The Best Massage Chairs, According to Massage Therapists and Chiropractors

A massage chair needs to fit the user’s height and proportions, and the best ones include a good body-scanning system. When you first sit down, the chair uses sensors to estimate your height, shoulder position, and the contours of your back and tilts or positions its rollers accordingly.

Karena Wu, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and owner ofActiveCare Physical Therapy, says, “Body scanning incorporated into a massage chair will tailor the experience better to the individual’s body size. This can be very beneficial, as the application of massage will target the individual’s tissues better from a size perspective. The scan can also help pinpoint tissue-tension relief via direct input from the remote control.”

“I usually tell patients not to assume the most expensive chair is automatically the best chair for them. A $10,000 chair is not necessarily going to feel twice as good or provide twice the benefit of a solid $5,000 chair,” says Sayegh.

Manufacturers promise premium features that don’t always add value. One such feature is called 4D massage. 2D rollers move vertically and side to side; 3D adds movement toward and away from the body, giving much better control over massage depth. 4D generally adds variations in roller speed and rhythm, though definitions can vary by manufacturer. According to Wu, “4D massage rollers are the best to mimic human hands,” but the systems are much more expensive, and for most people, 3D will be sufficient to get a good massage.

Similarly, you don’t necessarily need an infinite number of massage programs. Twenty or 30 might sound impressive, but many are variations on the same roller movements, pressure levels, and movement sequences. You are better off with a few good presets plus strong manual controls. Other features, like Bluetooth speakers or aromatherapy, can be nice to have but don’t necessarily enhance the machine’s core performance or utility.

On the other hand, both Wu and Sayegh value zero-gravity positioning, which reclines to elevate your legs and head above your core. “It can place the body in a more supported position, reduce some of the pressure through the spine, and allow the massage to feel more effective,” says Sayegh.

Before you buy, it’s important to consider what a massage chair can and can’t do, and how to evaluate the comfort and quality of the device and the massage itself.

Munk makes a distinction between what is possible from a mechanical chair and from a skilled massage therapist. “The massage chair is not able to make appropriate adjustments in the moment based on context, situation, and need. I think it provides a lot of opportunity for quick relief, but it’s not something to be relied upon as the primary massage treatment.”

The important thing to keep in mind is that massage chairs are generally designed for relaxation rather than medical treatment — they may provide relief but will not cure the root causes of pain. “My biggest piece of advice is to think of it as a supplement to other self-care practices such as stretching, getting regular bodywork, using a massage gun or foam roller, and daily movement rather than a replacement or solution,” says Caitlin Eichorn, a massage therapist and founder of inclusive massage clinicA Room of Our Own Massage.

One of the biggest misconceptions, Sayegh says, is thinking a massage chair is going to fix the actual cause of someone’s pain. It won’t. If the problem is poor posture, a disc injury, joint dysfunction, weakness, or a chronic movement issue, the chair may help someone feel better temporarily, but it is not correcting why the problem keeps happening.”

Still, most people can benefit from using a massage chair. As Eichorn notes, “Anyone looking to counteract the effects of sitting all day can benefit, as a good chair can encourage you to open up your upper body, elongate your back, and decompress your spine.” She also notes additional value to “larger bodies or people with larger breasts can also benefit significantly because they often hold more tension in their pecs from keeping their arms close or de-emphasizing their chest, which can lead to nerve constriction, numbness, and tingling down the arms.”

Not everyone should be using a massage chair. “Anyone with a recent injury, recent surgery, unstable fracture, severe osteoporosis, an active blood clot, significant vascular disease, or spinal instability should speak with their health-care provider before using one,” cautions Sayegh.

The same goes for people who are pregnant or who have implanted medical devices, particularly if the chair incorporates heat or electrical features. Anyone experiencing unexplained or acute pain, numbness, weakness, or swelling should have the underlying problem evaluated rather than trying to treat it with a massage chair. And even for healthy users, massage shouldn’t hurt: Excessive pressure can aggravate an injury or leave you sore, so it’s best to start with a shorter, gentler program.

“The biggest mistake people make is buying based on marketing videos, online reviews, or a long feature list without actually testing the chair,” says Sayegh. “Massage intensity is extremely subjective. I have had patients describe a chair as amazing, while someone else thought the exact same chair was far too aggressive. Height, body shape, muscle mass, pain tolerance, and previous injuries all affect how a massage chair feels.” If possible, it’s best to buy from a specialized dealer who can help you find the right chair and try out various models.