Don't sit on a shared massage chair, it's horrible!!!

Recently, the topic of “shared massage chairs” has frequently appeared on hot searches.

The cause was that a netizen complained that most of the seats in a high-speed rail waiting room in Shandong were shared massage chairs, with only more than 60 ordinary seats among more than 500 seats.

Although rectification has been initiated after netizens’ feedback, you can probably feel that shared massage chairs have now invaded almost all places with rest areas, not just stations, cinemas, and shopping malls.

Admittedly, as a business behavior, the emergence of shared massage chairs may be understandable, but the medical risks behind it are also worthy of attention.

You never know how dirty the shared massage chair you sit on can be

Massage chairs placed in public places may be used by dozens or even hundreds of people every day. However, as they are "unattended", their hygiene and safety cannot be guaranteed at all.

Human dandruff, snack crumbs, empty beverage bottles and other items may be inadvertently left on the massage chair, especially in the gaps of the massage chair. As a result, shared massage chairs have become a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and various insects, and a medium for the spread of diseases .

In June this year, there was a report that a passenger was sitting on a massage chair at Guangzhou South Station and suddenly felt itchy. He stood up and found many bugs on the massage chair:

Bugs on the shared massage chairs at Guangzhou South Railway Station. Image source: Video screenshot

Some people even developed suspected urticaria after sitting in a public massage chair:

The picture comes from the Internet

Especially now that the weather is hot, people tend to wear short sleeves and shorts, and some people sweat a lot. The massage chair will come into direct contact with human skin. If a person with an infectious skin disease uses a massage chair, or if the chair itself is not cleaned properly, it is very likely to cause the spread of bacteria .

Image source: Weibo screenshot

Massage chairs are not only uncomfortable, but also harmful to your health

Due to differences in human body structure, the preset massage intensity and position of a shared massage chair may not be suitable for everyone.

For example, if a user wants to have a back massage, if the force or position of the massage chair is inappropriate, it may cause the mechanical components to over-press the spinous processes on the spine. If we cannot correctly distinguish whether the feeling of this pressure is "pleasant" or "painful", then it will increase the risk of soft tissue injury.

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From the perspective of anatomy and mechanics, the back is the most important core part of the human body and is also the part most prone to fatigue and pain. The core bone tissue of the human body is the spine, which is connected by different vertebrae through ligaments, muscles, intervertebral discs and other soft tissues. The normal spine is "S" shaped, with the cervical spine lordosis, the thoracic spine kyphosis, and the lumbar spine lordosis. In this way, the spine can balance, buffer, and adapt to various activities.

Due to improper movements or long-term bad postures, the muscle tissue around the vertebrae is very prone to contracture, tension, pain, etc. At this time, the part we most often massage is the erector spinae muscle.

In addition, improper mechanical massage may also cause damage to some superficial nerve tissues. For example, the ulnar nerve of the elbow joint, which is often called "numb tendons", and the peroneal nerve around the fibular head on the outside of the knee joint are relatively superficial nerves. Some parts of these nerves are not protected by muscle tissue, and many massage chairs have pressurized massage functions for the upper and lower limbs. If the superficial nerves are directly impacted or squeezed, it will cause numbness and other discomfort. If the force is too great or the compression time is too long, it will cause corresponding nerve damage .

In addition to the harm that improper massage itself may cause to the body, shared massage chairs may also suffer sudden mechanical failures due to long periods of lack of maintenance.

There was an incident before where a passenger’s long hair got caught in a massage chair and he was unable to move. He was finally able to escape with the help of many people.

The picture comes from the Internet

These types of people should be more careful when using massage chairs

People with certain health conditions need to be extra careful when using a massage chair.

1. Diabetic patients

Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication that causes the patient's skin to lose sensation, becoming insensitive not only to the magnitude of external force but also to temperature. If the force of the mechanical massage is too strong and the patient cannot feel it, it may cause damage. Some massage chairs with heating functions may also present a risk of burns if the temperature is too high and the patient cannot feel it.

2. Patients with cardiovascular diseases

For those who are known or unknown to have thrombosis or other vascular diseases, if the massage chair squeezes too hard, it may cause the thrombus to fall off. After the thrombus falls off, it will block the blood vessels and cause subsequent health problems. If the thrombus is located in the deep veins of the lower limbs, it may cause a more serious risk of pulmonary embolism.

3. Osteoporosis patients

The force of a massage chair is often quite strong. Some people describe it as "paying to experience a beating." Such a strong impact can easily cause damage to the bones.

An old man was sitting in a massage chair and accidentally fractured his spine. Image source: Hubei Economic TV

In fact, when you are out, who doesn’t want to have a seat to relieve fatigue and rest comfortably? It’s just that now that hygiene and safety are not guaranteed, shared massage chairs are indeed a bit "unlovable".

Of course, we should also be careful to avoid using a shared massage chair when we are unwell, and always follow the instructions and warnings on the chair.

Author: Huang Tao, former rehabilitation therapist in the Department of Sports Medicine at Peking University Third Hospital

Review | Ji Gang, deputy chief physician of orthopedics, the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University