History of massage & devices

Early history of massage

The massage itself and its history are thousands of years old; even the ancient Egyptians depicted it in their hieroglyphs. The soothing massage was already known in many parts of the world as early as 3,000 BC. It can also be found on old Japanese block prints. The oldest tradition comes from China and is actually over 5,000 years old. Reflexology techniques were also depicted on papyri in ancient Egypt in 2,500 BC. Such drawings were so valuable that they were even incorporated into the tombs of high Egyptian dignitaries.

So people all over the world and independently recognized the benefits of massage. The beneficial treatments were popular and known everywhere for relaxation, to relieve pain and also for medical purposes. Hippocrates, Aristotle and Socrates also wrote treatises on massage and its benefits. Julius Caesar also used massage therapy to relieve the pain caused by his epileptic seizures and to do something good for the body.

The first mechanical massage chairs

However, the mechanical massage chair first appeared in the 1950s. There are many stories about the massage chair that is so popular today and how it came about. In one of the stories, the father of the massage chair was a gentleman named Nobuo Fujimoto. He was from Osaka, Japan. The brush seller's basic idea was to place chairs in the changing rooms of bathhouses for relaxation. After many attempts, he finally constructed the first model out of scrap, such as old balls. He founded a company called Fujiiryoki to manufacture and sell his invention. In another story, a father designed and built the massage chair for his young daughter. This gentleman's name was Niichi Kawahara and he was from Sakai, Japan. In order to better treat his daughter's aching shoulders, he invented the chair to provide relief.

From the original model, which only had balls that performed a kneading function and which had to be cranked, the massage chair quickly developed further. Robotic massage chairs have become more and more efficient and better. It's not just different programs, intensities and speeds that can be set these days. The design has also changed significantly over the years. Instead of bulky and noisy furniture, the modern versions of the massage chair are very comfortable and aesthetic.

Overview of massage chair manufacturers

The range of massage chairs, massage chairs and similar products worldwide is constantly increasing. However, some companies and manufacturers have established themselves and are among the leaders in the industry. These include AllgäuTech, Alpha Techno, Comtec, Family Inada, iRest, Luraco, Naipo, Panasonic, Primofit, Sanyo, Synca and Inner Balance.

AllgäuTech

The AllgäuTech GmbH stands for innovative and high-quality massage chairs and massage tables that were developed for commercial use and meet the highest standards of quality and safety. Of course “Made in Germany”.

The company's goal and vision is to offer its customers innovative products that preventively counteract the loss of mobility and health in order to maintain people's well-being and joy of life. The products are used preventatively in care facilities, educational institutions and companies.

About the manufacturer: https://www.allgaeutech.com

Alpha Techno

It has existed for over thirty years Alpha Techno GmbH already and impresses with over forty models of different massage chairs. In Europe, Alpha Techno currently offers the most extensive range in the areas of massage chairs, relaxation chairs and multifunctional chairs. The company's headquarters are in Tauberbischofsheim and the warehouse and logistics center is in Boxberg. The company is currently the leader in Europe. Alpha Techno GmbH is one of the leading companies in Europe in the sales and construction of massage chairs.

About the manufacturer: https://www.alpha-techno.com/

Casada

The Casada Germany GmbH is a growing, lively and determined company. The company's focus has been on maintaining the health of its ever-growing clientele for over 20 years. Our vision is to create an individual relaxation zone for body, soul and spirit at any time and any place. We contribute to your own happiness and inner balance and offer the opportunity to escape from everyday life. Relaxation, relief and improved blood circulation promote well-being and bring the body into its natural balance.

Casada was voted one of the top brands of 2021 by 8,500 users in a survey by TESTBILD and the opinion research institute Statista.

About the manufacturer: https://www.casada.com/de/

COMTEC

COMTEC is a brand of Kangtai Industry, which was founded in China in 1984. Since then, the company has been manufacturing massage chairs and massage chairs for the international market. Many well-known and well-known companies produce here. These include Fujiiryoki, Panasonic, Osaki and Bodyfriend. Over time, the company grew and today employs over 1,100 people. These include 120 engineers with degrees and 80 highly qualified employees who are responsible for quality assurance. The company is leading the way in the industry today and even has a milestone in its history. In 2008, the company developed a massage robot that is based on traditional Chinese medicine. In addition to numerous other awards, the company was honored in 2017 and declared a 5-star retailer by the Chinese province of Shandong.

Family Inada

The company Family Inada is one of the highest-selling and most relevant companies when it comes to massage chairs. The significant revenue generated by Family Inada is over $300 million. Back in 1962, the company's first automatic massage chair was created by Nichimu Inada in Osaka, Japan. In doing so, he founded the industry that is so widespread today and formed the basis of today's industry. The progressive company is still heavily involved in the global market today and also determines the standards prevailing there. The development and production of Family Inada massage chairs takes place in Japan.

About the manufacturer: http://www.inada-massagechair.com/

Inner balance

Inner balance is also a brand of the giant JHT (Johnson Health Tech). Just like Synca, Matrix, Horizon and Vision, it is not a company, but rather the brand of one. The JHT company has a lot of experience with over 40 years of experience on the market. It's not just the innovative technologies that are based on traditional massage coasts that impress the company's customers. In addition, great care is taken to only use pleasant and high-quality materials for all massage chairs.

iRest

One of the younger yet successful companies iRest. The company has already established itself as a technological and scientific developer in over 100 countries. iRest has a strong international presence in the healthcare industry. The company is constantly developing in collaboration with several recognized universities. iRest paved its way to success, among other things, through collaboration with leading companies such as Toshiba and LG. The company is now one of the leading companies in the field of professional massage chairs. The company's two industrial parks are iRest Jiaxing Health Industry Park and iRest Whenzhou Health Industry Park. This company is characterized by medical expertise and innovative technologies.

About the manufacturer: https://www.irest.com

LURACO Technologies

Luraco Technologies is a family business based in Texas in the USA. The company was actually founded as an engineering office more than 10 years ago. In the residential, commercial and even military sectors, it developed innovative and numerous technologies for various projects. Research and development of many products, as well as the promotion of employment opportunities in the USA, are among the main tasks to which Luraco Technologies is dedicated. The US company's designs and engineering are internationally known for their highest quality. The company's robotic massage systems are used in the medical and therapeutic area. The company has even created, developed and perfected unique massage technologies. Engineers and scientists are part of the company's core workforce, which designs and produces all massage systems in the USA.

About the manufacturer: https://www.luracochair.com

NAIPO

The company NAIPO is based in the German city of Hamburg and employs over 2,000 people. The Chinese shareholder Aukey Shenzhen brought over 120 engineers into the company. They work on the numerous certified and award-winning massage chairs that are produced and sold by Naipo. The company has made a name for itself not only in Germany and China, but also on the international market. Naipo relies on the combination of traditional massage methods and advanced technology. The company was even awarded the “Blue Planet Certificate” by Naturfreund because it pays attention to environmental protection and CO² emissions, which are constantly compensated for. This is how Naipo moves with the times and makes a valuable contribution to climate protection.

About the manufacturer: https://www.naipo.de

Panasonic

Panasonic is one of the oldest companies in the field of technology. It was founded in 1918 by the young Konosuke Matushita. The then just 23-year-old was way ahead of his time and, despite headwinds, did not let himself be dissuaded from his idea. Together with his wife Mumeno and her brother Toshio, he set up a workshop on the ground floor of the family home. In fact, all the efforts produced two sockets for lamps and this built the foundation of the now world-famous Panasonic company. It wasn't until 1935 that the company turned its attention to massage technology. The electromagnetic massager from Panasonic was already considered extremely innovative back then. In 1969, the company's first massage chair was introduced. In 2010, Panasonic acquired Sanyo. The merger of two leading companies in this area not only increases awareness, but also international reach.

About the manufacturer: https://www.panasonic.com/de/consumer/koerperpflege-gesundheit/gesundheit/massagesessel.html

Primofit

Primofit health products, the massage chair professionals from Mindelheim.

About the manufacturer: https://www.primofit.de/

SANYO

The company SATNYO was founded in Japan in 1947. It was one of the leading companies in the field of electronics, electrical engineering and electrical appliances. However, in 2004, a severe earthquake brought the company into economic difficulties. The company never recovered from this damage. Eventually, Sanyo was acquired by Panasonic and is now a subsidiary of Panasonic. By merging the two companies, both sides gained something and a lot of specialist knowledge could be combined.

SYNCA

SYNCA is not a company, but the brand of a company. Johnson Health Tech, or JHT for short, founded this brand in 2017. The aim and focus was to develop innovative, modern and aesthetically sophisticated products in the wellness sector. A separate wellness department was set up at JHT back in 2006, which was eventually expanded to include massage chairs. The particularly high-quality workmanship and innovative technologies are the focus of this company and its Synca brand. Through constant development and high quality standards, the company became increasingly well-known. In 2019, Synca even received an award for a product. The CirC compact massage chair was awarded the “Plus X Award“ named “Best Product of the Year”. Since the company merged with Fujiiryoki in 2020, influences from Taiwan and Japan for Far Eastern détente have also been merged. JHT is pursuing the philosophy of Far Eastern relaxation for body and mind more than ever.

About the manufacturer: https://www.synca-wellness.eu/

Sources:

https://seniorsmobility.org/living/massage-chairs/who-invented/
https://www.massagechairplanet.com/pages/history-of-the-massage-chair
https://www.massageschoolnotes.com/the-timeline-history-of-massage/
https://www.relaxacare.ca/blogs/news/a-history-of-the-massage-chair
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanyo