What Makes a Good Recliner Chair Cushion?
Specialist seating plays an essential role in enhancing comfort by providing the correct postural support, and in some cases, improving mobility. Whether it's a neurological condition, aging, or post-operative care, bespoke specialist seating can improve a person's quality of life by offering unique support and encouraging independence. Our quality riser recliner chairs are made with a person-centered approach to design, with many different bespoke features to choose from - including a wide variety of cushioning options.
What Makes a Good Recliner Chair Cushion?
Choosing the right recliner chair cushioning is a crucial step in the purchasing process that can either enhance or worsen the comfort and support of a person. The right chair cushioning will help nurture areas of the body, aiding in relieving the symptoms of physical conditions and boosting emotional wellbeing. Each individual has their own set of unique needs, due to their physical condition, their size, or their level of mobility. Other factors, like how long a person will be sitting in a chair, should also be considered, as it will change the requirements of the chair cushion.
A good recliner chair cushion will also ensure good posture and support for the individual, reducing risks of developing pressure ulcers, slips/falls, and deterioration in skin. It should follow the contours of the spine, body, and in some cases, head and neck support.
Seat height and seat depth should also be measured to ensure the correct seating solution can be found, tailored perfectly to the client.
Different Types of Cushions for Recliner Chairs
Back Cushions
A well-designed back cushion supports key areas of the body, including the lumbar spine (lower back), thoracic region (mid-back), shoulders, and in some cases the head and sides of the trunk. The right cushion can reduce pressure points, improve alignment, and help prevent discomfort or strain. This is particularly important for individuals spending extended periods in a chair, or with specific postural needs.
Button back cushion
The button back cushion is a classic design that looks aesthetically pleasing and suits domestic environments. Along with its elegant aesthetic, the button back cushion provides gently contoured support. This style is popular among older adults who are looking for a recliner chair for casual use or relaxation.
Split lumbar back cushion
A split lumbar back cushion is designed to offer superior comfort and targeted support. Its design divides the cushion into distinct sections that contour better to the natural curves of a person's spine. This type of support reduces pressure on the lumbar region, alleviating back pain and discomfort. These back cushions are typically used in healthcare settings for people with limited mobility or those recovering from surgery, but are also popular in domestic settings.
Waterfall back cushion
Our waterfall back cushions are individually fibre-filled - each of which are fully adjustable to accommodate maximum postural support. The waterfall back can be useful for those with mild Kyphosis, Scoliosis and reduced muscle mass on their back.
Waterfall lateral back cushion
The central cushion within the waterfall lateral back design has built in lateral supports, providing trunk support for people with limited balance or trunk control. This style is useful for individuals in the early stages of neurological conditions, such as MS or a stroke survivor with limited residual impairments. Our waterfall cushions are height-adjustable and customisable, allowing the chair user to easily adjust the backrest to suit their spinal shape and support needs. Each individual fibre-filled cushion interlocks and the thickness of each tier can also be adjusted.
Support lateral back cushions
Our support lateral back cushions are foam-filled and provide firmer lateral support with a soft fibre-filled headrest. Typically, this type of riser recliner cushion is useful for those with neurological conditions or stroke survivors (early to mid stages). The combination of a firm back and lumbar support helps maintain midline trunk alignment.
Comfort Lateral back cushion
Our comfort lateral back cushion is helpful to those with limited trunk control or balance. This option is ideal for those with early stages of neurological conditions, such as MS or stroke survivors. Made with soft fibre back cushions and additional lateral cushions (with adjustable fillings), those with minimal trunk control or balance will feel supported by this cushion.
Seat Cushions
Choosing the right seating cushion is just as important as selecting the correct back cushion, as it plays a vital role in pressure relief, posture, and overall comfort. A well-suited seat cushion supports the pelvis, hips, and thighs, helping to distribute weight evenly and reduce the risk of pressure sores, especially critical for individuals with limited mobility or who sit for long periods. The right cushion also promotes better pelvic alignment, stabilising the base of the spine and contributing to improved posture and reduced fatigue.
Deluxe Pocket Sprung
Made with reflex foam, tensile steel coil springs and individual pockets, the deluxe pocket sprung seat cushion offers consistent support and lasting shape throughout the chair's lifetime.
Easiform
Easiform is used in our standard seating. It is our softest cushion that is crafted using high-quality Reflex foam filler for gentle comfort.
Firmaform
Firmaform provides a more supportive and firm seat with a high-quality filler from Reflex. It is also used in our standard seating range.
Foamaform
This type of seat cushioning is ideal for people who have good core stability and posture that will be sitting for more than one hour at a time and require low to medium pressure relief. With different layers of high-density foam, Foamaform offers a supportive seat base that immerses the user's bottom into the cushion, providing overall stability across the seat's large surface area.
Viscoform
This cushion has a high-density foam base which offers a supportive and firm seat base with a top layer of memory foam which helps with immersion. Our Viscoform seat is great for those who have good posture and mobility who are seated for more than one hour.
Profile Viscoform
Our Profile Viscoform seat cushion provides a pommel which is a feature that prevents people from slipping or sliding down their recliner chair. This happens to individuals with a weak trunk, lower limb muscles or lower limb spasticity. Strokes, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), or spinal cord injuries can cause these physiological conditions.
Liquiform
Liquiform is another good seating cushion option for those with good posture and mobility that require pressure relief and supported comfort over long periods of time. It's created with high-density foam and topped with a fluid liquid gel in a soft silicone cover which provides a high level of pressure relief. The liquid gel helps dissipate heat and constantly adapts to the user's movement. We recommend this seat to people with limited muscle bulk or those who are at risk of excessive weight loss.
Celliform
Celliform is crafted by using Gelacell which is a unique cell matrix that distributes pressure across the contact area through contouring and yielding, in addition to reflex foam and a grid-like design. The Gelacell absorbs body heat and the grid design encourages air circulation, making it ideal for those who are sitting for a long period of time.
- Maximum weight of user 127 kg (20 stone)
Coolform
Coolform is a good solution for people who are at high risk of pressure sores. Using the latest medical grade of silicone gel technology, Coolform provides pressure redistribution as the gel conforms to the shape of the body and equalises body temperature. Another benefit of Coolform is its hypoallergenic quality, making it odourless as air can flow through the material freely.
Profile Coolform
The profile version of Coolform utilises a pommel which supports those with a weak trunk and lower limb spasticity by maintaining hip positioning.
Airform
The Airform seat cushion is designed for individuals who either have existing pressure sores or are at high risk of developing them. It is best suited for users with good pelvic stability and core strength, as it requires the ability to adapt to subtle air pressure variations. The cushion features three manually adjustable air cells beneath a layer of memory foam, offering the pressure-relieving benefits of an air cushion—but without the noticeable sensation of shifting or alternating air flow.
- Minimum weight of user 40 Kg (6 stone 4lbs).
- Maximum weight of user 127 Kg (20 stone).
Dynaform
The Dynaform seat cushion is ideal for individuals at very high risk of pressure sores, or those with a history of skin breakdown, where preventing further damage is the top priority. It’s a dynamic alternating air cushion that continuously adjusts the air levels within its cells to mimic natural body movements. This constant adjustment helps to redistribute pressure effectively, reducing the risk of prolonged pressure on any one area and supporting ongoing skin protection.
- Minimum weight of user 40 Kg (6 stone 4lbs)
- Maximum weight of user 121 Kg (19 stone)
Headrest Cushions
A well-designed headrest cushion supports the head, neck, and upper shoulders, helping to reduce strain, prevent fatigue, and maintain alignment of the cervical spine. This is particularly beneficial for users with limited neck control, muscle weakness, or those recovering from injury, as it promotes stability and overall relaxation.
Head Roll
The head roll cushion helps to reduce depth for anyone with reduced neck extension or needing to keep their head in a neutral position for tasks such as eating or drinking, whilst increasing the level of comfort and reducing effort.
Head Pillow
This cushion provides a softer surface and additional comfort with hyper-extension at the neck when the recliner chair is reclined or tilted.
Small Profile Headrest
Like the large profile headrest, but with more focused support on the head and neck.
Large Profile Headrest
Providing a combination of lateral support at the head, neck, and shoulders, this headrest offers additional comfort and reduces neck extension.
Midline Headrest
Our midline headrest provides support to those who have lost the ability to sense their position, movement, and orientation in space, alongside unilateral neglect.
Armrest Options
Soft upholstered scroll arms
Plush and cushioned, ideal for relaxation while providing gentle forearm support.
Wide flat arms with optional Coolform gel layer
Firm, durable wooden knuckles in light, medium, or dark wood, offering a sturdy surface for users to grip or leverage during transfers.
Wood knuckle arms
Flat, spacious arms that can be upgraded with gel-infused padding to distribute pressure and alleviate discomfort or numbness in the forearms and elbows, particularly useful for individuals with circulatory or neurological conditions like spasticity or sensory deficits.
Cushion Material Considerations
Material selection for recliner chair cushions is essential for ensuring comfort, hygiene and long-term durability, particularly in healthcare settings. Repose offers a wide range of specialist fabrics designed to meet both aesthetic and clinical needs. Their healthcare grade fabrics are waterproof, antibacterial, antifungal, Crib 5 fire rated, and easily cleanable, making them ideal for environments where infection control is a priority. Options such as four-way stretch fabrics help minimise shear and friction, supporting skin integrity and pressure relief. Advanced treatments like AquaClean® allow stains to be removed with water alone. These materials are not only practical and easy to maintain, but also contribute significantly to user safety and comfort, whether in a domestic or clinical care setting.
FAQs for Choosing the Right Recliner Chair Cushioning
When it comes to measuring for a riser recliner chair, you'll need a rigid measuring tape (not fabric), a pen and paper to record measurements, and a chair for the client to sit in (a dining chair is a good chair to use for this).
The chair user needs to be seated in the chair while the other takes measurements, accessing the areas they need to get to. The chair user must have their feet comfortably flat on the floor, wearing their normal clothing (this can include slippers or shoes).
You will need to get measurements for seat height, seat depth, seat width, arm height, back height, and the lumbar spine.
You can read our full guide for How To Measure for a Recliner Chair to find more information.
Need Some Help? Get in Touch with us Today!
If you’re unsure which recliner chair features best suit your needs, the team at Repose is here to help. With a wide range of customisable options available, we can work with you to find the right combination of support, comfort, and functionality. Whether you're selecting a chair for personal use or for a care setting, our knowledgeable team is ready to discuss your requirements and guide you through the available choices. Get in touch with Repose today to explore how we can help you create the perfect seating solution.