How Do Riser Recliners Work?
Rise recliners (also known as rise and recline chairs) are among the most popular independent living aids that we stock here at Easi-way Mobility. Carefully designed to assist with standing up from or sitting down in an armchair, these comfortable, adjustable chairs are great for anyone with mobility issues or who might be struggling with painful back and neck concerns.
In this article, we’re going to talk about how to operate one of these riser recliners and how it can assist you in the home:
Riser Recliner Motors
While there are manual rise and recline chairs that can be operated by hand, these are not always useful for our customers, particularly if they experience weakness or numbness in the arms or upper bodies. Most of the models we sell incorporate either a single or a dual motor, built to carefully raise or lower particular parts of the chair at the touch of a button.
Single Motor vs. Dual Motor
In a single-motor riser recliner, both the back and the footrest are operated by the same motor, meaning that as the backrest leans backwards into a reclined position, the footrest rises up at a similar angle. Dual-motor riser recliners, on the other hand, have two motors—one working the footrest and the other working the backrest. This gives you more options in terms of positioning, such as leaving the backrest completely vertical while raising the footrest independently (something you cannot do with a single motor chair).
Single motor tilt-in-space keeps the hip angle exactly the same and pivots the chair back to spread your body weight over a wider space. The single motor tilt-in-space is used to give you the ability to tilt backwards and change your centre of gravity, helping reduce the chance of pressure injuries.
This movement also reduces the chances of you suffering from friction or shear when the chair is moving. A huge benefit for anyone with pressure sores. The single motor tilt-in-space can also elevate your ankles whilst maintaining the hip and knee angles. This is ideal for people who have bad circulation or swollen feet.
Controlling your riser recliner
Motor-operated rise and recline chairs are controlled with a small panel that allows you to configure the chair’s position at the touch of a button. You can normally alter the angle of incline of both the foot and back rests by small increments, allowing for a shallower reclining position if that’s what you prefer. Most riser recliner control panels also come with several preset options. These are some of the most common ones:
Rising
When you need to get out of your riser recliner, a press of a button will see the whole chair raise slowly upwards and tilt gently forwards. This means your body weight is supported by the chair’s cushioned seat and backrest until you are up on your feet. You don’t have to exert any pressure with your arms, legs, or hips in order to do so.
Sitting
If you have difficulty sitting—perhaps due to issues with your knees or hips—why not let your riser recliner do the work for you? It can be set to a standing position, allowing you to back yourself into position before pressing the appropriate button on your control pad. This slowly lowers you into a seating position with minimal fuss and maximum comfort.
Reclining
If you fancy a nap but don’t want to face a trek up the stairs, your rise and recline chair is the answer. A single button push will slowly lower the backrest and raise the footrest, gently tilting you backwards into a recumbent position. You can choose anywhere from a slight recline to get yourself comfy and relaxed to a full recline if you want to lie back completely.
Feet Up
Sometimes you don’t want to lie back in your riser recliner; you just want to put your feet up, either for comfort or to improve the blood flow around your lower body. By touching the footrest button, you can raise your legs to an elevated position while leaving your backrest perfectly straight (assuming you have a dual motor rise and recline chair, of course).
