Purchasing the right lift chair is a big decision. What fabric should you get? What color should that fabric be? How much room do you need to fit the chair in your living room? Well, before you get to aesthetic options, there are a few important questions you need to ask.

How many hours per day will you be in the chair? There are many different types of cushioning, some of which are built specifically to last longer. If you’re going to be in the chair 6 or more hours a day, getting springs in the seat is a must. Less than that and you can look at regular cushioning.

Will you be sleeping in the chair? Most chairs will recline, but not enough to be considered a true sleeping position. These chairs are called three position lift chairs, as they have a sitting position, a reclining position and napping position. These three position chairs only have one lift motor.

To get a chair with a true sleeping position, you need to choose an infinite position lift chair. These chairs are called infinite position as they have two motors and the back rest and leg rest can be moved independently from one another. An infinite position chair can go into a true sleep position (almost flat) and even a Trendelenburg position, where the knees are higher than the head to promote circulation.

What kind of cushioning should you get? The back cushioning differs from chair to chair and can make a big difference on how you feel in a lift chair. Some backs provide great lower back support, with a lower cushion that protrudes out further than the head cushion. Other backs provide all over cushioning, where the support is roughly equal throughout the entire backrest. Another type of backrest is a graduated or ‘waterfall’ back, where the cushioning starts small at the top and gets larger as it goes down.

What size chair should I get? Getting a chair that is right for your body might seem simple, but not all of us are built with the same proportions. Most lift chair manufacturers list their chair sizes with height recommendations, but weight is only mentioned when talking about capacity. A larger chair may be required for someone with large thighs or lower torso weight even if they are within another size chairs height recommendation. Also take into consideration the fact that our thighs naturally get larger as we sit, as more pressure is being applied to them.

With these important questions answered you will be able to start looking at chair models that suit your needs. The absolute best way to judge if a chair is right for you is to test it out! Here at Oswald’s Medical Equipment we keep over 25 chairs on the floor at all times so you can test out almost every size and style available.

Once you find a chair that is comfortable you can start to look at the fun stuff; fabrics! Do you like cloth or leather? Dark colors or light colors? There are dozens of choices when it comes to fabric. Do you have pets? Check out the more resilient fabrics to prevent pesky scratches from becoming an issue.

With all these questions answered you are ready to purchase your chair. Give us a call at 630.355.6500 if you have any questions or need us to elaborate on anything!

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