The invention relates to the technical field of motion sensing, in particular to a system and a method for realizing massage chair gesture recognition by an acceleration sensor and a gyroscope. The system comprises a massage armchair gesture control system, a massage armchair central plate processor, a machine core electric control driving plate, a massage machine core motor, a massage armchair gesture control driving plate and a massage armchair push rod motor. The massage armchair gesture control system recognizes a to-be-detected gesture; the action recognition processor sends template gesture data matched with the to-be-tested gesture to the massage chair central processor through serial port communication; the massage chair central processor receives the template gesture data; when the machine core electric control drive board or the massage chair posture control drive board receives the control command, the machine core electric control driving plate or the massage armchair posture control driving plate drives the massage machine core motor or the massage chair push rod motor, and therefore accurate and efficient gesture control over the massage armchair is achieved.