Before we jump right in, let’s take a moment to really understand what edema is all about. Edema is the swelling of body parts caused by trapped excess fluid in body tissues. Edema can occur on any of your body regions but it is most prevalent around the legs, ankles, arms, and feet.
Edema can be treated with medication intended to remove excess fluid from the body. This condition can also be prevented by reducing the amount of salt intake. However, if edema is caused by a preexisting condition or disease, then the disease or condition would have to be treated separately.
Symptoms of Edema
Some signs and symptoms of edema are;
- Swelling of tissues that are directly underneath the skin; mostly around the arms and legs.
- When any area of your body maintains a small well or pit after pressing it for some seconds
- Bigger abdomen
- Shiny and/or stretched out skin
Causes of Edema
Apart from the ones I stated above, other causes of edema are;
- Pregnancy
- PMS in women
- High salt intake
- Sitting or standing at a spot for an extended period
- Medications like; HBP medication, steroid meds, estrogens, some diabetic meds, some anti-inflammatory drugs
- Leaking small blood vessels/capillaries in the body
- Preexisting conditions like; kidney disease or damage, cirrhosis, congestive heart failure, severe protein deficiency, poor lymphatic system, bad or weak leg veins, etc.
Edema may not seem like a fatal condition but it can lead to severe complications like skin ulcers, infections, scarring, stiffness and mobility difficulties, decreased vein, arteries, muscles, and joints elasticity, and decreased blood flow in the body.
You should see a doctor when you begin to experience stretching of the skin, swelling, well retention when pressed, and shininess.
Some patients may also experience difficulty breathing, chest pains, and shortness of breath and these are likely signs of pulmonary edema and need to be treated immediately. Persistent leg pain and swelling could be a sign of deep vein thrombosis or DVT and not edema. Either way, it is important to get it checked by a professional.
You may be wondering what recliners have to do with edema but there have been some talks about whether recliners can cause edema or not. While on the other hand, there are people that believe that recliners can help with reducing the risks of edema. In this article, we will look at all these possibilities in detail but before then, we need to clarify if recliners really can cause edema.
Can sleeping in a recliner cause swollen ankle?
Some edema prevention measures include reduction of salt intake as I mentioned before, increasing potassium intake, wearing compression, and keeping your legs elevated. We are going to look into these points more as we progress with the article but for now, your question needs to be answered.
One of the measures includes raising your legs or keeping your legs elevated and one of the primary functions of a recliner is to literally put your feet up and relax. Recliners are either equipped with an attached footrest or an ottoman.
The footrests are designed to push out and up to elevate the legs while the user relaxes in a reclined position. Going by this alone, you should already know that the answer is a no. Recliners will not directly cause edema except in certain cases of misuse.
It is general knowledge that sitting for an extended period is not good for your health but there’s a common occurrence in people that sit for long hours, they experience foot swellings. This can only be caused by a recliner when the user spends a long period at a time in the recliner in one position.
Recliner users should always attempt to move around or even change positions every once in a while. So you see, recliners are not made to make you feel any form of discomfort or bring you harm. However, when they are misused, it can lead to complications like swellings.
Now that we know a little bit about edema and its relationship with recliners, let’s get into some of the best chairs for edema. This is important because recliners are a great form of elevating the legs and if you have been reading thus far, you would know that elevating the legs is a preventive measure for edema.
Best Recliners for Edema
Title | Photo | Rating | Buy |
Artiron Heavy-Duty Power Lift Recliner Chair |  | ||
Peciafy Power Lift Recliner Chair |  | ||
Hipgl Power Lift Recliner Chair with Heat & Massage |  | ||
QPP-CL Rocking and Recliner Chair |  | ||
Electric Lift Recliner Chair |  |
Artiron Heavy-Duty Power Lift Recliner Chair
Best known for its massage and power lift functionalities
The Artiron power lift recliner gets its name from its power lift functionality. The power lift conveniently raises the chair in order to gently drop the user on their feet when they intend to stand from a sitting or reclined position.
This function comes in very handy for users who are older, sick, or recovering and this makes the chair a good choice for people with edema. The power lift allows the user to reduce the pressure exerted on the legs and knees when standing without it.
The chair has comfortable and durable upholstery with plush and soft paddings with a tufted design. The chair is electrically controlled with a remote and it also has an inbuilt massage therapy that provides added comfort and relaxation to users.
The chair is strong and sturdy and the footrest is both supportive and soft, perfect for preventing edema.
Peciafy Power Lift Recliner Chair
Best known for its massage and heat therapy functionalities
This chair is made with a high-density foam that is super comfortable and soft. It has a power lift function for conveniently helping users to a standing position with minimal help from them physically.
The massaging and heating function is designed with 10 unique modes. The massager typically concentrates on the shin, thigh, lumbar, and shoulder region. It has pocket-like storage that houses the remote control used to control the chair’s smooth and convenient adjustment mechanism.
It has a weight capacity of 300lbs and it is wide and spacious enough to accommodate users on the heavy side.
Hipgl Power Lift Recliner Chair with Heat & Massage
Best known for its heat, massage, and power lift functions
The Hipgl power lift recliner looks and feels like an expensive and luxurious chair but it is quite affordable. The chair is electrically controlled with a wired remote for ease and convenience for users.
It has a massage and heat therapy function that is equipped with about 8 vibration motors for better relaxation and easing of aching or sore muscles. The armrests are detachable and they have a pillowy comfort to them.
The upholstery comprises of comfortable and soft-faux leather, and the chair is also easy to assemble. The chair weighs 135lbs and has a carrying capacity of about 350lbs which is pretty much amazing. The chair is strong and sturdy even though it may be a bit heavy for some users. It is also very affordable.
QPP-CL Rocking and Recliner Chair
Best known for its 2-in-1 feature functionality
This foldable chair is a two in one chair, it has a reclining backrest and an extendable footrest that makes it a recliner and when it is not in its reclined position it becomes a rocking chair. It has a reclining capacity of 90 – 155 degrees for maximum user comfort.
The chair is strong and sturdy, unlike what you may think from its look. It is foldable and easy to move around, this also improves its versatility in functions and uses. The chair is very lightweight at about 10kg but it has a weight carrying capacity of 330 pounds.
It has a head support to slightly elevate your head. The footrest comes in very handy for people who need to keep their legs in elevated positions. it is made with a Teslin material and it is quite affordable.
Read More: Best Alternatives to Stressless Recliners
The Electric Lift Recliner Chair
Best known for its heat, massage, and super comfortable features
The electric lift chair is one of the most comfortable recliners out there. It is made with a terrycloth material that everyone knows is quite cozy and comfortable. The chair is thickly padded with a tufted design.
It has pillowy armrests and double paddings on its seat and backrest. It has amazing lumbar support for your lower back region and its electric lift helps users to their feet with minimal effort from them. It can be used in either the living room or the bedroom, the chair can be used for nursing, sitting in, or sleeping in.
It has a soft and comfortable footrest that aids in preventing edema by keeping your legs elevated. It has a massage and heat functionality with 10 unique working modes that concentrate around the shin, thigh, lumbar, and shoulders of the user. It is wide, spacious, and strong with a weight carrying capacity of 300 pounds. The chair has a smooth and easy adjustment mechanism that is controlled with a wired remote.
What to look for in the best recliner for edema (Buying Guide)
The recliners mentioned above are some of the best recliners for swollen legs and they also work well in preventing them entirely.
However, if you are in the market for the best recliners for swollen legs or edema, there is some key information you must know and we are going to go over them in this section of the article. These are some of the most important things every recliner for swollen legs must have and they include;
- Footrests: People with swollen legs are often told to always keep their feet elevated, now what would be the point of purchasing a recliner with an adjustable footrest if it cannot keep your legs elevated. This feature is exceptionally important and not just for people with edema or people trying to prevent edema but for general user comfort.
- Size: Oftentimes, recliners come in 3 sizes, small, medium, and large. Purchasing a recliner that doesn’t suit your body type or size may very well be the beginning of discomfort for you and this would in no way help with your swollen legs either. Both you and your legs would be too uncomfortable to think about the swelling around your ankles.
- Cushion and foam density: Essentially this determines your overall comfort, in a recliner, there are specific regions that have to have soft and comfortable cushion padding and they are the seat, the backrest, the armrests, and the footrest.
- Framework and strength: Users often know the end product of this to be the weight carrying capacity of the chair. No one wants to buy a chair that would collapse the minute they sit in it.
- Reclining angle: Some recliners have limited reclining angles, if you’re in the market for a recliner, it would be wise to know about this in the chair you are purchasing. What this means is that some chairs can be angled and positioned at any angle the user deems fit, while some have more limited angles.
- Type: The type of recliner chair you eventually purchase could be influenced by your budget because different recliner types come with a different price range.
Does elevating legs help with edema?
Edema is quite a common condition and people have learned ways to cope or manage the situation when it does arise. As I mentioned before one of these ways is to keep the legs elevated, raise the swollen limb or body part.
This particular body part should be kept elevated above heart level. The extra fluid concentrated on the swollen part would move flow towards the heart to be circulated evenly around the entire body. Lying on your back while your legs are elevated above your heart level is the best position for the swollen body part to reduce.
Some people achieve this by placing pillows underneath their legs. Some users who have access to hospital beds elevate the foot of the bed above their heart level.
When using a chair, you can use a stool to elevate your legs after placing pillows on top of the stool. Want to know something fun? A recliner can provide all these options for you in one design. A recline can keep your legs elevated while sitting or reclined. So the answer is an express yes, elevating your legs does help with edema.
Recommended best recliner for edema
Every recliner reviewed above is great and amazing in its own different ways but the recommended best chair for this article is on the top of our list for several different reasons you would get to find out when you purchase the chair.
It is super soft and comfortable, it has a power lift for convenience and ease of standing. It is electrically controlled with a remote, it has thick paddings that are doubled on the backrest, seats, and armrests.
The footrest is also super comfortable and keeps the legs elevated in a locked position for people with edema. The chair is the Artiron Heavy-Duty Power Lift Recliner Chair. It also has a massage and heat therapy function that provides extra comfort to users.
Title | Photo | Rating | Buy |
Artiron Heavy-Duty Power Lift Recliner Chair | | ||
Peciafy Power Lift Recliner Chair | | ||
Hipgl Power Lift Recliner Chair with Heat & Massage | | ||
QPP-CL Rocking and Recliner Chair | | ||
Electric Lift Recliner Chair | |
Conclusion
Living with edema is no easy thing, the swelling causes pain and prevents easy mobility. Other than keeping the legs elevated, walking around is also known to help with edema. Standing on the same spot and simply wiggling your toes would also help with edema.