Getting up from your old chair is not as simple as it used to be. In fact, its virtually impossible. Purchasing a Medical Lift Chair may be the best move as they are fairly inexpensive for the benefits they provide. As a licensed physical therapist and home health care specialist, I assess people with physical disabilities on a daily basis and can provide insight in your lift chair purchase. Below are five points to consider when selecting your Lift Chair .

1) # of Positions — The most important feature to consider. When looking at a lift chair , you’ll see some are ’2 Position’, some ’3 Position’ and some ‘Infinite Positions’. First, we’ll start with infinite. Infinite position models have 2 motors to allow the footrest/ottoman to move independent of the back area. Those who want to sit upright but also have the footrest up will need this type of chair. Both ’2 Position’ and ’3 Position’ chairs require the backrest to recline to have the footrest slide out because they only have a single motor. ’3 Position’ chairs differ from ’2 Position’ types in that they allow full recline where 2 positions only recline to 45 degrees. You may be confused currently but I will provide recommendations to guide you.

2) Size — Just like any recliner, you want the chair to fit your body size. This is of utmost importance because the larger the chair is, the deeper the seat cushion. Select a chair that’s too large and your legs may not reach the floor when sitting up straight. Choose a model that’s too small and your lower back area might not respond well.

3) Type of Covering — Are you a person that sweats excessively? Leather might not be the best choice for you. Do you have leakage problems in areas we won’t discuss? Perhaps material made of cloth does not make sense in this case. Surely leather will cost you some extra $$ but don’t discount its benefits. Cheap and expensive lift chair models are widely available online so be sure to do your homework.

4) Home Setup– Does your house have a smaller area in your living room to place the chair? Does it need to be against a wall? Models are available that can contact a wall but slide open forward without banging into the wall behind it. Standard models both slide out and back which will be an issue in tight areas.

5) Advanced Options — Fancier models have features such as vibrating seats, heated seats, cupholders and lift speed variations. While these may seem unnecessary, people with aches and pains could find them very soothing and worth the higher price tag.

Jeff Roth MPT is a licensed physical therapist and owner of Roth Therapy Services LLC. In addition to his practice, Mr. Roth offers advice on how to find a highly rated easy lift chair and how to spot the best deals on medical lift chairs at his site WalkersandWheelchairs.com.