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MUSCULAR DYSTROPHIES AND LOSS OF STRENGTH

Riser recliner chair for muscular dystrophy: when the strength available becomes precious

A riser recliner chair for muscular dystrophy has to answer the movements of the day: standing up, sitting back down, finding support for back and arms, reading or resting. The need may concern a single activity or several moments. The choice starts from what you want to make more comfortable and from the abilities you want to keep using.

Sollevita is a riser recliner chair with integrated care features, made in Italy by La Castellana. It brings together adjustments for comfort, sit-to-stand assistance and functions that help prepare transfers. Supports, measurements and ways of using the chair are chosen together with the Sollevita Team, considering the equipment in place and the guidance of the professionals involved.

Sollevita is also designed for people who walk and are independent and who are looking for a welcoming seat or help with a few transitions. Everyday comfort is not reserved for the most demanding situations: being able to read, talk and rest with the supports you want matters too. The chair supports these activities, without treating dystrophy or replacing rehabilitation.

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There is no single muscular dystrophy

Duchenne, Becker, limb-girdle dystrophies, facioscapulohumeral and other forms do not produce the same picture. In some, weakness of the legs and pelvis predominates; in others, shoulders, arms, trunk or head control become more important. Age of onset and progression can differ too.

That is why the word dystrophy is not enough to choose a chair. It is necessary to understand which seat the person can stand up from, whether they use their arms to push, how they hold the trunk, which positions they tolerate and which equipment they use. The same feature can play a different role depending on the activity.

One person may walk and find only the move out of the seat difficult. Another may use a wheelchair and want a second place at home. Another may receive assistance with a patient hoist. These are situations to assess, not compulsory stages of one single journey.

The consultation should also leave room for what already works: how the person reads, talks or uses their own devices. A new seat is valuable when it adds a useful possibility without taking away supports, accessibility or freedom of choice.

Measurements, user weight and growth must be assessed on the real person

Sollevita is available with a seat 52 or 63 cm wide and three depths. Width, depth, height, foot support, the position of the armrests and the length of the legs must be assessed together. A larger seat is not automatically more comfortable: it can also move the supports the arms need further away.

The footrest extension can offer more continuous support for taller people. The depth should be chosen so that the backrest and the leg support are usable, taking the habitual position into account. The user weight rating goes up to 340 kg in the dedicated configuration, but that figure alone does not determine whether a seat is well proportioned.

Where specialist cushions or supports are used, they are part of the whole to be assessed. They should not be set aside in order to try the chair on its own: they can change the relationship with backrest, armrests and footrest. Their compatibility requires a discussion based on the actual components.

Some dystrophies begin in childhood or adolescence. For a child or a teenager, having several adjustments available is not enough to confirm that Sollevita is suitable. Before any proposal, intended use, dimensions, supports and the guidance of the professionals involved must be clarified. Three available depths are not the same as a system designed to follow growth; the chair is not presented automatically as suitable for paediatric use.

Standing up from a low seat can become one of the first problems

When weakness mainly affects the hips and thighs, the move from sitting to standing can be demanding even if the person can still walk. A seat that is low, deep or very soft can add a difficulty to the movement. To assess a riser recliner chair for muscular dystrophy, it is therefore necessary to consider both the starting point and the supports used.

The rise function on Sollevita guides the pelvis upwards and forwards with a progressive movement that can be stopped. It can be used for the part of the transition that needs help, according to the abilities of the person and the care procedures planned. The reverse movement also accompanies the return to the seat.

A good rise does not automatically describe the descent. In the comparison, also consider how the person finds the armrest again, comes closer to the seat and settles back down. The function accompanies a planned movement; it does not detect a fall and it does not replace the help required.

The powered movement is not, on its own, an exercise or a therapeutic standing device. There is no need to repeat many rises or to reduce assistance in order to demonstrate independence. When moving into standing is not appropriate and a patient hoist is used, the assessment can focus on the other functions, without requiring a test of strength.

When shoulders and arms are weak, the armrests cannot do all the work

Pushing up on the armrests may be the usual way of compensating for difficulty in the legs. If the shoulders and arms are involved too, however, looking for a wider support and asking for a stronger push is not enough. What part of the movement the person can manage, and where different help is needed, both have to be assessed.

The rise function can carry out part of the transition, while the armrests remain references where planned. When seated, how they support the forearms counts too: distance, height and position need to be considered together with the trunk and the activity, not only with the softness of the padding.

Difficulty in raising the arm is not necessarily the same as difficulty in using the fingers. A person may manage small controls but not easily reach a distant object. The need for help in every activity should therefore not be inferred from one difficult movement.

To compare how supports and movements are organised, look further into the construction and functional differences of Sollevita. The choice is not settled by the number of motors: what matters is understanding which features answer the concrete movement, while keeping any upper-limb supports already prescribed.

Contractures, scoliosis and supports: respect the positions that can be used

Weakness of the trunk, scoliosis or muscle and tendon contractures can change the way the body rests. A contracture can limit the range of movement of a joint: that is a different question from the strength needed to move it. It is therefore not enough that the motor can open the footrest or the backrest further.

The three-layer seat construction on Sollevita combines a sprung seat base, individually pocketed springs and an upper comfort layer. The high backrest follows the back and the powered headrest Push Head adjusts the support for head and neck. These elements offer support and adjustment; they do not correct scoliosis, contractures or deformity.

Positions should be assessed without forcing the body towards a theoretical symmetry or a full opening. Any postural systems and cervical supports keep their role. Even an apparently tidier configuration must respect the supports and the guidance for the person.

If unusual pain or tension appears during an adjustment, the movement should be stopped and the difficulty clarified with the appropriate specialist. The motor is not used to stretch a joint, and a greater opening is not sought by trial and error.

Powered adjustments and intuitive handsets

Changing the backrest, opening the footrest or adjusting Push Head are actions that Sollevita entrusts to powered movements. This makes it more practical to choose a position for reading or resting, without operating manual levers and without presenting the product as a treatment for weakness.

The handsets are designed for simple use, with intuitive buttons in a logical layout. Corded and wireless versions are available: together with the Sollevita Team you can choose the solution that suits your habits and the configuration.

When raising the arm is difficult but the fingers keep their precision, what matters most is finding a convenient placement for the control and adequate support for the forearm. This is agreed with the Sollevita Team, keeping any specialist supports that have been prescribed.

The explanation starts from the adjustments you will use most often. Tutorials and support by video call help in going over a step calmly, after delivery as well. When a hand is needed, whoever helps takes part in the explanation and manages the movements while respecting your preferences.

The adjustments move the parts of the chair. If the pelvis or the trunk have lost their support, the repositioning planned for the person is still necessary: that is a different task from pressing the handset.

Tilt-in-space, Zero Gravity and the lie-flat position

Tilt-in-space tilts seat and backrest together, keeping the chosen angle; backrest recline, on the other hand, changes the angle of the backrest in relation to the seat. Knowing the difference makes it possible to choose the movement most useful for resting, while keeping the supports indicated.

Zero Gravity combines the adjustments into a relaxed setting with legs and feet raised. It is assessed against comfort and individual guidance, without necessarily looking for the maximum angle. It is not a treatment for muscle weakness or fatigue.

The lie-flat position (180°) offers a flat surface for a break in the same place, where that use is appropriate. Lying fully flat is not compulsory: supports, joint limitations and respiratory guidance can make different positions necessary. Having the function available does not mean the chair replaces the bed for every person or for the whole night.

A relaxing chair for muscular dystrophy should leave room for the moments you prefer: reading with the arms supported, a conversation or a more reclined break. The return to sitting is organised with the supports and the help required, so that you can comfortably pick up the next activity.

Bed-to-chair and wheelchair-to-chair transfers

To move between two surfaces, height, side access, supports and the way the transfer is done all count. Vertical height adjustment raises or lowers the whole of Sollevita while the person stays seated or lying down. It is not the same as the rise function, which instead accompanies the move towards standing.

The fully removable side panel frees up the side of the seat. Together with the adjustable height, it makes it possible to compare access with the bed or the wheelchair actually in use. Side, supports and technique remain those defined for the person; matching two heights is not on its own enough to confirm the move.

The lie-flat position (180°) adds a flat surface that can be brought alongside the bed. With vertical height adjustment and the side panel removed it contributes to the lie-flat transfer configuration, which prepares the conditions for some transfers. There is no need to lie flat for every move from the wheelchair: the configuration depends on the procedure planned and on the positions that can be used.

Where a board, a slide sheet, a sling or a patient hoist are needed, those tools remain part of care. The check concerns the actual models and the real spaces, not a general idea of compatibility. There is no need to improvise a transfer in order to understand how side access works.

Consider the return as well. The person must be able to leave the chair with the supports, the equipment and the help planned. A second seat adds value when it allows an activity you want without leaving the next transition unresolved.

Vertical height adjustment can help the carer

Bringing the whole chair to a more favourable height can make dressing, adjusting clothing, shaving, hair care or other compatible activities more comfortable. The person can stay seated or lying down in the appropriate setting while the height of the structure is changed.

The removable side panel makes it possible to come alongside and reduces the distance from the body. This can limit some bending and reaching, but it does not replace the way care is given. If the armrest is part of the support in use, how to maintain the support needed should be clarified before removing it.

The flat surface with adjustable height also offers a more comfortable working height during a compatible massage, carried out by whoever is giving it. Position, materials and protective covers follow individual guidance and the product instructions.

When several people take turns helping, it is useful to share the adjustments used and the points to clarify with the Sollevita Team. Explaining the mechanics works alongside preparation for care, without replacing it.

A place for the activities that matter

Reading, talking, using a tablet or sitting at the table are all part of everyday wellbeing. That is why Sollevita is not chosen only with transfers in mind: the place has to offer the supports that the activity you want calls for.

To read on a screen, for example, the angle of the backrest is not all that counts: support for the arms and the position of the device come into the assessment too. Any dedicated mount keeps its role and should be checked together with the chair. It is not equipment to be assumed included.

To come closer to a compatible table, only the upper part of the armrest is removed. That is a different operation from removing the whole side panel for a transfer. Taking up less space should be assessed together with support for arms and trunk, not obtained by removing a support that is essential.

The sturdy wheeled base makes it possible to accompany the person from one room to another, including along longer routes inside the home, while they stay seated on Sollevita. Use follows the conditions of the route and the product instructions; the battery powers the adjustments, not the drive of the wheels. The wheelchair continues to provide independent mobility and the supports it is used for.

The eight Sollevita functions, already integrated

Sollevita is a single complete model. The drive system includes between 5 and 8 independent motors, depending on the user weight rating. The eight main functions make it possible to assess help with rising, resting and care activities in one chair, using the ones that are relevant to the person.

  • Rise function — Progressively accompanies the move towards standing and, in reverse, the return to sitting.
  • Relax — Adjusts backrest and footrest for reading, television or a break, including intermediate positions.
  • Powered headrest Push Head — Changes the support for head and neck in the different positions.
  • Tilt-in-space — Tilts seat and backrest together, keeping the chosen angle between the two parts.
  • Zero Gravity — Offers a relaxed setting with legs and feet raised, to be assessed against the supports and individual comfort.
  • Lie-flat position (180°) — Brings the chair into a flat position for resting, where that position is appropriate.
  • Vertical height adjustment — Raises or lowers the whole structure with the person seated or lying down, setting the height for care and for coming alongside.
  • Lie-flat transfer configuration — Combines flat surface, vertical height adjustment and removed side panel to prepare the approach to the bed and some transfers.

The design also includes the three-layer seat construction, the high backrest, the footrest extension, the removable upper armrest sections and the removable side panel. Lithium battery and wheeled base complete the possibilities of use; removable outer and underlying covers, separable elements and the modular construction contribute to managing the product.

See functions, measurements and price of Sollevita to look further into the configuration and compare the features with your needs.

A product to manage and review over time

Both the outer and the underlying covers can be removed; cleaning and washing follow the instructions for the material. The modular structure allows targeted work on the components, without turning everyday maintenance into a repair to carry out yourself.

Sollevita comes with five years of commercial warranty on every element, according to the conditions of purchase, original spare parts and support with tutorials, video calls and technical assistance. The Warranty & Service page brings together cover and arrangements, so you have a direct point of reference over time as well.

If supports, use of the hands or transfers change, the Sollevita Team helps you review how the functions are used, together with the guidance of the professionals involved. Completeness offers different possibilities; any new supports and care needs still require an individual assessment.

What to tell the Sollevita Team before the consultation

Tell us what you would like to do in the chair and which supports you already use. Information about rising, arms, trunk, wheelchair and transfers, together with height and weight, helps the Sollevita Team connect comfort and functions with your day.

You can start from a simple request: I am looking for a place to read with my arms supported, or I would like help when I sit back down. We can also talk about a corded or wireless handset and any assistance, without asking you for repeated trials.

Photographs of the empty space, measurements and the guidance already available make it possible to start. Any personal trial is organised around appropriate activities, keeping the equipment and the help required. Share only the clinical information that is relevant to use.

The aim of the conversation is a clear choice: measurements, adjustments and supports that respect your body and your preferences, with a direct point of contact for questions about the product.

How the consultation works

3 steps to define the perfect Sollevita for you

Sollevita comes fully equipped for home care. Our job is to understand whether it can meet your needs and to guide you clearly before, during and after delivery.

1

Tell us about yourself

Tell us about your needs, or those of the person who will use Sollevita. Height, weight, hours spent in the chair, level of independence and daily needs help us understand how the product will be used every day.

2

Let's assess together whether Sollevita is right for you

The Sollevita Team listens to your needs, explains every function and assesses sizes, weight capacity and how the chair will be used. We explain precisely whether and how Sollevita can meet the needs of the person and their daily life.

3

Delivery and support

We arrange delivery and a complete explanation of the product, so that you get to know all of Sollevita’s functions and use them correctly. After purchase, the Sollevita Team remains your direct point of contact for warranty, spare parts, tutorials, video calls and technical support over time.

Next step

The right choice starts with a conversation

For such an important choice, talk to the people who make it. Write to us: you will get a reply directly from the Sollevita Team, not a call centre. Our consultants know the chair inside out, from its mechanisms to its adjustments, and they listen to you to offer clear explanations, technical expertise and personalised advice.

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Write to the Sollevita Team

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Answers on available strength, supports and transfers

Muscular dystrophies can involve different activities and different muscle groups. These answers help in reading the functions of Sollevita in relation to real movements, without attributing the same needs to every form.

The starting point is activities, supports and the help required, not just the name of the condition. For a chair for muscular dystrophy, measurements, use of the controls and the equipment already in use count too. Sollevita makes it possible to compare several adjustments in one seat. Suitability remains individual, with a specific check on intended use as well when the request concerns a minor.

The rise function gradually guides the pelvis upwards and forwards and can be stopped along the movement. It is assessed when moving into standing is appropriate, with the supports and the assistance planned. The reverse movement can accompany the return to the seat. It is not a strengthening exercise and it does not replace a patient hoist where full support of the body is needed.

Leaving all the push to the armrests can become too demanding. The rise function can carry out part of the movement, while arm supports should be assessed for seated activities as well. The adjustments change the backrest, the footrest and other elements; they do not automatically reposition the body. Any specialist supports remain part of the assessment.

The habitual position, measurements and supports already prescribed are considered. High backrest, three-layer seat construction and Push Head offer supports to assess as a whole. They do not correct scoliosis and they do not force a joint limitation. Where a dedicated postural system is necessary, the configuration should be checked with the professionals involved and against the documentation for the components concerned.

Yes. Sollevita is also designed for people who walk, keep their independence and want more comfort through the day. The seat and the resting adjustments are valuable even without using the rise function. The care features remain available for the activities that need them, according to individual guidance.

Yes. Backrest and footrest can stop at intermediate positions; tilt-in-space tilts seat and backrest together, keeping the angle between them. The lie-flat position (180°) and Zero Gravity are possibilities, not compulsory positions. Supports, contractures, comfort and respiratory guidance guide the individual choice. Moving the structure does not automatically correct a pelvis that has slid or a support that has been lost.

Vertical height adjustment and the removable side panel make it possible to work on height and side access. The lie-flat position (180°) adds a flat surface that can be brought alongside the bed, where planned. There is no need to use the flat position for every transfer. Procedures, equipment and assistance remain those defined for the person; compatibility should be checked on the actual products and in both directions of the move.

The starting point is present abilities, without ruling out use of the handset because of shoulder difficulty alone. Sollevita offers corded and wireless versions, both designed with intuitive buttons. With the Sollevita Team you agree on the control, its placement and support for the forearm; if specialist supports or assistance are needed, they remain part of how the chair is used.