3 Best Recliners for Recovering After Surgery

La-Z-Boy Southeast | February 12, 2026

The three best types of recliners for recovering after surgery are power lift recliners, power recliners, and recliners with heat and massage. Lift recliners help you stand up and sit down safely when your body is too sore to do it alone. Power recliners let you fine-tune your position at the press of a button. And heat and massage add targeted relief that keeps muscles loose and blood flowing during long days of rest. Each type addresses a different part of the recovery challenge. Depending on your surgery, you may benefit from one — or a combination of all three.

If you’ve been told to “take it easy” after an operation, your doctor isn’t just talking about skipping the gym. Recovery means spending a lot of time seated or semi-reclined. The surface you’re resting on matters more than most people realize.

A recliner with the right features does things a bed or regular chair simply can’t. Power recliners, for example, include zero gravity models. This style elevates your legs above heart level and distributes your weight evenly. It takes pressure off your spine and joints. That position uses gravity to reduce swelling and improve circulation to the surgical site. It also supports your spine in a natural curve. Compare that to the flat or hunched positions you tend to fall into on a couch. Depending on the type of recliner, it can also make sitting down and standing up safer. That’s a bigger deal than it sounds when you have stitches, joint replacements, or abdominal soreness.

Recliners are commonly recommended after knee, hip, shoulder, back, neck, and abdominal surgeries. Any procedure where comfort, elevation, and limited mobility are part of the healing equation makes a recliner worth considering.

1) Lift Recliners: The Safest Way to Sit Down and Stand Up

Of the three types, a lift recliner is the one that solves the most immediate post-surgery problem: getting in and out of a chair without help.

A lift recliner has a powered base that tilts the entire chair forward, gently guiding you to a near-standing position. When you’re ready to sit back down, it lowers you slowly and with control. You operate the whole thing with a simple handheld remote. There’s no pushing off the armrests, no gripping a helper’s forearm, and no terrifying moment where you wonder if your legs are going to cooperate.

Why Lift Matters Most Early in Recovery

This matters most in the first few days and weeks after surgery. Even basic movements can feel risky during that window. After a hip or knee replacement, your surgeon will likely warn you about bending past certain angles. They’ll tell you not to put too much weight on the joint too soon. A lift recliner respects those limitations. It does the heavy work for you. It also reduces the risk of falls — one of the most common and dangerous complications during recovery.

Zero Gravity and Better Sleep

Many lift recliners also recline to a zero-gravity position. Your knees sit slightly above your heart and your weight is evenly distributed. This posture takes virtually all pressure off your spine. It also promotes the kind of circulation that speeds healing. Some people recovering from back or spinal surgery sleep better in a zero-gravity lift recliner than in bed.

The bottom line with a lift recliner is independence. It lets you move on your own terms. You won’t need a caregiver every time you get up, grab something from the kitchen, or head to the bathroom. That self-sufficiency makes a real difference — both physically and mentally — during recovery.

2) Power Recliners: Effortless Position Control

La-Z-Boy Recliners are available with your choice of a manual or power reclining mechanism.

A power recliner doesn’t have the lift-assist base of a lift recliner. But it gives you something equally valuable during recovery: effortless position adjustment.

With a manual recliner, you pull a handle or push back against the footrest with your legs. That might sound minor when you’re healthy. After surgery on your shoulder, back, knee, or abdomen, though, that effort can range from uncomfortable to impossible.

How Power Positioning Works

A power recliner eliminates all of that. Press a button on the side of the chair, on a wired hand control, or on a wireless remote. The back and legrest move independently to whatever angle feels right. Recline slightly for watching TV. Tilt further back for a nap. Elevate your legs above your heart to reduce swelling. Many La-Z-Boy power recliners offer “infinite positioning.” That means there’s no fixed stop point. You dial in exactly the angle you need.

The Importance of Leg Elevation

Leg elevation is especially important for post-surgical recovery. When your feet are above heart level, gravity helps blood flow back toward your core. It reduces the fluid buildup that causes swelling in the lower extremities. Doctors routinely recommend this after knee, hip, and leg surgeries. A power recliner makes it easy without stacking pillows or propping your feet on furniture.

If you can get in and out of a chair on your own but don’t want to strain once seated, a power recliner is the sweet spot. It gives you full control of your comfort without the added cost of a lift mechanism. It still provides the elevation and support your body needs to heal.

One more thing worth knowing: La-Z-Boy offers an extended handle upgrade for manual recliners. It gives you more leverage with less effort. You can also choose which side the handle is installed on. People recovering from shoulder or arm surgery find that especially helpful.

3) Heat and Massage: Comfort That Actually Helps You Heal

Adding heat and massage to a recliner might sound like a luxury. During surgery recovery, though, it serves a genuinely therapeutic purpose.

How Heat Supports Recovery

Let’s start with heat. Gentle warmth applied to your lower back and seat helps relax tense muscles. Those muscles tend to tighten up after sitting in one position for hours. Heat also increases blood flow to the area. That means more oxygen and nutrients reaching tissues that are repairing themselves. If you’ve ever used a heating pad after a tough day, imagine that same relief built right into your chair.

What the Massage Feature Does

The massage component works alongside the heat to prevent stiffness. La-Z-Boy’s system uses multiple vibrating motors in the back and seat. You get adjustable speed settings — from a gentle hum to a deeper vibration. It’s not the aggressive deep-tissue experience you’d get at a spa. It’s subtler than that. Think of it as a consistent, soothing vibration that keeps muscles from locking up during long stretches of rest.

Together, heat and massage improve circulation and reduce muscle tension. They keep your body loose when it would otherwise start to ache. That’s not just about comfort. Stiffness and poor circulation can lead to longer healing times. They can also cause complications like blood clots, especially when you’re not moving much.

Available on Most La-Z-Boy Recliners

This feature is available on most La-Z-Boy recliners, including lift and power models. You don’t have to choose between lift functionality and heat-and-massage comfort. Many people recovering from surgery opt for a lift recliner with the heat and massage package. That gives you the best of all three worlds in a single chair.

One important note: always check with your doctor before using heat or massage during recovery. Your physician may want you to wait before applying heat near the surgical area. Have that conversation before your procedure so you know when to start.

Getting the Right Fit Matters

Here’s something a lot of people overlook when shopping for a recovery recliner. Size and fit are just as important as features.

A recliner that’s too deep will leave your feet dangling. It puts pressure behind your knees. One that’s too shallow won’t support your thighs properly. If the back is too tall or too short, your head and neck won’t sit right. That can create new pain on top of what you’re already managing.

Think of it like getting fitted for a good pair of shoes — except the fitting takes your whole body into account. Your feet should rest flat on the floor. Your back should be fully supported from your lumbar through your shoulders. Your head should rest naturally against the cushion without tilting forward.

This is hard to evaluate online. Sitting in the chair and testing it in person makes a real difference. That’s especially true when you’ll be spending long hours in it during recovery.

Order Well Before Your Surgery Date

This is the practical detail that catches a lot of people off guard. If you’re customizing a recliner with specific fabric, features like heat and massage, or a particular size, it needs to be built to order. That process takes time — typically several weeks from the date you place your order to the day it arrives at your door.

The last thing you want is to come home from the hospital and realize your recovery chair is still a couple of weeks out. Plan ahead. If you know your surgery date, work backward and give yourself plenty of buffer. Ordering a month or more in advance is a smart move, especially if you’re adding custom options.

Some showrooms do carry in-stock recliners that are ready for immediate or near-immediate delivery, so if your timeline is tight, that’s worth asking about. But if you have the luxury of time, ordering early means you’ll have exactly the chair you want, set up and waiting, the moment you walk through the door.

Check Out These Additional Resources

We hope your upcoming surgery goes well. Any of the recliners on this list will speed up your recovery and keep you comfortable.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, your design consultant is able to fit you for a recliner that fits your body perfectly.

Here are some additional online resources you may like to check out:

We’d be happy to answer all of your questions at any of our locations in NC, SC, and GA. We have degreed interior designers on staff to help you with size and fabric options.