Therapy chair
A therapy chair is a specialist chair intended for use by a practitioner whilst administering a treatment to a patient.
Examples of therapy chairs can be as diverse as those used in the medical profession for dentistry, osteopathy and chiropractor to those used for acupuncture and make-up application.
A therapy chair can be substantial electric and hydraulically operated piece of apparatus like those seen in a dental practice, or they can be lightweight transportable chairs like those used by e.g. a reflexology practitioner who does home visits.
What all of these chairs have in common is that they are intended to provide a controllable resting place for a patient or client that provides the practitioner with the best access and positioning of that patient for the treatment that is being provided.
Multiple therapy chair
Most multiple therapy chairs will be permanently fixed in a treatment room and they will use hydraulics to lift and lower the different sections of the chair. Most chairs of this type will have a range of movements that allow a patient to be transitioned from a fairly upright seated posture to a totally horizontal lying-down position. Control of these movements is determined by a hand held remote that is operated by the practitioner.
Most fixed therapy chairs will have three main sections, one for the legs, one for the lower torso and one for the back and the head. In the case of the more economically priced chairs, only the leg and back sections will have motor controlled variable positions.
The most expensive therapy chairs will have additional adjustable chair sections that will see the central section being hydraulically operated and a further, separate section, may be included to independently change the position of the head.
Most chairs of this kind will have arm rests, and breather holes may be included for the face (when lying face down) or to provide ventilation points.
The reason that this kind of chair is described as “multiple therapy” is because its flexibility and versatility make it suitable for most practitioner's requirements.
Portable therapy chair
With the rapid increase in alternative and home delivered therapies and treatments, the portable therapy chair has become a cleverly design piece of apparatus.
Portable therapy chairs are lightweight and foldable and for this reason their design cannot afford for them to have the numerous uses and hydraulics of a multipurpose therapy chair.
Instead, these chairs are designed with specific therapies in mind meaning that a portable massage chair may look very different to a reflexology bench.
That said, over the years, a certain geometry for portable therapy chairs has evolved which sees a fairly consistent design that allows a patient to be seated facing either towards or away from the practitioner. Chairs of this type tend to be comprised of six separate padded sections and they are used by masseurs, chiropractors and many other specialists who do most of their work on a patient's back.
The typical features and adjustments found on most portable therapy chairs will include the following.
- Seat and arm rests (movable)
- Headrest (with height variation and breather hole)
- Chest pad (movable)
- Padded leg rests
- Lightweight aluminium tubular frame
- Locking levers and handles for adjustment
- Typically capable of taking a weight of 220 pounds (16 stone) and in some cases up to 430 pounds (31 stone)
- Chair weights can be a light as 20 to 25 pounds
- Available in different colours
The lightweight foldable design of portable therapy chairs means that they will fit into the boot or trunk of a car and they can easily be carried into a patient's home. Their design uses easy-to-clean materials that do not harbour bacteria and most come with a protective carry case.
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