After hip or knee replacement surgery, the first time you have to get up from your living room chair, you realize how low and soft most furniture is. One of the most difficult tasks of the day during the first few weeks is to get in and out of a chair, and a power lift chair relieves a lot of that pressure from your new joint. Here's how a lift chair can be beneficial and what to look for before surgery day.
Why Getting Up From a Chair Is Hard After Joint Replacement
Standing up challenges the muscles around the hip and knee. Those muscles are weak, swollen, and sore after surgery. You may be prescribed to use a walker or crutches for several weeks. Getting up from a chair is one of the harder things to do after knee surgery.
Furniture height makes this worse. A typical sofa is low, and it dips below your hips, forcing a sharp hip bend and moving the knee through the worst part of its range. Hospital for Special Surgery advises patients with problems on the back side of the hip to avoid low, soft couch cushions. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) advises a firm chair, a higher-than-average chair seat, and a footstool to raise the leg.
How a Lift Chair Supports Your Recovery
Steadier Sit-to-Stand Transfers
A lift chair is used to lift the chair up and tilt it forward until your feet are flat on the floor and you are close to standing. The movement is completed independently. The first few inches out of the seat is the part that's the most difficult - that's where the motor will do the job, and it will also lower you back in so you don't plop into the cushion.
NHS hospital guides use a set method: slide forward, support the operated leg slightly ahead, and push up with the armrests, with the other leg doing most of the work. The armrests go up with the body as well, so it still works. Always place the walker in front of the chair first and only release the lift when the walker comes to a full stop.
Leg Elevation for Swelling
Swelling may be moderate to severe for the first days or weeks after knee replacement, then mild to moderate for 3-6 months. The usual advice is to raise the leg and ice it.
A lift chair lifts your legs without needing another stool. The infinite-position and zero-gravity versions allow you to lift your legs while keeping the backrest upright. If you notice any new or worsening calf swelling, seek your doctor's advice as this may indicate a blood clot.
Staying Within Hip Precautions
Some hip patients receive precautions, particularly after a posterior approach, revision surgery, or a history of hip dislocation. Common rules: avoid crossing the legs, do not bend the hip further than 90 degrees, and don't let the knee drop below the hip when sitting down. These typically last for 6-12 weeks.
Since the seat rises to meet you, your hip stays more open when transferring than with a standard recliner. Keep the hand control in the side pocket so you never lean forward to grab it. Ask your therapist which recline positions are safe, as some recline positions elevate the knees above the hips.
A Caution for Knee Replacement Patients
It takes a daily effort to get your knee completely straight again. Knee replacement experts at UFHealth also warn against using a pillow behind the knee, since resting with the knee bent makes full straightening harder to regain.
That does not mean that you can't have a lift chair either. It just changes how you use it. Sit upright for most of the day and use the lift to get up and sit down. If re-clining is allowed, the footrest should support your heel and calf with the knee as straight as possible, and no pillow under the knee.
Hip vs Knee Recovery: What to Look for in a Chair
|
Feature |
After hip replacement |
After knee replacement |
|
Seat height |
Keeps your knee below your hip |
Above average, to limit knee bending |
|
Lift and tilt |
Prevents deep hip bending during transfers |
Takes load off the thigh muscles |
|
Recline |
Avoid knees-above-hips positions |
Use sparingly; keep the knee straight |
|
Armrests |
Firm and level |
Firm and level |
|
Leg elevation |
Comfort and swelling control |
Swelling control for 3 to 6 months |
Good armrests are required for both groups. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust states that a hip patient's chair must be firm, level and have high arms and a high back, and knee rehab leaflets have the same push-up technique.
Take measures before purchasing a new device. Sit in the chair, make sure that your feet are flat, and that your knees are level with or just below your hips. Lift chairs are sized according to the height of the user, so please match the listed size range to the user's height.
Choosing the Right Lift Chair for Recovery
There are also 2-position chairs that extend and recline slightly, 3-position chairs with a nap feature, and infinite-position chairs that let the footrest and backrest rotate independently. For recovery after a joint replacement, the lift mechanism matters more than the extent of recline.
Marc’s Mobility carries power lift chair models from Golden Technologies and Pride Mobility. For instance, the Pride Sitting Pretty Evolution is a three-position chair with a 600 lb capacity, available in petite through extra-large sizes. For long days in the chair, go for infinite-position lift chairs that raise your legs without reclining your back. Our Top 5 Lift Chair Recliners 2026 review compares some of the latest models.
When comparing chairs, check for:
- A seat height where knees are at or below the hip level
- Arms should be hard to push from at the height of the armrests
- Large button hand control and storage pocket
- Battery backup, so the chair can lower you during a power outage
- A weight capacity well above your body weight
Set Up the Chair Before Surgery Day
Order early. Place it in the room where you will be for most of the day, have room in front for a walker and remote, and have phone and water at your fingertips.
It’s recommended to remove throw rugs and secure electrical cords. Place the power cord behind the chair, and repeat the lift-and-lower cycle a couple of times before your operation to make the movements more comfortable on the first day of surgery.
A lift chair won't replace exercises and/or physical therapy, but it removes one of the most challenging movements during the first weeks. Buy a seat on the level you are comfortable with, use the lift for all seat transfers, and, before your surgery date, contact us at 1-800-677-6293 to help you select a model suitable for your needs.
