsu massage therapy from your massage chair.