Active seating, or sitting, is when the seat allows the seated individual to move, encouraging flexibility and movement that is beneficial to the human body, and helps to make some seated tasks easier to perform. The concept of active seating is gaining recognition in the field of ergonomics, especially among people whose work involves prolonged sitting. This includes the field of pediatric and adult rehabilitation, where, for obvious reasons, active or dynamic seating is of great interest to individuals who use adaptive seating and wheelchairs, such as children and adults with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities.

For the ultimate in active seating equipment, therapists everywhere are extolling the many virtues of the Rifton Activity Chair, now available at Rehabmart. Rifton, an offshoot of their sister company, Community Playthings, is a leading manufacturer of high quality adaptive equipment specifically designed to help children and adults achieve their goals, regardless of ability. Their Activity Chair has revolutionized active seating and therapists around the world are saying that this chair is perfect for active learning, speech therapy, feeding and for clients with behavioral issues. Intended to grow with your child, the Rifton Activity Chair with the Standard base is available in three different sizes; the small Activity Chair R820 model; the medium Activity Chair R840   model; and the large Activity Chair R860 model.

                                

As a general guide to help you choose the right chair for a child or adult, go by the user's overall height and weight and choose the model that allows for growth, making sure seat width, depth and height are adequate for each individual user, and that the user's weight does not exceed the recommended maximum weight load. The small size accommodates heights of 28 inches to 48 inches with a 75 pound maximum working load, the medium size accommodates heights of 40 inches to 56 inches with a 150 pound maximum working load, while the large size accommodates heights of 50 inches to 74 inches with a 225 pound maximum working load. The standard base on all three sizes is perfect for regular classroom use and ideal for students with autism who need calming through self-generated motion, also known as 'self-stimming'.

Adjustments to each chair can easily be made while the user is in it, without the need for any tools, which helps save time and makes the required adjustments much simpler to gauge. With its therapist-guided design of every feature, the Rifton Activity Chair offers the utmost in durability, functionality, comfort and versatility currently available on the market today. Tilt-in-space capabilities encourage sit-to-stand and rest positions, and base, seat and back, arm supports, adjustable legs, pads and a seat belt are always included. Choose between forearm prompts which are extremely versatile to adjust to facilitate head and trunk control while sitting, or wooden armrests which can also be angle and height adjusted. A wide range of optional accessories helps to create a customized classroom or home chair unique to the specific user's own personal needs and requirements.

Optional features include springs in both the backrest and the seat, making it an ideal choice for children on the autism spectrum, and the spring column can be locked when it is not in use. Other optional accessories include push handles, an adjustable headrest with either a flat or contoured headpiece, adjustable lateral supports, a wide chest strap to provide anterior support, an adjustable firm surface tray for a work or eating space, a butterfly harness for anterior support or a slimcut harness specifically designed for adult female users, a thigh belt to provide additional security and support for thighs while it also helps adduct the user's knees, a pelvic harness that can be used instead of the seat belt for securing the user in the chair to help more efficiently with postural control, hip guides for enhanced lateral support, abductors which can be used to limit lateral movement of the knees, a leg prompt for both abduction and adduction positioning, a footboard for firm feet support, and ankle straps to secure the user's feet while providing a bounded range of movement.

The Standard base offers height-adjustable leg options of stationary or casters. The stationary option's grippy tips help to keep the user from sliding or moving across the floor, even with dynamic rocking. The casters help to make the Activity Chair more mobile, making it easy to transition from one classroom to another. Made of comfortable polyurethane foam, the chair's seat and backrest pads are also covered with a polyurethane-coated fabric cover in a selection of colors to fit in with any home or schoolroom décor.

Whether the user is in early intervention, school, home, work, rehab or therapy, the Rifton Activity Chair designed by therapists offers the ultimate experience in active seating. While many wheelchair users are typically in a 'static sitting' position which is rigid and can result in adverse health effects over time, this Activity Chair offers brand new options for freedom of movement and a more dynamic posture. Enhance functional movement and prevent physical discomfort and potential bodily damage with the Rifton Activity Chair from Rehabmart, and see for yourself why both therapists and users of all ages love this chair so much!

Carol Koenigsknecht,
Medical Consumer Editor,
Content & Social Media Services
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO