Size is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a riser recliner. If your chair doesn’t ‘fit’ you, particularly if you’re going to be spending some time in it, then you will never feel really comfortable. So we recommend you be measured for a riser recliner so that your comfort and safety are optimised. Most manufacturers offer several different sizes of chair, although the sizes can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some even offer made to measure chairs, which means you can have a chair built to fit you exactly. The measurements you need to consider when choosing a size of chair are, the seat height; seat depth; seat width; back height and armrest height.
Seat Height
The seat height can make a big difference to how easy it is to get up out of a chair, especially if you find it difficult to push up using your arms or if you have any pain or weakness in your legs. Usually the higher the seat the easier it is to get up, but for safety reasons your feet should always be able to touch the floor, and ideally they should be firmly on the ground. The seat height of a chair should always be in proportion to your lower leg. Your knees should be bent at a right-angle to allow your upper leg to lie flat on the seat cushion. An incorrect seat height can cause pressure and discomfort.
Seat Depth
If the seat depth is too great you will tend to slide forward and the resulting posture could cause localised pressure and discomfort. Insufficient seat depth can also cause problems as the chair will not be fully supporting you. The ideal is for the seat to be deep enough to support the entire length of your upper leg to the back of the knee without the end of the cushion pressurising the back of your calf.
Having the ideal seat depth along with the seat height means that the footrest (when elevated) should also be the ideal length. The heels of your feet should never be resting on the footrest, they should just roll over the edge of the footrest so that a pressure point doesn’t develop on the heel.
Seat Width
Having the correct seat width is also very important as it can affect your posture: having too wide a seat might mean you lean to the side; having a seat too narrow could mean you will not be able to sit back fully into the chair and be properly supported, in addition to which you could be creating pressure points were the sides of the chair/armrests press against you. Ideally you should be able to fit two finger-widths either side of you when sitting in your chair.
Back Height
The back height can be very important, especially with a reclining chair as you don’t want your head to hang over the top of the chair when you are in a reclined position. The ideal back height means your head and neck are supported, both when you are sitting upright and when you are reclined.
Armrest Height
Having the correct arm height means that your arms will rest naturally on the armrests keeping your shoulders at a relaxed angle. Armrests that are too high or low can cause shoulder and neck pain.
Once you’ve been measured and have the correct size of chair you need, you’re a step closer to choosing the best Riser Recliner for you. The next step to consider is the style of back.
If you have any questions or would like to try out different Riser Recliners then you can:
Call us on: 01420 549481
Email us: info@outandabout-uk.com
Or visit our showroom at: 25 Southview Rise, Alton, Hants, GU34 2AB.
Out & About UK 