Are Your Employees Overstressed?
From manufacturers to hospitals to auto dealerships, companies across the country are using seated massage services to make work less of a pain in the neck for employees. Chair massage provides hard-working employees with a convenient method of alleviating the stress inherent in these competitive times. Slouching at a desk for prolonged periods often results in lower back pain. Repetitive motion injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, are common among office workers. A ten to twenty minute stress-buster massage relieves tension in neck, back, and shoulder muscles, reducing irritability and increasing productivity.

Convenience
Chair massage is performed in the workplace.
Your employees will be seated upright on a
special massage chair and will remain fully
clothed. No oils are used, so there is no need for
them to be concerned about stains on clothing.
The session generally lasts from ten to twenty
minutes. The chair is lightweight and portable,
enabling it to be set up in virtually any office or
break room.

Benefits
Studies by the Touch Research Institute in
Miami, Florida, show that the benefits of chair
massage have quick results. Immediately after
massage sessions, the subjects experienced
a change in brain waves in the direction of
heightened alertness and better performance
on math problems (completed in less time with
fewer errors).
At the end of the five-week study period,
subjects reported reduced job stress and elevated
moods. This was in addition to the usual benefits
of massage, relief of muscular tension, revitalized
energy, and a stronger immune system.

The study’s findingsare significant in that the
International Labor Organization stated in its
1993 World Labor Report that job stress costs
the U.S. economy $200 billion annually through
diminished productivity, compensation claims,
absenteeism, health insurance, and direct medical
expenses.

Techniques Used
Chair massage utilizes acupressure and Swedish
massage to relieve tension. Though beginning at
a slower pace, the work moves a little faster as
the practitioner proceeds. The session ends with
quick, revitalizing strokes in order to bring the
client back to a state of full consciousness.

Safety
The practitioner will demonstrate the
procedure for getting on and off the massage
chair for those not familiar with its use.
Positioning is very important and the practitioner
should check regularly throughout the session to
be sure the client’s alignment remains correct.