Footrest - why should you use them

Why and when do we use them? Footrest is a product that is recommended and used for some time and then is found at the back of the workstation being unused. Footrests allow the user to change their ankle, feet, and hip position throughout the day. You can give your ankles a workout while working on the computer if you have the rocking footrest. This allows blood flow to move through the foot to the toes. Your legs need to move during the day, and they probably won’t stay flat on the ground the whole time you are working. You can use a rocking footrest when you are seated in your chair.

Footrests are also used when you need to sit higher in your chair, for feet support, so you can use your keyboard and mouse on your 29” work surface versus using a keyboard tray. Your feet should not dangle when sitting at that height and the footrest provides that support. Many people use the chair legs to provide the feet support, but a footrest would be a better option. A stationary versus rocking footrest should be used to provide support for your feet when sitting higher in your chair.

When you are standing at your workstation, you can use a stationary or rocking footrest to place one foot on and change your support foot throughout the day. There is also tall footrest used for those sitting in stools at their tall workstation. It is better to use an external footrest versus the foot ring on the stool allowing your knees to be at 90 degrees versus tucked under your chair. Typical footrests are 4-6” high. You can also use a sturdy box or reams of paper for a footrest and these would be stationary footrests.

If you have any further questions, contact me at kgranataclark@ergonomicsandyou.com, my website is www.ergonomicsandyou.com, or you can schedule some time with me to discuss this topic at https://calendly.com/ergonomicsandyou/1-1-consult.