What is a Kennedy Rocking Chair?

"What is a Kennedy Rocking Chair?"- Here’s a question I’ve often been asked. Most people assume that all rocking chairs are the same. So why is there all this hoopla about the Kennedy Rocker?  In order to understand what the Kennedy rocker is, we first we have to know the background of this rocker.

The history of this rocker goes back to the late 1920’s, when what would become the Carolina Rocker was developed by the P & P Chair Company of Ashville, NC. They went along innocently making these rockers and selling them in their local area. Then in 1953, Dr. Janet Travell from NYC purchased one of these rockers for her office.

A patient of Dr. Travell was a young senator from Massachusetts who suffered from chronic back problems.  He went as far as having doctors fuse his spine with a metal plate but nothing seemed to work. He came to the doctor to ask for Novocain to ease the pain. Wisely, she had a more holistic solution to his problem.
Dr.Travell believed that a rocking chair, which exercises the lower back muscles, would prove a much better answer than using of drugs for temporary back pain relief.  She agreed to acquire another rocker for her patient if he would use it for therapy. The Senator of course went on to become one of America’s most remembered presidents. The rest, as they say, is history.        
 
The design of the chair was unique from other rockers available at the time. It had a high cane back, cane seat, steam bent back posts and back rails that curved around the back. It is set low for comfortable elbow support and has wide armrests for perfect balance. Also, the arm rests are lower than similar rockers, allowing the sitter’s arms to relax naturally at the sides of the body. The rocker seat and back offer firmness and natural spring through the use of tightly woven rattan.  The height of the seat, which is lower than most rockers, allows the individual to better exercise the lower back muscles without undue pressure on the user’s legs. The rocking motion, Dr.Travell felt, was an aid to circulation and a reliever of tension.     

There’s more to come about the fascinating Kennedy Rocker to in future posts.  Thanks for all of your interest.