Massage chairs and regeneration for athletes

It's no secret that sport is a central factor in adding a health-promoting component to our everyday lives. The world of work, but also often our form of leisure activities, makes our bodies scream for exercise. Sport is undoubtedly healthy, but it is still a strain on the body that you have to deal with properly. Muscle soreness and tension are often commonplace among athletes and active people, a reason why sports massages and massage chairs for athletes are becoming increasingly important.

Mehmet Geleri is a fitness trainer and nutritionist. In an interview with us, he reveals why massage chairs are establishing themselves in sports, why regeneration is such an important factor for athletes and how some models with specially tailored functions can easily compete with the alternative of a masseur in the long term in terms of quality and price.

Reading tip: In our post "From head to toe: massages can help here" you will find everything about the different areas of application of massages.

 

Mehmet, how important is regeneration in sport in your opinion?

It has long been known from professional sports and studies conducted there that regeneration time has a major influence on training progress. The shorter my body and the trained muscles have to recover, the sooner I can start the next training session. Studies in this context have shown that the regeneration time can be shortened by up to 50 percent through massage – a huge advantage for exercisers.

 

Massages should be much more accessible to exercisers

As a personal trainer, I know my clients' situations very well and very often see that massages are used far less than recommended. This is primarily due to their availability and accessibility. Either the massages are difficult to integrate into the daily routine or appointments are difficult to coordinate. Financially, masseurs can often charge between 60 and 120 EUR per hour. A sensible but expensive investment in the long term.

Professional massage chairs for athletes overcome both of these hurdles with ease. On the one hand, it is always available exactly when I need it and over a medium to long period of use it also pays off financially very quickly. This is why it is being used more and more frequently and separate models are being developed specifically for the target group of people who are physically active.

 

Which areas of the body does a massage chair for athletes need to pay particular attention to?

The body is, of course, a complex mechanism consisting of numerous muscles, tendons and bones. Tension in one area quickly affects other areas and causes undesirable symptoms there. If we look at the body against the background of a massage chair, we can clearly see where it affects. These coincide perfectly with key areas of the musculoskeletal system.

Foot and leg massages

The basis of our mobility are of course our feet and legs. This doesn't just apply to athletes, but to everyone, because even a long walk can cause some of us to feel a little pulling, pushing or pinching in the evening. A massage chair for sporty people should therefore not have any deductions in the foot area. Foot rollers on the bottom provide foot reflex massage, while airbags provide recurring compressions. This promotes relaxation and blood flow and increases the supply of important oxygen and nutrients from the blood.

In many athletes, the calf also tends to shorten and cramp. Regular stretching and compression massage using additional airbags in the calf area also support regeneration in this area.

Massage of thighs and hips

The thigh muscle is one of the strongest muscles in the human body. With massage chairs such as this one All-rounder MSW16003HH, the massage rollers are guided from the back area over the lower back and under the buttocks up to the thigh. There, a large-scale and pleasant massage is carried out in a heavily stressed muscle group that is important for mobility.
Additionally, side airbags provide good compression and relaxation in this area. A slight rotation is stimulated in the hip area. The hip is a key area for greater mobility in everyday life.

Relaxation in the back

Experience has shown that this is one of the most common problem areas in people - especially the lower back. On the one hand, this is due to a lack of or incorrect movement and posture in everyday life, but also to underdeveloped muscles in the torso. Many ailments and mobility restrictions originate from here, which is why this area should be trained particularly well and therefore relaxed and loosened up regularly. A key point for athletes for more stability and safety in their movements.

The massage rollers along the back simulate massages lengthwise, crosswise and deep into the back. The intensity can be adjusted using the buttons of the 4D function, depending on your personal well-being.

Reading tip: More information about possible causes and relief of back pain you can find it in our post.

Massage for neck and shoulders

In addition to the back, you also often hear about neck pain and severe tension in this area. The problem here is that these can quickly lead to headaches and other complaints. The Allrounder massage chair in particular offers several massage techniques to choose from for optimal muscle relaxation.

Hands and forearms

The full body massage is completed by airbags in the hands and forearms. Variable intensity can also achieve improved lymphatic flow and relaxation.

Overall, the all-rounder can be used to massage the most important areas of the body, depending on your personal requirements in terms of intensity and duration. Without an appointment or travel, a massage chair offers an excellent alternative to expensive masseurs.

I can only recommend that athletes and very active people who need frequent regeneration phases in particular test a few models to find out for themselves how easy it is to relax with the right massage chair. They support training progress, promote recovery and blood circulation and are ready for use at any time. The techniques are very sophisticated and have long been comparable to conventional massages, from my point of view a hot tip.

Many thanks to Mehmet for the conversation about regeneration and massage chairs in the field of sports as well as your expertise.