​Saddle Chairs Can Assist in Independent Living

A saddle chair can be of great help in rehabilitation and for disabled persons. In some cases, and with the right kind of supportive accessories, sitting can be possible on a saddle chair.

This could be an alternative to a wheelchair, for example in indoor activities. The wheelchair places huge challenges on circulation, as one is sitting low and on the soft tissues for the whole day. The sensitivity of the circulation can be demonstrated by closing a vein on the back of the hand by pressing it lightly with a finger. This illustrates in a small scale how dramatically the circulation can be disturbed when the weight of the whole body is on the buttock and thigh muscles.

When sitting on a saddle chair moving and using one’s hands are also easier as the pelvis is not tilted backwards. If the core muscles are weak it is almost impossible to tilt the pelvis forward in a wheel chair. On a saddle chair you can also train the core muscles while sitting.

At home the household tasks become easier on a saddle chair. For example, in the kitchen one can sit higher and thus work in front of a table or a stove and prepare food. With the Elbow Table accessory that is attached into the chair eating, reading and working on a laptop are easy. The table top also gives support to hands when one is watching TV. Allround gives support at the back, or on the side, of the chair gives extra support.

Saddle chairs are useful for therapists and helpers, too. They can be used during training and exercise e.g. whilst feeding patients. A physiotherapist could roll backwards on a saddle chair and hold the hands of a child that is doing walking exercises – the ergonomics remain good and the person is on the same level with the child.

Click here to view an example of using Salli Elbow Table from Geoff Adams-Spink, Chairman of EDRIC (European Dysmelia Reference Information Centre), a user and advocate of Salli Saddle Chairs.