Making a graceful exit

How to escape an Adirondack chair

Summer is here and we’re enjoying many seasonal activities. Along with our more physical activities, we will likely spend some downtime reconnecting with friends and family. However, taking a break and relaxing in the summer can come with its own challenges — in particular, escaping from the grips of an Adirondack chair.

Adirondack chairs are particularly challenging because they are lower than most chairs, have a deep seat pan and we tend to stay in them for long periods of time while relaxing and socializing. If you find yourself heading toward one of these stylish summer chairs, here are a few tips to help you avoid getting stuck.

Back support

One of the stresses on our bodies in these low chairs is that our knees rest higher than our hips. This causes more strain in the lower back, which can lead to stiffness that makes it harder to stand up.

An easy solution to reduce this stress is to put a small pillow, rolled-up towel, or sweater by the small of your back. This small inward pressure on the lower back can reduce the strain on the joints in the lower back, letting you move more freely when you’re ready to stand up.

However, it’s important to ensure it’s just a small support and doesn’t cause any feeling of pinching or pressure at the front of the hips.

Exit technique

Getting out of an Adirondack chair is the equivalent of doing a very low squat. There are a few tricks you can use to improve your chances of exiting seemingly effortlessly.

First, shift to the front edge of the chair. Second, position your feet and knees hip-width apart. (I usually recommend checking the space between your knees is two fists wide.) Third, place your hands on the armrests in line with where your hips are. Finally, lean your body forward as you simultaneously push downwards with your hands. As soon as your hips get some clearance from the seat, squeeze your thigh and buttock muscles to bring your body to the upright position.

If this doesn’t do the trick, you can also rock forward several times before getting lift-off on the last one.

Get up frequently

Settling into one of these chairs and staying for a long time can be tempting. However, our bodies prefer frequent changes in position for maximum comfort and mobility. The magic time period is approximately 20 minutes; after that, our bodies are likely to feel stiffer due to temporary changes in our ligaments and joints. If possible, get up (at least briefly) every 20 minutes to limit the post-sitting stiffness.

Finding ways to unwind are more important than ever these days. Enjoy your time in Adirondack chairs this summer. Just make sure you have an exit strategy planned — and maybe practice ahead of time.