In coach, if the seat in front of me is reclined, I have no vertical leverage to get up out of my seat, so I do hold on to it and pull myself up and out. Every time I get up. If the seat is upright, I usually don't need to do that. It depends somewhat on the pitch.

In business on some planes, if the seat(s) in front of me are reclined I am totally trapped, can't get out of a window seat at all!

I like an aisle seat, I'm slim, average height.

Sylvia