Mobility Solutions - How Lift Chairs Can Make Standing Easier For the Elderly Or Disabled
A pioneering scientific study by researchers at Miyazaki Medical College, Japan, in 2000, investigated the way in which placement of the foot on the floor affects the way that we are able to stand after sitting in a chair.
The "sit-to-stand" (STS) movement may seem trivial and irrelevant to a young, fit and healthy person, but it is a simple motion that is often taken for granted and whose importance is only realized when it is no longer an effortless and intuitive movement.
The researchers asked people of different ages to wear light-emitting diodes around the feet and legs, and then measured the patterns made when performing an STS movement in chairs of different heights.
The participants stood up onto a pressure mat that also recorded the force of the movement as an indicator of how much effort was required to stand up, or "lift-off".
Various measurements were taken including the angle of the leg, the distance of the foot from the chair and the speed of standing up.
The researchers, whose work builds on that of previous experiments to assess the effects of age, muscle function and the use of the arms in aiding the STS motion, obtained some interesting results.
First and foremost, they discovered that the position of the posterior (rear) of the foot is key in gearing a person up to stand from a sitting position.
They also found that the lift-off task is made easier with a reduced angle of knee bend as well as having enough space underneath the chair to assist in proper foot placement.
For people in good health with good muscle tone and bone density, standing up after sitting down is a no-brainer; an automatic task that you don't even need to think about.
But for the elderly, or those with neurological or musculoskeletal impairment, the very act of standing up can be a painful, laborious and even embarrassing task.
The indignity of having to rely on someone else to help you move is bad enough, but the prospect of falling and spraining or breaking bones can cause real fear and a real risk.
Modern, electronically adjustable lift chairs however, have been designed with these scientific findings in mind and can give a new lease of life to someone who would otherwise be chair bound.
Through an uncomplicated design and complete adjustability, lift chairs are ergonomically crafted to provide not only the correct foot position to minimize strain on the muscles, but in accordance with previous scientific studies, they also provide customizable seat height, seat tilt angle and the option of arm rests or not.
There is adequate space underneath the lift chair to provide the appropriate leg swing to balance oneself, and thanks to the easy-to-use controls, the lift chair can continue to be adjusted as the user's needs change with age or health.
A lift chair is an uncomplicated and worthwhile investment for anyone with mobility problems related to the "sit-to-stand" movement.
There is a huge variety of lift chair options available, and they can be upholstered to your requirements, so as well as the design being rooted in science, they can be a stylish addition to the home as well.
The "sit-to-stand" (STS) movement may seem trivial and irrelevant to a young, fit and healthy person, but it is a simple motion that is often taken for granted and whose importance is only realized when it is no longer an effortless and intuitive movement.
The researchers asked people of different ages to wear light-emitting diodes around the feet and legs, and then measured the patterns made when performing an STS movement in chairs of different heights.
The participants stood up onto a pressure mat that also recorded the force of the movement as an indicator of how much effort was required to stand up, or "lift-off".
Various measurements were taken including the angle of the leg, the distance of the foot from the chair and the speed of standing up.
The researchers, whose work builds on that of previous experiments to assess the effects of age, muscle function and the use of the arms in aiding the STS motion, obtained some interesting results.
First and foremost, they discovered that the position of the posterior (rear) of the foot is key in gearing a person up to stand from a sitting position.
They also found that the lift-off task is made easier with a reduced angle of knee bend as well as having enough space underneath the chair to assist in proper foot placement.
For people in good health with good muscle tone and bone density, standing up after sitting down is a no-brainer; an automatic task that you don't even need to think about.
But for the elderly, or those with neurological or musculoskeletal impairment, the very act of standing up can be a painful, laborious and even embarrassing task.
The indignity of having to rely on someone else to help you move is bad enough, but the prospect of falling and spraining or breaking bones can cause real fear and a real risk.
Modern, electronically adjustable lift chairs however, have been designed with these scientific findings in mind and can give a new lease of life to someone who would otherwise be chair bound.
Through an uncomplicated design and complete adjustability, lift chairs are ergonomically crafted to provide not only the correct foot position to minimize strain on the muscles, but in accordance with previous scientific studies, they also provide customizable seat height, seat tilt angle and the option of arm rests or not.
There is adequate space underneath the lift chair to provide the appropriate leg swing to balance oneself, and thanks to the easy-to-use controls, the lift chair can continue to be adjusted as the user's needs change with age or health.
A lift chair is an uncomplicated and worthwhile investment for anyone with mobility problems related to the "sit-to-stand" movement.
There is a huge variety of lift chair options available, and they can be upholstered to your requirements, so as well as the design being rooted in science, they can be a stylish addition to the home as well.