What Are the Benefits of Chair Massage in the Workplace?

Chair massage is a win-win situation for employers and employees alike. Many of the benefits of chair massage are very similar to the effects of a full body massage at a spa, but conveniently scheduled at your workplace. Onsite chair massage works at the workplace because it eliminates the need to travel and makes massage therapy accessible to those who might not otherwise consider it.

Photo courtesy of the Iowa School of Beauty

Thanks to David Palmer, in 1968, massage therapists were introduced to a new tool (the first massage chair) to promote their practice, the benefits, and a new way to educate the public. Zenovate has collected and analyzed the current research on the benefits of chair massage to find out what the top ten reasons why you should introduce chair massage to your business or organization. All of the studies used here were conducted as employer-provided massages that lasted 15-20 in a workplace setting. Here are the details…

Chair Massage Benefits

Chair massage at the workplace:

• Reduces stress
• Decreases anxiety & depression.
• Relieves muscle tension & pain
• Improves quality & duration of sleep
• Relieves headaches
• Lowers blood pressure
• Prevents repetitive stress injuries
• Increases immune function
• Treats pain and discomfort associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome & Tendonitis
• Increases focus, energy, & mental clarity

Melody Massage Chair by Custom Craftworks

A Massage School’s Perspective

“At Iowa School of Beauty, we believe in giving our students as many tools as we can to help them succeed in their new career, which most certainly means learning chair massage, “stated Jamie Laird, LMT and Massage Therapy Educator. “We include a chair in their kits when they sign up for school, we have a lecture, and the following day we hold a chair massage event to utilize their knowledge.”

According to Laird, chair massage is also a great way for students to get out in the community, make extra income outside of the treatment room, or volunteer at a place that is special to your heart. “Using the chair can be more effective for some populations such as geriatrics who have a hard time getting undressed and on/off a table, a sports event where space can be very limited, the workplace, and those who have never received bodywork before (helps with first time nervousness, being self-conscious about undressing, and the unknown).”

"We cannot always remove the things from our lives that create stress, but we can make better and conscious decisions about our health which can counteract the things we cannot help!"

--Jamie Laird, LMT Iowa School of Beauty, Des Moines, IA