Massage has been used for a long time to help relieve aches and pains, muscle stiffness and some joint pain. It’s effective if it’s done right, but it’s difficult to do properly on yourself. Not everyone can afford to pay a professional. A professional massage can cost 40 and up and for some of us it can be too expensive to have done on a regular basis.

If you can’t afford regular massage, is there any solution to the problem? The benefits of regular massage can be extremely attractive. Well, there are a number of things you could do, but one of the easiest and cheapest over the long term is to invest in one of the many home massage ‘chairs’, such as the shiatsu massage cushion from Homedics.

What a massage chair is for is to give you varying levels of massage intensity and, sometimes, to add heat to the massageas well. Different models ,of course have different features, but all the good ones have the concept of “zones”. There are usually at least a couple of zones of massage, which may be independently switchable and controllable. That means you choose the area where you need the massage the most.

Quality models, like the homedics massager, or Homedics shiatsu massage cushion, offer independently controlled back and shoulder massage. Once you’ve tasted the ability to select the area to be massaged, just by flicking a button you won’t want to revert to a basic model!

Models with heat output are also lovely to sink into on a cold winter’s evening. Relaxing on a chair that gently warms your back and shoulders and combines it with a gentle de-stressing massage is a lovely way to relax and unwind after the tension of the day.

You should consult your doctor if you have any health issues, joint, back or heart problems. Massage may not be suitable for everyone.