Furniture for MG Weakness

Let’s talk about living room and dining room furniture since that’s where we spend a lot of time. My husband and I are both tall, as are our children. Low sitting furniture (or low for us) makes it difficult for me to stand up from a sitting position. If I’m experiencing myasthenia gravis muscle weakness, I may have difficulty rising from a sitting position.

So, how can I get up on my own? There are devices to help us if we are feeling weak. We just have to look for them.

Stand assist device

One device that can assist in rising from a chair is stand assist with grab bars. It provides us the independence we want and need by allowing us to get in and out of a chair without someone helping us. There are different types and styles to suit our needs. These can be found through an online search and there are many options available on Amazon.

Lifts and risers

Uplifting seats or cushions that are self-powered may help if you have difficulty rising from the sitting position. However, there is a weight limit, and some will support only up to 70 percent of the user’s weight. But it is, after all, only an assistive device, not something that is intended to totally lift us. Its portability makes it easy to take when traveling for more compact storage.

If you want something more permanent, try risers on your chairs. Risers are used to elevate the chair. They will give you several more inches of height, enabling you to stand on your own. These would also work well for sofas.

If you have a little extra money to spend, a power lift recliner may be just right! It takes up more space, but there are many styles and colors to choose from to match your décor. Some even come with a heater and massager. If you need to sleep with your head elevated and you don’t have a bed or products to do that, a recliner will work for that, too!

I could sure use one of those recliners! With MG, I have a lot of pain and leg weakness. Due to my height, I have to work to stand up on my own or need help. I would very much like to get a taller recliner and one that has heat and massage. Oh, the winter months would feel so much better with a heated chair, since I am sensitive to cold!

Tables

How can we make coffee tables better? How about one with rounded corners instead of sharp, 90-degree corners? Do you eat in the living room while you watch TV or do you just not want to leave the comfort of your chair? There are some really nice coffee tables where the top of it not only lifts up, but you can also bring it towards you to work as a TV tray or table.

I work with my laptop on a hospital over-bed table. That makes it portable for me to use when in my bed or in the living room – or anywhere else in the house. I also use a riser for laptops on my tabletop so I can slant, making it easier for me to type. It puts less stress on my wrists, arms, shoulders, and back. Also, because I have a lot of edema due to Prednisone, I can elevate my feet and legs while working on my laptop. This has been wonderful for me!

Rolling chairs

In the dining room or office, scooting the chair in and out can be demanding. Why not get a chair with casters? It would be much easier to move the chair to the position desired for dining, then roll it back when we want to get up. My in-laws used to have rolling dining room chairs and they were so nice.

If there’s carpet in the areas where you would use a rolling chair, you can use a chair mat. They are generally a flexible but durable plastic or vinyl you would put your chair. It would not only help you roll the chair easier, but it would protect your carpet or solid flooring, too. They aren’t expensive and you can get them most anywhere carpet, rugs, or furniture are sold.