Vivid Care adjustable chair helps “revolutionise comfort” for users with complex postural needs
Yorkshire-based healthcare seating company Vivid Care has unveiled what it claims is the world’s most adjustable postural chair and calls a breakthrough that promises to revolutionise comfort and care for thousands of people with severe scoliosis and complex spinal deformities.
The Lento Cove Chair, launched this week at Birmingham’s Occupational Therapy Show (OT Show), boasts over multiple backrest configurations, yet can be adjusted in seconds without tools or technical expertise.
For people with severe scoliosis, and others with complex postural needs, finding a comfortable chair has traditionally meant expensive custom moulds, lengthy wait times, and solutions that don’t adapt as conditions change. The new chair from Vivid Care, a specialist established in 1972, aims to change that entirely.
Tristan Hulbert, Managing Director at Vivid Care, commented: “We’ve been working with people with spinal asymmetries for decades, and we knew there had to be a better way than one-size-fits-one custom solutions.”
“At Vivid Care, we believe everyone should be comfortable no matter how much support they need, so we knew we had to dig deep to produce a chair with the postural capabilities that could match the needs out there.”
Vivid Care says the chair represents a year of intensive development, but draws on it’s 53 years of experience in healthcare seating. Working with thousands of clients and collaborating with postural experts, the team identified the fundamental problem: every spine with scoliosis or complex deformities is unique in its presentation, yet traditional chairs offer fixed support.
The solution came in the form of the SpineSupporter backrest system, a fibre-filled design with independently adjustable arms that gently cocoon the spine and head. Unlike rigid frames, the soft support creates what the company describes as “a calming space with rich sensory input” whilst providing the precision needed for even the most severe cases.
Graham Oliver, Vivid Care’s R&D Director, explains: “The backrest system is effortless to adjust but can produce an amazing number of configurations.”
“This enables you to achieve a perfect chair size and sitting position for every individual.”
Vivid Care has partnered with sleep posture specialists Levitex to create a pelvic cradle cushion using patented foam proven in clinical studies to redistribute pressure, enhance comfort, promote deeper relaxation, and substantially reduce mean pressure.
The cushion combines this revolutionary foam with three additional precision-selected foam grades, engineered with specific angles and layering to achieve optimal body alignment whilst cradling the pelvis.
Built on the proven Lento Care Chair base, which it says is already popular throughout the occupational therapy community for its intuitive, toolless adjustment, the Lento Cove offers comprehensive positioning including tilt-in-space, backrest recline, articulating leg elevation, and adjustable seat height, depth, width, and arm height.
Occupational therapists and physiotherapists at the OT Show will be among the first to see the chair in action. For professionals working with complex cases, the implications could be significant, including faster assessment and prescription, immediate adjustment as needs change, and the potential for better outcomes through truly personalised support.
The chair accommodates users up to 25 stone (158.7kg) and features either electric control via remote handset or manual operation with handles and levers, making it suitable for various care settings including hospitals, care homes, hospices, and private homes.
The company explain the technical aspects of the chair in more detail in its recently published article on the Vivid Care website.
“This marks the culmination of extensive work.” Tristan adds. “We’re bringing another game-changer into the therapist’s seating arsenal when working with complex postural needs.”
For families and individuals with conditions requiring specialist postural support, Vivid Care states the Lento Cove represents the possibility of comfort without compromise, support without stiffness, and dignity through technology that adapts to them, rather than forcing them to adapt to it.
Vivid.Care also launched an innovative bedside chair to solve endemic issues with current hospital ward seating.
