Chest Plate Mechanism
The chest plate mechanism of a portable massage chair should have the capability to be adjusted up and down and forward and backward with ease. The speed in which this adjustment can be made is especially important when adjustments need to be made during a massage session. The client shouldn’t have to wait for lengthy periods while the chest plate is readjusted during the massage.
The best portable massage chairs also have a sternum pad, which can be used instead of the flat chest pad (which is most often used). When the sternum pad is positioned in a vertical direction, pressure is removed from the ribs and abdomen and is placed directly on the sternum (when the client is positioned in a forward incline), which is preferred by some clients. When the sternum pad is placed in a horizontal position, the pressure is distributed across the lower rib cage but still eliminates pressure on the abdomen and upper chest. Portable massage chairs that include a sternum pad usually incorporate some type of Velcro system to allow the two chest pads to be easily attached and removed from the portable massage chair.
Face Rest
The face rest of a portable massage chair should have the capability to be adjusted up and down and at any angle to accommodate the needs of every client and/or to allow adjustments that might need to be made during the massage session. Some portable massage chairs have additional control knobs that allow for further fine-tuning adjustments that are often necessary after the client is positioned on the chair. For example, some people might have slightly longer necks or longer upper bodies, which would require the portable massage chair to have the capability of being finely tuned to comfortably accommodate the subtle differences in body shapes and sizes.
Arm Rest
Like the chest plates and face rests, the arm rests of portable massage chairs must have the capability to be adjusted up and down to fit the needs of every client. The arm rests should also have the capability to be positioned at any angle to provide the maximum benefit. The arm rest angle can be quite an important adjustment in terms of the overall comfort of the client, especially when other parts of the chair might need to be adjusted during the massage session.
Leg Extensions
The leg extensions are usually found in back of portable massage chairs. The leg extensions provide additional height to the portable massage chair, giving any client the best possible level of comfort. The best portable massage chairs allow for a wide variety of leg extension adjustments to suit any need.
Seat
The best portable massage chairs allow the seat to be moved into several different positions. Portable massage chairs should allow the seat to be positioned at a forward incline so that when the client is seated, the massage therapist will be able to work on areas of the client’s back and neck. The seat of portable massage chairs should also have the capability to be adjusted in a horizontal position and in a reverse incline position to allow the client to be seated in the opposite direction. This is necessary when the massage therapist needs to work on areas of a client’s chest, as well as the front of the client’s legs and arms.
You will find that with the best portable massage chairs, the seat adjustment and the leg extension adjustment work together to provide the best possible positioning of the client in relation to the positioning of the therapist. In other words, the client shouldn’t have to be positioned in an uncomfortable position to allow for the height and comfort of the therapist; likewise, the therapist shouldn’t have to suffer while performing the massage simply because the chair cannot be adjusted in an ergonomically correct position.
Knee Rests
The best portable massage chairs should have well padded knee rests that can be easily removed if necessary. Some clients may not want to use knee rests for any number of reasons. Perhaps a client has a medical issue related to their knees or maybe a client would simply be more comfortable if they were allowed to stretch their legs forward or place them in a ninety degree angle much like one would normally position them when seated in any other type of chair.
