Ergonomic Footrests: Benefits and Factors

05 May 2022

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Ergonomics foot rest foot rests footrest footrests

Why Do I need a Footrest?

Simply, it helps adjust your legs and feet to the most optimal ergonomic position for increased comfort and reduced risk of health issues. When setting up your workspace to ensure your body is in the most ergonomic position at the desk - we first begin with adjusting the chair to meet the right desk height so that your elbows are at desk level or slightly higher than desk level. To obtain this first position, a lot of people tend to find their feet are lifted off the floor and they are unable to position their feet to be flat on the floor. This position is essential for working at the desk as without the feet being supported, blood circulation can be cut at the back of the thighs creating pain and future health issues.

So what is the solution? Having a support that your feet can rest on to gain the corrected body posture - this is where footrests were developed and have now become a pivotal piece of equipment for the office workspace.

Today there are several styles of footrests with specific functions depending on the needs of the user, so we are here to go through the factors of current footrests to consider when purchasing your footrest.

BENEFITS OF A FOOTREST

Boosts Circulation

Footrests helps reduce the risk of developing circulatory issues by positioning the legs and feet in the most neutral position while seated. Advanced options of a footrest come with a 'rocking' feature that increases this function by promoting movement in the legs while sitting at the desk.

Supports Good Posture

When using a footrest that is positioned correctly beneath the desk, it helps place the body in the correct body posture to minimise risk of future injury or pain.

More Comfort & Productivity

You can feel instantly more comfortable when using a footrest to position the legs and feet at the desk. More comfort means less pain and less pain can mean more productivity.

FEATURES OF A FOOTREST

Height Adjustability

The most common factor that needs to be considered is height adjustment for a footrest. This allows for the correct height of the user - identify the measurements of the height adjustment to ensure you purchase one that is suitable for your required height.

Angle Adjustability

Some footrests contain a fixed or moveable angle adjustment. This allows for the user to change the adjustment to ensure they have a neutral position of the ankle joint for optimal comfort while sitting.

Footpad Movement - Rocking Function

Certain ergonomic footrests provide a rolling function of the foot pad of the footrest which allows the footrests to rock the feet back and forth promoting movement and increasing blood circulation.

Heavy Duty Materials

Most footrests come with a hard plastic material for the footpad, which is standard. Others offer a ribbed footpad to provide a somewhat 'massage' of the feet while in use. For work environments where there are dirty shoes involved, looking at a product such as the high rise footrest may be the best option with their heavy duty carpeted footpad that helps grip the shoes to the footrest and there is no 'slipping' feet off the footrest.

Non Slip Base

Footrests should have a non-slip base so that the footrest does not slide along the floor while in use.

EXAMPLES OF FOOTREST TYPES

Height and Angle Adjustable Footrest

The Adjustable Ergonomic Footrest has both aa height and angle adjustment allowing for complete control of the position of the legs and feet at the desk. The angle adjustment also includes the rolling/rocking function of the footpad so your feet can gently move back and forth on the footrest while you work.

Extra High Footrest

This high rise footrest is designed for benches and desks with extra height such as laboratory benches and standing desks with drafting chairs.

CONCLUSION

Incorporating a footrest into your work ergonomics has many health benefits and allows you to work more comfortably and productively. There are many types of footrests available on the market now with different features depending on the desk setup and user preference. No More Pain Ergonomics have a wide range of footrests to address the needs of all users, these can be found here. If you have any specific questions on footrests and how we can assist in finding the best solution, please contact our team on: info@nomorepainergonomics.com.au today!