With the average cost of a good back massage being $50 or more, it’s no wonder why most people cannot afford to enjoy them regularly. The therapist’s time is the biggest factor that raises the cost of a spa massage. So in this post, we explore some of the best massage chair pads that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the cost of a spa visit.
We have previously covered the best foot massager for seniors but here we will take a close look at the benefits for your neck and back from some of the best massage chair pads on the market today.
Seniors Should Always Use Caution
All people should use caution when purchasing most any device including back massage chair pads and that holds true, especially for seniors. Using an electrical massaging device incorrectly, on too high a setting, for a prolonged period of time can irritate a senior’s sensitive thinner skin or cause injury.
There are several health conditions that would prevent someone from using these devices. For instance, a deep tissue massage may not be good for those with bleeding disorders. Also, those taking anticoagulants may be advised by their doctor to shun massages entirely.
So it is recommended that you consult with your doctor to make sure that massages are right for you.
What’s a Back Massage Chair Pad?
A back massage chair pad is an electrical massaging device that is placed on a chair, recliner, or sofa that delivers a massage while seated. It is so much cheaper to buy a back massage chair pad for a seated massage for around $75 to $200 than to purchase a dedicated massage chair that normally costs $1,000 or more.
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Back Massage Chair Pad Benefits
They can be helpful to soothe back, shoulder and neck pain.
Massage pads can also bring needed comfort to those suffering from migraine headaches and tension headaches.
Benefits of some pain relief can be delivered to those suffering from sciatica and arthritis pain.
The general relaxation that comes from a good massage can also go a long way to giving you less anxiety and a lift to your mood which we all need at times.
How to Choose a Back Massage Chair Pad
Not all back massage chair pads are created equal so let’s look at some important features to consider before making your choice.
Safety: A safety feature that is particularly important for seniors is an automatic shut-off timer. Here is where “too much of a good thing” is a bad thing! Short and sweet is much better than getting a little skin irritation or worse. Also for seniors it is important to have a massage device that has an adjustable intensity speed setting. Be sure that a gentle setting can be selected which is most ideal for seniors. Leave the deep massages for the olympic athletes! Getting the relaxing benefits of a good home massage and avoiding any painful side effects or injuries is the goal. Please note that a shiatsu massage tends to be a deeper, more intense massage and a vibration massage is more gentle.
Effectiveness: Are you more of an average height or a little on the short or tall side? Most back massage chair pads also give massage comfort to the neck but the wrong size device may not give you the best results. So keep the size in mind when making your choice and note that some can also be adjustable.
Heat: A gentle massage with heat can deliver soothing relaxing pleasure to aching muscles and joints. Heat will promote blood circulation and can relieve stiff arthritic joints. Some of the best massage chair pads offer infrared heat that may deliver deeper muscle therapy.
Ask your doctor if heat from a massage device is right for you because those with sensitive skin may develop blisters and rashes.
Return Policy: Good manufacturers back up quality products with generous return policies. All the massage chair pads that we reviewed should be good in that regard but it should be considered if you purchase one that did not make our top list.
Bluetooth: Some back massage chair pads come with Bluetooth capabilities that enable it to be used with a mobile phone app so that you can control it from your smartphone.
Check the customer reviews: To help you pick the best back massager chair pad, read the customer reviews online if they are available. They can provide some good general observations from people that have actually purchased the product.
At a Glance: The Best Back Massagers for Chairs
Comfier Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager |   | |
Snailax Shiatsu Massage Cushion with Heat Massage Chair |   | |
Snailax Memory Foam Massage Seat Cushion - Back Massager with Heat |   | |
Snailax shiatsu Neck & Back Massager with Heat |   | |
Snailax Massage Seat Cushion with Heat |   | |
SNAILAX Vibration Massage Chair Pad |   | |
Comfier Massage Seat Cushion with Heat Back Massager for Chair |   | |
Comfier Shiatsu Back Massager with Heat -Deep Tissue Kneading Massage Seat Cushion |   |
A Closer Look at some of the Best Massage Chair Pads
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Comfier Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager
What makes the Comfier Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager a good choice is the optional heat and 3 adjustable intensity settings. Too much heat and intensity can be hard on sensitive skin.
It delivers lower, upper or full back massages to pinpoint where you need it most.
Snailax Shiatsu Massage Cushion with Heat Massage Chair
The Snailax Shiatsu Massage Cushion is one of the top selling models with many favorable customer reviews: Wow! Like wow!
The seat vibrates to help target your glutes and thighs.
It has a flap layer that when in use, lessens the intensity giving a gentler massage and may be easier on your skin.
Snailax Memory Foam Massage Seat Cushion – Back Massager with Heat
This is a good choice for most seniors because of the memory foam comfort and it’s gentle vibration massage action. This model does not have the deep massage roller balls that can be a little too much for some seniors.
One customer exclaimed: “What’s not to love?”
We also recommend it for the reasonable price of this model. The heat has 2 levels and can be used without the vibration which is nice. The auto shut off is of course a nice safety feature.
Snailax shiatsu Neck & Back Massager with Heat
This is a shiatsu massager so it may be too deep of a massage for some seniors. The intensity flap comes with this model that will lessen the massage intensity a bit which will make it better for some users.
There is a height adjustment for the neck rollers that will make this suitable for various sized users. Is suitable for users 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall.
It also comes with a safety timer as well.
Snailax Massage Seat Cushion with Heat
Gives a gentle vibration massage that may be better for some seniors than a shiatsu massager that delivers a more deep muscle massage. Has a heater with two levels and a 30 minute auto shut-off for safety. It has a non-slip rubber button and tether strap to keep it from sliding. It is one of the most reasonably priced models that we have reviewed and has thousands of reviews from satisfied customers.
Can you tell that we like this one? Well, we do!
SNAILAX Vibration Massage Chair Pad
This is another vibration massager and not a shiatsu. The vibration massagers give a more senior friendly gentler massage. This one also has the non-slip rubber bottom that we like and the tether straps to keep it safe and secure from sliding. It also has 4 variable vibration intensities, heated with an auto shut off timer.
Comfier Massage Seat Cushion with Heat Back Massager for Chair
Yes! Another vibration gentle massaging chair pad! This model has all the features that we are looking for in a back massage chair pad for seniors.
Comfier Shiatsu Back Massager with Heat -Deep Tissue Kneading Massage Seat Cushion
This massage chair pad comes highly rated but we cannot fully recommend it to seniors because the deep tissue kneading may be too hard on their skin and muscles. We could not find any indication that this model has an auto shut off so for these reasons we cannot recommend it to seniors.
Conclusion: Best Massage Chair Pads
We have discussed some of the benefits and cautions to using massage chair pads for seniors.
Then we identified which massage chair pad features were the most important from a safety perspective for seniors.
After that we identified a few models that already possessed high customer ratings but that also met our safety criteria and flagged them for you to consider.
We hope that we have made the process a little easier for you to pick the best massage pad for your needs.
Frequently asked questions about massage chair pads
You should always follow your doctor’s and the manufacturer’s recommendations but generally speaking, excessive use of a massage cushion can cause skin bruising and deep tissue injury. Even if there is an auto shut-off if it failed for whatever reason it could cause injury if someone was to sleep on the cushion. So no, it is not at all recommended.
Auto shut-off to prevent injury from unintentional overuse
Nonslip rubber bottom and tether straps to keep it from slipping
A vibration massager and not a rough deep tissue shiatsu-type
Variable heat settings
Look for high customer ratings
A reasonable return policy 30 day or more
Shiatsu is an ancient Japanese massage technique that varies from a lighter to a very deep massage. It is based on the meridian system of energy which are pathways that run throughout the body, similar to acupuncture. It is not uncommon for someone to be sore for more than a day after receiving a shiatsu massage.
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