A stiff neck–Aching wrists–Shoulders that feel as if someone dropped an anvil on them…Anyone who sits behind a desk on their computer all day recognize these descriptors of workplace fatigue.
Experts in the field of ergonomics and health in the workplace say that most office-related physical symptoms can be attributed to loss of circulation that comes from tight muscles. Tight muscles form when sitting at a work station all day and this can impede blood and lymph flow. Tight muscles also form when we get stressed around deadlines and other work related factors. When we are stressed we release a lot of other chemicals, cortisones etc. that can cause mental fogginess, and decreased energy. When we work on our computers with constant repetitive muscle motions we become susceptible to repetitive stress injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Chair massage revives and energizes you by increasing your circulation and provides an appreciated break from your computer. Sitting in a massage chair opens up the back muscles, relieves strain on the neck and provides a gentle respite for eyes usually glued to a computer monitor. Even 15 minutes of massage to the neck, back, arms and hands can increase circulation, and return energy levels and help keep the body injury free.
“When chair massage is used preventively, if you have problems it allows you to maintain a homeostatic balance that prevents the little problems from getting worse,” says David Palmer, co-developer of the first massage chair and founder of the TouchPro Institute in San Francisco. (from the Office of Health Education at the University of Pennsylvania www.vpul.upenn.edu)
