In terms of reclining in your favorite recliner, there are plenty of myths out there. Although many have been busted, but there’s one that simply won’t die; “Are recliners bad for knee pain?”
But are they really bad, and do recliners hurt your knees?
Recliners are not bad on their own; it is pretty cool to sit back and relax in one that is the right fit for your body and gives adequate support.
The right kind of recliner can help you rest in an ideal posture while sitting and prevent your back from getting too pressured, which is good for joint health, especially for the lower body and knees.
They’ve also been reported to improve blood circulation because they can let you stretch your legs and knees comfortably on the footrest or elevate your feet above the heart level in order to get healthy blood circulation.
However, reclining for an extended period of time can lead to leg and knee pain, as well as other health problems. A sedentary lifestyle can also contribute to sore and weak knees due to a lack of activity as the human body is designed to be active.
Proper sitting posture in a comfortable recliner chair is essential, however, to reap the benefits of reclining.
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How Knee Pain Is Defined?
Knee pain is a common complaint among people today. The most common reasons for this are arthritis, overuse injury, and some other causes. When we talk about the knees, we are actually talking about the knee joint. This is the joint that connects the thighbone and the lower leg.
Generally, knee pain is caused by the weakening of muscles, tendons, or ligaments around the knee. This leads to your joints becoming unstable and causing knee pains.
Did You Know – These days, it’s not just about the look of your recliner – how they feel when you sit in a reclined position is also critical. For The ideal recliner for knee problems, you should focus on the recliner’s comfort and support to reduce pain and increase comfort; recliner chairs that satisfy these attributes are less likely to cause problems down the road.
Can Recliners Hurt Your Knees?
The short answer is Yes: sitting in a recliner can hurt your knees if you sit in an awkward position for an extended period of time which puts pressure on the kneecaps and leads to knee pain and stiffness.
Likewise, if the reclining chair on which you sit is uncomfortable and does not support your body ideally, especially your lower body, can also cause bad knees, poor circulation, and lower back problems.
Ideally, well-designed recliners do not cause knee pain or discomfort. By “well-designed recliner”, I mean recliner chairs should be thickly padded, provides the spine support you need for optimal posture, and should have a comfortable footrest to support the legs and knees in a normal sitting position.
How To Sit In A Recliner To Prevent Knee Pain?
The right way to sit in a recliner to prevent knee pain and leg problems is to sit in a comfortable reclined position while elevating the footrest to raise your legs above the heart level for proper blood flow.
Also, make sure you change your reclining positions frequently to avoid sudden injury due to long periods of sitting in the same spot.
Keep your ankle joint in front of your knees when elevating your legs with the recliner’s footrest. When your knees are lying flat on the footrest or any extra tool like an ottoman, don’t let them get too close or too far apart.
When you elevate your legs make sure your feet should hang over the recliner chair a bit as this will distribute the body weight evenly in your lower extremities.
Avoid dangling your feet too far from the edges of the footrest or resting completely on the footrest until the footrest is thickly padded and soft. This will keep pressure off your thighs and knees, thus preventing blood clots from forming.
Can Sleeping In A Recliner Cause Knee Pains?
Can sleeping in a recliner cause knee pain? Well! If you sleep in a recliner chair properly for short periods of time, it does not cause serious or permanent complications to your health.
In fact, reclining the body relieves the pressure off your spine and enables your core muscles to rest, healing and strengthening them in the reclining process.
However, prolonged use of the recliner while sleeping can cause hip and knee contractures as well as cause your legs to feel numb or tingly, which can cause cramps in your legs. This can be a sign of your body adjusting to the lack of motion and the position in which it is asleep.
Pro Tip:
While sleeping in a recliner, or while lying on your back, you can use knee pillows if you feel discomfort. Knee pillows can help you maintain the natural curve of your lower back and relieves pressure in your knees direclty.
Can You Sit In A Recliner After Knee Replacement Surgery?
So, can you sit in a recliner after knee replacement surgery? The answer is yes because the recliner is designed not only to accommodate knee replacement surgery but also to provide a comfortable sitting position with solid armrests and a comfy backrest, so you are sitting in a well-supported position.
With knee surgery, using a recliner that elevates your feet above your heart is helpful. This promotes better blood circulation while reclining, reduces swelling in your knees, and speeds up healing.
How To Sit In A Recliner After Knee Replacement?
Here’s how to sit in a recliner after knee surgery without causing any unnecessary strain or pressure that can affect the surgical knee.
- With a walker or somebody’s assistance, move your legs until the backside of your legs touches the recliner chair.
- Next, you need to slide your surgical leg forward, and then reach back for the armrests using one hand at a time.
- Lower yourself slowly using your arms and non-surgical leg.
- Use your arms to secure your back comfortably in the chair.
- In the case of lift recliners, using a button enables you to raise the recliner position into a standing position. You can then sit comfortably in the chair which is in a tilted position without any hassle from your side.
In Conclusion. Are Recliners Bad For Knee Pain?
In conclusion, I hope this blog post answered the question, “Are recliner bad for your knees?” The bottom line is that knee injury prevention is as simple as avoiding improper sitting in a position that isn’t right for you and living a healthy lifestyle. For healthy living, you can do yoga and stretching by watching YouTube videos tailored to your body type.
Likewise, you need to be careful when choosing a recliner that caters to your requirements to avoid discomfort while getting maximum comfort.
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