6 Reasons Why A Therapy Massage Chair Breaks

Like any other electrical item, a massage chair isn’t immune to breaking. The longer you have your massage chair, the more likely it becomes that problems will develop. However, if you treat your therapy massage chair right, and don’t misuse it, it should last many years before issues crop up.

Even when you do get a breakage, it is not usually the end of the world. Like your car, the massage chair might need a repair once in a while. It’s worth spending a little time and money getting the chair in working order. Below, we delve into some common reasons why a massage chair breaks.

1. Poor Quality Chairs Break More Easily

This has to be the number one reason. Have you ever heard the saying “buy cheap, buy twice”? It definitely applies to some physical therapy massage chair models.

There are some good value chairs on the market for the casual user. But, if you want the best build-quality, it usually means a higher massage therapy chair price. Long term, the extra investment works out, as you will get many more years out of a reliable chair.

Poor quality chairs use cheap parts. It means that the motors are more likely to break. The track and rollers might also warp over time, and the electrics can stop working. Only buy reliable chairs from good brands, and it helps if you can get a warranty. 

2. Overloading Massage Chairs

Massage chairs have maximum user heights and maximum user weights. Putting too much strain on the chair is one of the top reasons for a therapeutic massage chair to break. The small components, rollers, and tracks can warp or break completely.

You can buy specific “big and tall massage chairs” that suit your frame and your weight. It is a biological fact, some people are bigger, but bigger people need massage therapy too.

Before you buy, have a look at the specifications for a massage chair. It will tell you the maximum height and weight. It’s also a good idea to check this to ensure the most effective massage. The roller positions will be best for someone who fits the height range.

3. Overheating from Overuse

Massage chairs aren’t designed for use non-stop. The motors will get hot, and this can damage the electrical components within. 

The best massage chairs can detect this, and will turn off automatically if they notice that things are getting too hot. The Osaki OS Champ has an overheat protector inbuilt.

A physical therapy massage chair will also have a run rating. This is the length of time you should use the massage features in a single session. For a lot of chairs, this is 15 minutes, but some can go for up to 30-40 minutes. This is enough for a full and satisfying massage. In fact, you don’t want a massage that is much longer, as this can be damaging. 

Let the chair cool down between massages. If you want to sit in it with the massage features turned off, that’s fine, too.

4. Electrical Issues and Power Surges

A power surge, or even a static discharge, could cause your massage chair to break. If you live in an older home without modern wiring it is more common to experience a surge. 

It is a good idea to use a surge protector to try and ensure that if there is a surge coming, that it doesn’t reach the chair and cause damage.

This risk applies to all electrical goods, so massage chairs are no different. The best massage chairs have fuses in them that can stop the surge from frying any of the electrical components. 

The whole motherboard could get destroyed in a power surge, but most top massage chairs use fuses to prevent this. Even one small electrical component breaking can cause a massage chair to stop working.

Surge protectors are inexpensive. Plus, they help with all your electrical appliances. We recommend using one for your massage chair.

5. Motors Failing Over Time

Motors in the massage chair control the tracks and massage rollers. They have an “MTTF” rating, which means “mean time to failure”. You can think of this as the average shelf life of the motors. 

Good chairs have motors that can last around 10 years of normal use. If you use your chair all the time, and many people use it for massages, you might not get as long out of it.

Don’t worry too much, the motor failing on your massage chair isn’t as bad as on your car. It means that you need to get it replaced. Contact the manufacturer about getting a replacement motor. 

6. Air Compressors Failing

Many massage chairs use air compressors as well as rollers. These can massage arms and legs while the rollers massage the back. Compressed air massage can help with your blood flow. It’s a great option for your massage chair and means your body gets full coverage, but it is one more thing that can break. 

Compressors have air bladders that can fill up to create a massaging effect. That means two main ways in which they can break:

• The air bladders getting a leak, and not inflating any more.
• The compressor is failing or losing its pressure. This is normal after many years of use.

The better model of massage therapy chair you get, the more likely it is that the compressor will last years or even decades. 

If the air bladders break, you might be able to get replacements or even patch them yourself.

Do Massage Chairs Break Often?

When you read an article about things that can go wrong, you might think your chair is doomed to break.

High-quality chairs are very unlikely to break in the first years of use. Eventually, you might have to replace certain parts of the chair. This is a bit like getting some work done on your car when it is 7 or 8 years old.

The best way to protect your purchase is to make sure that you buy a massage chair with a warranty. You should also check you have protection against any damage you might sustain in shipping. This is one way a chair can break before it even arrives at your home, but that should not be your responsibility.

Conclusion

Nothing lasts forever, and even a top therapy massage chair might need some repairs one day. The best way to protect yourself and ensure you are happy with your purchase for years to come is to buy a well-made chair.