Can a Rise Recliner Chair Relieve Pressure?

by Justina | Sep 28, 2026

In last month’s blog, we looked at pressure sores – specifically what they are, why they occur, and who is most at risk. If you haven’t seen this blog, you can read Pressure Sores: What Are They?.

So, can rise recliners help with this problem? Can they relieve pressure and help to prevent pressure sores? While they’re not a one-stop solution, they can certainly play a significant part in helping to reduce pressure risk for individuals with restricted or limited mobility.

Olympia, a Rise Recliner chair from Stuart Mobility

How can a rise recliner chair help?

One of the most important factors is avoiding prolonged pressure on the same areas of the body. If you spend a significant amount of time sitting during the day, your choice of chair can be a very important part of your overall health and comfort.
The right chair can help to make it easier to change position more regularly, therefore reducing the pressure risk from remaining in a static position for too long.

As we discussed in the last blog, it’s this kind of static position that can concentrate pressure through small areas of the body, compressing tissue and allowing it to rub on the bones below. For anyone who struggles to move independently, a rise recliner chair can provide the support and movement you need to change position more regularly throughout the day, meaning that compression has less opportunity to occur.

When properly fitted, a rise recliner’s uniquely designed footrest, backrest, seat cushions, lumbar support and headrest can also ensure that every part of the body is individually supported so that no single part is taking any more pressure than another, again helping to mitigate the risk of pressure sores.

Getting up and out of your chair

If you are still able to stand, but you find it difficult, the support of a rise recliner chair could mean that you’re more inclined – and more able – to get up out of your chair more regularly. When hauling yourself up to a standing position feels difficult, risky, and possibly painful, you’re much more likely to avoid it and stay sitting for longer periods. But, with the aid of a rise recliner, you may find that you no longer avoid getting up – and sitting back into your chair will be a breeze, too, as your chair can gently guide and support you back down safely, removing much of the physical effort required. Having the confidence to move more will naturally ease the pressure associated with sitting for prolonged periods – as well as giving you back some much-needed independence. Getting up to answer the door or popping into the other room for a book no longer needs to feel like an insurmountable task!

There’s more to a rise recliner than sitting or standing…

A rise recliner doesn’t just help you to go from sitting to standing and vice versa. Throughout the day you can change positions depending on what you’re doing – all at the push of a button, with no effort required. If it’s time to fully relax, you can lie back horizontally. If you’re eating or talking to someone, a more upright position might be appropriate. If you’re reading or watching TV, maybe you want to be slightly reclined, with your footrest raised. In all these different positions, your rise recliner’s design and fit will ensure that your weight is distributed across the chair’s surface and each body part is fully supported to prevent any small area from being at risk of concentrated pressure for any prolonged period. Your rise recliner chair should always be measured and fully fitted to your body size, weight and proportions, to make sure the support and cushioning is in all the right places.

For anyone who finds it difficult to reposition themselves manually, being able to make these adjustments simply at the touch of a button can provide greater control over your comfort – but it’s vital to remember that repositioning remains important! A rise recliner shouldn’t be viewed as a way of remaining in one position indefinitely.

Heel pressure sore which needs treatment

Fit matters – it’s vital that your chair is correctly fitted and adjusted

Owning a rise recliner doesn’t inherently mean that your risk of pressure sores is reduced, however. It’s vital that your chair is correctly fitted and adjusted to provide the right support and evenly redistribute pressure. The wrong size, or incorrect cushioning adjustment may have the potential to create additional areas of pressure, so it’s important that your chair is professionally measured and fitted to suit your height, weight, body shape, mobility and individual health needs.

Seat width and depth, footrest length, back height, headrest and cushioning are all important considerations to ensure that your body and limbs are supported along their full length, to avoid placing undue pressure on specific areas where contact is made. A correctly fitted chair will provide comfortable, even support both at rest and throughout any positional changes.

A rise recliner chair is part of a bigger picture

While there are many things that a rise recliner can do to help to mitigate the risk of pressure sores, it’s important to realise that it’s not a one-stop solution and it won’t provide medical treatment for an existing problem. However, in conjunction with other factors, the right rise recliner chair really can play an important role in your overall pressure management strategy.

Ask our chair experts for help and advice in finding a rise recliner that’s the perfect fit for you, providing the cushioning, support and movement you need to help reduce your pressure risk. Contact our team on 01283 704071 or email info@stuartmobility.co.uk.

← Pressure Sores: What Are They?

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