Want a massage without a masseur? You won't even have to leave your armchair to experience it, says a relaxed Aabhas Sharma
After a long and hard day at work — where half the time is spent thinking, “when will this day end?” — don’t we all yearn for a long and relaxing massage? And what could be better than getting that massage without even stepping out of your home? Well, just fork out Rs 3-4 lakh and get yourself a chair that will do exactly that for you. In fact, the latest range of massage chairs will do even more for you.
OSIM’s uPilot massage recliner gives you a complete body massage. It comes with a display screen where you can even track the entire massage session. Plus, the chair has different massage sessions —like Shiatsu, Roller Massage, Vibration Massage and more, just like the therapies you would subscribe to in a spa.
While massage chairs have been around for a while, it is only now that they are becoming a regular fixture in urban Indian households. Brands like OSIM, Panasonic, Proline and others have been targeting these households with their state-of-the-art massage chairs.
The Magnum iRest from Proline is a musical massage chair, which has an mp3 device fitted into it. The kind of massage offered matches the music one is listening to. So, for instance, if you are listening to soft music, the massage will be a soothing one. But if you have plugged in some heavy stuff, the massage will be more vigorous. The iRest retails at Rs 1.4 lakh and is available in two colours, black and beige.
Panasonic’s new collection of massage chairs comes with several massage combinations, including Shiatsu, Swedish and Chiro modes. The EP 3510K from Panasonic is its bestselling model, and is priced at Rs 3.6 lakh. This chair is equipped with four different “hand shapes”, allowing four different types of massages, which feel significantly different from one another. Further, it can be programmed to give 965 massage techniques, or the user may choose from the four in-built professional full-body massage techniques, which include Shiatsu, Kneading, Aesthetic and Chiropractic.
More From This Section
Another impressive chair from Panasonic is the EP30005, which offers over 1,000 massage combinations. The chair comes with advanced scanning technology, and uses resistance to map the exact contours of your back. Priced at Rs 4 lakh, it is one of the fanciest ones around.
With people working longer hours, enduring longer commute times and, generally, being more stressed out, massage chairs are providing a new way to relax at home. Most of these focus on full-body massages, and special attention is paid to the feet and calves. They relax the tense muscles in the body. Chair manufacturers are now paying more attention to the technology used in these chairs to make them more comfortable.
According to Shaily Grover, MD, OSIM India, “It’s about the wellness factor as well as the comfort factor.” He feels that a massage chair should be ergonomically correct and should appeal to customers when they look at it the first time itself. So a lot of thought is given to the design and appearance apart from the mechanics. For instance, OSIM roped in Japanese designer Chiaki Murata to design its uPilot chair. Murata was of the opinion that a massage chair should rise above its image to become more than just a functional machine.
There is, however, a flip side to the use of these chairs. Fitness experts do not recommend overuse. Some models are designed to give deep massages and that can cause bruising if used too much. At most, one should use a chair for 15 minutes at a stretch. You can take a little break to walk around before resuming the session. “The aim is to ease tension and muscle pain, not to create more pain than you originally had,” says a Delhi-based manufacturer.
Of course, there are massage chairs available at lower prices as well, but they are not high on functionality. A host of local manufacturers across the country also make and sell them. The price of a basic chair starts at Rs 30,000, but these models are not generally recommended.
In general, Grover feels that although massage chairs might appear to be highly priced, they provide value for money. “A massage otherwise takes place only when you go to a spa or when you are on a holiday.” Here is a way to relax every evening.
