According to the Arthritis Foundation, each foot has 26 bones, 30 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. That complicated anatomy—and the pressure and stress it has to endure—helps explain why your feet can feel tired and sore after a busy day, an intense workout, or simply standing for an extended period.
The good news is that you do not simply have to “grin and bear it” when your feet hurt. You can (and should) take action to relieve the ache and discomfort. Massage is especially effective in that regard, and a massage chair with foot massage capability can address foot pain even as it is simultaneously tending to other parts of your body.
If you suffer from tired, sore feet, read on to learn more about what we will refer to in this article as “foot massage chairs”—even though soothing foot massages are just one of their many functions!
How Foot Massage Chairs Work
If you decide to buy a massage chair with foot massage capability, it is important to have a general understanding of the technology. A Furniture For Life Comfort Consultant can go into great detail about how the different chairs we offer address the feet and other parts of the body—and we highly recommend visiting one of our showrooms to get informative and enjoyable demos of these chairs—but having a little background first can be helpful.
There are four primary ways that massage chairs address foot pain and discomfort:
- Rolling. The rollers massage the muscles of the feet, with some chairs performing reflexology. Air cells may provide a supporting role by adjusting the position of the feet and gently holding them in place so the rollers can reach specific spots.
- Compression. The air cells can also provide compression that helps relieve swelling and soothe the feet.
- Elevation. Elevating the feet—especially to a position higher than the heart if the chair has that capability—reduces swelling and provides relief.
- Heat. Heated massage increases circulation, which reduces swelling and helps heal sore muscles. It also just feels great!
Together, these features can significantly improve how your feet feel and improve your quality of life.
Best Foot Massage Chairs for Pain Relief
Once you have a basic understanding of how massage chairs with foot rollers and air cells work, you can start to focus on specific chairs.
Again, a Furniture For Life Comfort Consultant’s role is to learn about you, identify your massage chair wants and needs, recommend chairs that will meet them, and guide you through informative demos of those chairs. But below are helpful overviews of some of the chairs our team (and our customers) find most effective at addressing tired, painful feet.
Panasonic MAK1
The Panasonic MAK1 massage chair delivers an outstanding foot massage experience. It provides the deepest and most precise reflexology foot massage of any chair we offer.
This chair does not have heated massage capability, but the absence doesn’t affect its ability to loosen tight muscles, improve blood flow, and soothe sore and tired feet.
D.Core Cirrus
D.Core prides itself on providing the most life-like massages available from any chair on the market today. The D.Core Cirrus delivers a particularly effective foot massage through highly coordinated movements of its foot rollers.
Combining air cells and rollers, this chair works your feet with massage, mobilization, and compression. This enables your entire foot to experience soothed muscles and better blood flow.
Combine this with the true shiatsu massage feature and the zero gravity reclining position to experience full-body bliss.
Positive Posture Brio Sport
While all of the chairs in this list provide excellent foot massages, it is a good idea to check out the Positive Posture Brio Sport if you are an athlete. This chair is designed with full-body relief and recovery in mind, and that includes your feet.
The chair’s foot rollers are carefully programmed to avoid overstimulating the feet while providing a highly effective massage. Rubbing, rolling, and squeezing motions improve blood flow, work sore muscles, and mobilize the entire foot for long-lasting relief.
Pinpoint calf massage and the true zero gravity reclining position enhance the experience to deliver next-level comfort and pain relief. True zero gravity improves blood circulation throughout the body, releasing stress from the muscles and joints. Our customers find that massage therapy can be very useful for those who exercise, and the American Massage Therapy Association also recognizes the benefits of bodywork for athletes.
OHCO M.8 NEO LE
The OHCO M.8 NEO LE massage chair is one of few on the market that, in addition to the rollers and air cells, offers heated foot massage capability. It also has a MaxTrack that enables a recline that puts your feet higher than your heart to help reduce swelling.
Theraelliptical™ calf kneading provides even more lower-leg relief, while features like the knead-and-stretch headrest, aromatherapy, air ionization, Bluetooth audio immersion, and others deepen relaxation.
Learn More About Massage Chairs With Rollers for Foot Pain
This article provides some helpful information on massage chairs with rollers and air cells to soothe foot pain. If it piques your interest in reliable relief for your tired and sore feet, you likely have additional questions.
Remember that we are here to help! Contact us for answers and visit a Furniture For Life showroom to talk with a Comfort Consultant and experience the joy of happy, healthy, comfortable feet!
