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Tips on getting out of low seats?
Personally, I have the most difficulty with low seats. Whether public transportation seats, movie theater seats, my friend’s couches, anything that doesn’t have arms for me to push off or is really sturdy. What tips have you learned on getting out of low seats? Do you use any devices? Have you and a therapist worked on this specifically?
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- Public transit: I try to sit near the hand / safety rails are and sit in the place where I can pull myself up on them. If none are within reach a gradually increasing rocking motion back and forward until I have enough momentum to either get up or reach something to get myself up.
- Using a walker or rollator, a walking frame with seat, the handles are the grab rails. Here is a video about walkers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP_0w20Kb9M
- For low toilets: http://www.mobilitysmart.cc/luxury-padded-toilet-seat-raiser.html ,this could be carried in a backpack on a scooter or chair, and used when you visit a facility. A cheaper version can be found here: https://www.completecareshop.co.uk/toileting-aids/raised-toilet-seats/2-inch-padded-raised-toilet-seat
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6 Replies
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If I’m in a restaurant chair I push up from the middle edge of the chair. If I’m in a booth I use the back part of the seat back and the table. Booth seats are becoming increasingly harder.
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Good morning, yes I have a time with low seating . I do have a walker I use at home. I also have a tri cane I take with me to to others homes because a walker does no good in folks homes most of the times with steps and all. I try to seat with handle chairs. Using private bathrooms is the worse. I just use my arms and push up in the middle of the toilet seat and on the end. But my arms are so weak that’s not much help. I try to use my cane also sometimes. Between steps and the bathrooms it’s all just frightening but I won’t stay home lol
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This is one of the most difficult issues for me with my limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2L. The two things I struggle with the most are getting up and down stairs and getting out of chairs. Early in my muscle loss I preferred chairs with arms so I could lift myself up. But as I have gotten weaker, this has become too difficult and I actually prefer chairs with no arms so I can put my hands together in the middle of the chair between my legs to lift up. I seem to get more force this way. One thing I learned is that having some sort of a band or belt just below my knees and around both legs helps me to get up as I push out against the band. Because my abductors are still strong this works well and sometimes even getting up off the toilet works this way when you can use your pants in this fashion as leverage.
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Dani, I saw your response in my email notification, but not seeing here yet. But that’s a good point. It helps to have a chair or wall or something to hold onto as you are getting up. Once I’m part way up, for me anyway, my abductors are strong enough to allow me to shift hands from chair or seat or toilet I’m on to a higher chair or object. Everyone will be different depending on strength of those abductors but for some people this may work. And you’ll learn where to put band and how much leeway it can have so that it’s best for you.
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Yes, I have learned that I need to ask for help. My husband usually stands and waits for me to get up or ask for help. It’s hard to loose your independence and rely on others.
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@Tracy_Barthite
I personally don’t have MD but my S.O. does, It’s kind of hard to explain how our relationship works when you break it down to how I help her though out the day, she normally does not ask for help, nore does she expect help from me, I simply help when I know she needs it and don’t when I know it’s something she can and wants to do on her own unless she states otherwise, as if it were second nature for me. Early on in the relationship I offered my help when ever I could to save her even just a little bit of energy. I would get a “thank you” here and a “it’s ok, I got it” there and from that I was able to learn when she needed help so I could with out her having to ask. I’m still not perfect at it, and I’m still learning with her. But on behalf of the able bodied S.O.‘s, help us to help you so we can learn to help you better .
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I have LAMA2 folks are very helpful. But often times even when I do get up I’m unable to walk at all. It takes several minutes before I can even walk without falling. This is with using my walker. I have a a rollater so I can sit back down if need be. I get tired easily so it helps a lot. My arms have gotten weaker so I realize I’m not going to be able to use my arms much longer to get me out of chairs. I’m going back to PT soon as I get my pacemaker straightened out again.
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