Hands up if you’ve ever spent a few minutes just trying to get up from the sofa. You can put your hands down now; as you can see, you’re not alone. As we gracefully age or gain weight, popping up from a seated position becomes harder and harder. Those old knees and ligaments just ain’t what they used to be.
Fortunately, you can always rely on technology to swoop right in and save the day. Our hero today comes in the form of a chair built just for the job.
Also referred to as electric recliner chairs or rise and recline, riser recliner chairs come with a mechanism to help you sit down and stand up with ease. Since you’ve already made up your mind about buying one of these seats, knowing how to use one will help you get settled and comfortable as quickly as possible.
So, just how does a riser recliner chair work? Here’s a detailed guide that ought to sort things right out.
A: Sitting and Reclining
Obviously, you have to be seated before you start practicing how to stand. Most riser recliners are built to the user’s individual needs, desires and requirements. Combine a custom design with the anatomically correct supportive cushioning that is extremely comfortable and you have a surface ideal for lengthy periods of sitting.
Once you have found the perfect spot for your new chair, you just don’t go plopping yourself on it anyhow. You have to do it right by following these four easy steps on how to sit in a riser recliner.
- Step 1: Stand right in front of your chair with the back of your legs touching the edge slightly. Once you are leaning on the verge, lowering yourself down will be much easier. Make sure you lower yourself as slowly and steadily as possible. The last thing you want is for your chair to turn into a roller coaster and jump from rise to full recline.
- Step 2: Steady as she goes. Riser recliner chairs tend to feel a bit weird and unsteady, especially if this is your first time using one. So before you try anything fancy and start pulling levers and punching buttons all over the place, make sure your weight is evenly distributed and that you feel steady from all sides. Only then do you slowly proceed to the next step.
- Step 3: Now that you are seated in a normal position, you’re going to lower yourself for a more comfortable one. Depending on your chair’s make and model, you can either use buttons or levers to get into the reclining position. This reclining option allows users to get into the optimum position for comfort; ideal for alleviating back pains and other aches.
- Step 4: Remember to take full advantage of the arm rests. Can’t be fully relaxed if your arms ain’t resting now, can you? In addition to providing a sweet spot for your limbs to chill, the armrests also give you more support when sitting and standing, so use them often.
Read also: Exercise for Seniors
B: Rising and Standing
Now that you’ve mastered the art of sitting down and reclining back, we can’t let you laze around all day. It’s time to get up, albeit with a ton of assistance.
Again, you just don’t spring back up from the recline into the standing position. So unless you’re looking to get thrown across the room like a rag doll, here’s how you use the rise function to stand back up in a riser recliner chair.
- Step 1: You’re going to use the same controls that took you to a reclining position and lift the chair back to a seated position. Before you go to the next step, make sure your legs are firmly planted on the ground.
- Step 2: Once you are confident that your legs are secure, use the controls to make the seat rise even further. As the seat rises, place both hands firmly on the armrests and make sure you have your weight evenly distributed across all limbs. Once you are nearly standing, it’s time for the last and final step.
- Step 3: By this point, you are in some sort of half stand with most of your weight still being supported by the chair. You’re going to straighten your legs, poise your arms, and use the motion of your riser recliner chair to stand up on your own two feet. Once you are positive that you are safe, you can let go of the armrests and move on to more crucial house matters.
Final word
There you have it; all the info you need to use a riser recliner chair like a pro. Remember to arrange for annual service of the chair to keep it in peak condition. If your area has frequent blackouts and you can’t do without the life-saving pain relief of a riser recliner, you might also want to invest in a rechargeable model or a backup battery. Good luck in your search, make sure you tell us how it goes.
