Postural issues can profoundly impact an individual's quality of life, causing pain, fatigue, and decreased mobility. In severe cases, these issues can lead to serious medical conditions. As an Occupational Therapist, you are responsible for educating your clients on the importance of proper posture care to prevent injury and promote independence. A significant part of this education includes helping clients choose the most appropriate seating for their situation.
The Importance of Appropriate Seating
Postural conditions such as scoliosis, kyphosis, or lordosis affect an individual's posture. These conditions can cause various symptoms, including pain, discomfort, and limited mobility. Appropriate seating is crucial for individuals with postural conditions as it can significantly impact their comfort, health, and overall quality of life.
Here are some of the reasons why appropriate seating is so critical for individuals with postural conditions:
1. Pain and Discomfort
Individuals with postural conditions often experience pain and discomfort due to their condition. Appropriate seating can help to alleviate these symptoms by providing support and cushioning to the affected areas. By reducing pressure on these areas, individuals can experience greater comfort and reduce their risk of developing pressure sores or other conditions.
2. Improved Posture
Appropriate seating can help individuals with postural conditions maintain a proper posture, which is crucial for overall health and well-being. Poor posture can lead to various health problems, including back pain, spinal degeneration, and respiratory problems. By providing the necessary support, appropriate seating can help individuals maintain a neutral spine position and reduce the risk of developing these conditions.
3. Increased Mobility
Postural conditions can also limit an individual's mobility, making it harder to move around and perform daily activities. Appropriate seating can help improve an individual's mobility by providing the necessary support and stability to make it easier to get in and out of the chair and move around. Rise recliner chairs are a great way to encourage users with lower mobility to stand without needing a carer.
4. Improved Quality of Life
By reducing pain and discomfort, improving posture, and increasing mobility, appropriate seating can significantly impact an individual's overall quality of life. Individuals fitted correctly for seating experience greater comfort and independence, improving mental and emotional well-being.
The Best Recliner Chairs to Improve Posture
Enable Lifecare offers a range of recliner chairs specifically designed to meet the needs of those with postural conditions. The severity of the user's posture will determine which chair is best suited for them.
Moderate Postural Needs - Configura Comfort Rise Recline Chair
The Configura Comfort electric rise recliner chair is a highly specialised and carefully designed seating solution developed to provide optimal comfort to users with mild to moderate postural requirements. This chair aids in the reduction of pressure wound formation and assists users with limited mobility to stand or sit comfortably.
What sets the Configura Comfort apart from other recliner chairs is the extensive research that went into its development. The chair was designed based on five years of feedback from customers, product specialists, and occupational therapists. Each feature was crafted with consideration for those who work with clients daily, and the result is a chair that provides exceptional support and comfort to users.
Standout Features Of The Configura Comfort
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'Reduced shear' recline to maximise pelvic stability
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Pressure-reducing fabric on the backrest and armrest as standard
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Integrated self-supply overlay for easy integration of existing cushions
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Colour-matched vapour permeable vinyl
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Compatible with most transfer aids
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Castors for easy manoeuvrability
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Knock-down design for more accessible storage and single-person delivery
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Ability to further customise your chair with our range of Configura Accessories
The Configura Comfort comes in three size options, small, medium, and large, and is also available in manual or electric.
Complex Postural Needs - Configura Advance High-Care Chair
The Configura Advance chair is a specialised seating solution designed to meet the complex needs of those with specific posture requirements. Its unique ability to transform and adapt to users of different ages, sizes and needs makes it a preferred choice for anyone with complex postural requirements. This chair is highly configurable, making it a versatile and cost-effective option for many users.
Configura Advance Features
One of the standout features of the Configura Advance chair is its auto-compensating leg rest length. This feature ensures comfort and ease of use for individuals with low knee and hip mobility. This is especially important for users who require extended periods of sitting, as it helps to alleviate discomfort and prevent injuries associated with poor posture.
Another key benefit of the Configura Advance chair is its toolless size, pressure, and posture adjustments. This feature allows users to make quick and easy adjustments to the chair to ensure a comfortable and ergonomic seating position. This feature benefits users who require frequent adjustments to accommodate their changing posture needs.
The Configura Advance chair is also highly versatile in terms of user demographics. With a wide variety of adjustment options to seat depth, height, and width, this chair is suitable for users of any age, from pediatric to adolescent to adult users. This versatility allows the chair to be used by a wide range of people, making it an excellent investment for institutions and organisations that serve diverse populations.
One of the most important benefits of the Configura Advance chair is its potential to facilitate social inclusion. For users who require specialised seating, it can be challenging to participate in social activities and events due to their unique needs. The Configura Advance chair can help these users rejoin social groups, improving their overall quality of life and helping them to feel more comfortable and included.
To summarise, the Configura Advance chair is a highly configurable, versatile, and cost-effective seating solution that provides comfort and ease of use for users with specific posture requirements. Its transformative power and unique features make it an excellent investment for institutions and individuals to bring back quality of life.
Bariatric / Moderate Needs - Configura Bariatric Chair
The Configura Bariatric is an innovative solution that brings Configura technology to the world of bariatric seating. This breakthrough innovation provides unprecedented adjustability and flexibility to meet the unique needs of patients who require bariatric support.
Configura Bariatric Features
For users who are at high risk of pressure damage, there is an option to have the chair with a full-width alternating air cushion. This feature ensures that patients receive the utmost comfort and support during extended periods of sitting.
One of the best things about Configura Bariatric is its ease of adjustment before and after delivery. This feature allows for quick and straightforward customisation to suit users' varied and changing needs.
In addition, the chair is designed for easy maintenance, thanks to its removable and washable covers. This makes recycling a breeze, ensuring a hygienic environment for all users.
Configura Bariatric is also affordable, offering more consistent budget management and significant savings on custom chairs. With Configura Bariatric, you can provide your patients with the best possible care while also enjoying peace of mind.
With all the features of the Configura Comfort, the Configura Bariatric profile quality support but provides a safe working load of up to 317kg.
Maintaining an ideal posture while seated is crucial to prevent various issues and conditions. Detect postural problems early on, and prescribe appropriate seating to prevent them from becoming severe and potentially leading to chronic back pain, herniated discs, arthritis, and spinal stenosis. By promoting proper posture care in seating, Occupational Therapists can help their clients prevent these issues and conditions and maintain independence.
Enable Lifecare is an assistive technology wholesaler in Australia, selling disability equipment to dealerships and providing support for Occupational Therapists. We strive to produce and source high-quality and innovative products to help Australians improve their quality of life. Call us on 1300 370 370 to see what we can do for you.
