Massage Chairs For Low Back Pain
As we get older, we have to be more and more careful of lower back problems. Most low back problems occur from injuries or strains to the soft tissue areas of the spine. These are commonly known as musculoskeletal disorder of the lower back. Strains for instance, over extends the soft tissues, ligaments or muscles beyond their stretching point. Healing and restoring elasticity to these areas may involve a variety of treatments. One of the more popular therapies for low back pain relief is the use of massage chairs.
It is thought that 80% of the population will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Given the importance of the lower back to mobility, this certainly seems reasonable. There are certain conditions that occur with aging. However the vast majority fall into the preventable category.
Some common disorders affecting the spine are Pagets disease, Ulcers Scheuermanns disorder, Ankylosing spondylitis, Pancreatitis, Pelvic inflammatory disease and Spinal stenosis. These conditions are best treated by a medical doctor. The treatments for these conditions range from medication to surgery and may involve physical therapy as part of the recovery process.
The vast majority of low back pain issues are fully preventable. This class of issues is caused by poor lift technique, bad posture, lack of warm up or stretching before activities. As we age, our muscles lose their flexibility and require more warm up prior to activity. The areas tend to stiffen up after activities causing pain and discomfort later.
The lower back is a phenomenal engineering feat. The spine is designed to take the weight of the body and distribute is across the spine. This means one area only carries a fraction of the weight. However, injuries occur when that weight concentrates in one area. Think about it, all your weight plus whatever you are carrying is fully put on one area. The result - ouch!
Massage chairs have found their way into more medical and chiropractic offices as a treatment to the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the lower back. The role of the massage chair is to help to loosen and relax these tight muscles. They have a number of specialized techniques that are applied for effective therapy.
A rolling massage is used to provide a traction function with a massage chair. The rolling is performed by rollers located in the back of the chair to target the spine. The patient is reclined back in the chair, and with the use of the patients weight and the angle of recliner, the rollers gently elongate the soft tissues between the discs. This helps to restore flexibility.
Massage chairs are used to deliver full body heat. These massage recliners have heating elements located throughout the chair. They can be used individually to target specific areas or used for the full body. Heat is commonly used to reduce the instance of swelling and help with the flow of blood in the area.
One common treatment to help heal the spine is the application of traction. Massage chairs come equipped with 3 traction methods. There are lower body tractions which stretch the legs. There are arm and shoulder tractions which stretch the arms. There are traction for the discs of the spine using the rollers in the chair back.
You can find many complimentary therapies being built into massage chairs. One fundamentally important therapy is simply music. Music helps the mind to relax and many massage chairs come with a MP3 player and headphones. You can relax to your favorite music as the massage soothes and relieves your tension.
Most back injuries are preventable. Take a good look at your lifting techniques. Do you lift with your legs (the largest muscles) or your back? How is your sitting and standing posture? Do you warm up prior to activities? These can help eliminate many injuries and strains. Massage chairs can help you warm up before activities and to warm down and relieve muscle aches and pains afterward. Imagine how you could use a massage chair when you need it in the comfort of your own home. Back pain prevention may be the best thing to happen to you with a massage chair.