This adjustable wooden footrest made in England from 1830 was used to raise the body to heal from injuries in hospitals and homes. We have come a long way from this type of contraption that actually worked.
When you shop and buy an ergonomic office chair you must be thinking ergonomics—the design of function and comfort. With that in mind, you will need an ergonomic footrest for moving your legs and feet to keep your blood circulating and do a little foot exercise as well. When I sit under my desk, I prefer my feet to be elevated, not placed flat on the floor. The slight elevation takes the strain off your body and spine and is more comfortable. Footrests are inexpensive, take up little space in that extra space under your desk, and are important to have for your back, neck, legs, ankles, and feet to not feel stressed and sore.
[h3line h3-text=”1. Footrests Benefit and Inspire Movement When Sitting“]
The best under desk footrest is an absolute necessity when sitting for long hours or for even a short time. They keep your legs and feet moving, elevated, and are so comfortable! Most of them move front-to-back, some have little rolling balls to stimulate the bottom of your feet when you remove your shoes. They will stop moving at a place you like best too.
[h3line h3-text=”2. Ergonomic Footrests for Best Seated Posture“]
A footrest situated under your desk and adjusted to your liking will give you the best posture and spine alignment when sitting in your chair at your desk or computer. When you don’t use a footrest, your lower back arches forward creating sore muscles and an aching back. The footrests put your lower spine in a balanced position to relax the muscles in your lower back while distributing your upper body properly. You will feel your upper body tension leave you with a footrest. Seems not important? Not true! A footrest has an enormous effect on your comfort—I’m using mine now and what a relief for my lower back pain without it.
[h3line h3-text=”3. What Footrests Do for You“]
Your trunk upper body area will move along with your feet and legs with a footrest for better circulation, comfort, and overall health. They elevate your feet giving you a more natural ankle angle. Some rock back and forth. Some need to be assembled and some are made of metal, plastic, and some have a rubberized foot surface area and some are made with foam and wood.
Besides having comfortable feet and legs, lifting your feet slightly helps tip your pelvis back to have you sitting back further in your chair using its built-in lumbar support rather than sitting in front of the support.
[h3line h3-text=”4. Short People Can Use Footrests Too!“]
Chairs are engineered, designed, and manufactured for smaller petite people, so why not have a footrest to go with your chair? You might not be able to touch the floor in your chair, but because a footrest is elevated you will no longer have the problem of where to put your feet to not have them suspended in the air. Get rid of the cardboard box or stack of phone books for a truly flexible footrest.
[h3line h3-text=”5. Everyone Can Benefit Using Footrests“]
After you get a footrest you will not see how you did without it! All people tall and short regardless of body size or weight will gain in comfort and relaxation using a footrest. By keeping your legs and feet in motion, you can reduce changes such as varicose veins, ankle and foot swelling, deep vein thrombosis—a clotting, or blockage in your veins, and keep your arteries pushing blood back to your heart. With circulation improved you will be healthier. If you don’t have a waterfall seat design on your chair, as shown in the diagram, you will definitely benefit from a footrest.
[h2line id=”top_rated” h2-text=”Top 6 Best Under Desk Footrest Reviews“]
[boxsph3 h3-text=”1. AmazonBasics Footrest“]
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The AmazonBasics footrest model number DSN-02310 fits easily under a desk or work area for feet and leg comfort. It will elevate your feet and legs for better posture, spinal alignment, and blood circulation. The top platform is free floating, will tilt back and forth with foot pressure to exercise your ankles and feet and stretch out your legs. Use it with shoes, socks, or barefooted. It stays in place on carpet.
It is made of black plastic with raised nubby bumps on top to hold your feet in place with no slipping, and will massage bare-bottomed feet to boot.
If you don’t want the top to move, tighten the 2 screws underneath and it will stay in the flat position. It works like an old treadle sewing machine.
The dimensions are 15.3-inches wide x 11.8-inches front-to-back x 3.4 inches tall and weighs 4-pounds.
Gift-wrapping is available. You will receive instructions with your footrest.
[link asin=”B01DN8TG46″ title=”Check Prices on Amazon”]
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[boxsph3 h3-text=”2. Humanscale® Footrest with Massage Balls“]
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The Humanscale® foot massager, model number FM300B, is made of dark cherry hardwood with fabric next to the roller balls for comfort incorporating the phenolic side supports. The ball-bearing black wood roller balls are on the top side for pampering the bottoms of your feet, so remove your shoes, and be comforted.
It will lift by 3-inches with the height adjustment on the side. It won’t skid on your under-desk mat, wood floor, or carpet with its rubber feet to protect surfaces. It pivots on an axis to rotate your ankles. If you don’t want to use the roller balls, flip it over for a plain side. You can rock back and forth by pushing your heels down.
Get your feet moving for health and comfort giving relief from prolonged unchanging sitting by encouraging gentle rocking of your feet and lower leg muscles to increase healthy circulation reducing stress on your lower back. It is ideal with your ergonomic sit-standing desk workstation. This is the best footrest you will ever buy!
The dimensions are top-to-bottom 6.75-inches; overall width side-to-side 16-inches; overall depth front-to-back 11.88-inches and it weighs about 5-pounds.
Give one of these to your loved ones or friends so they can stop crossing their legs and ankles for better circulation. It comes with a User’s Manual and a Lifetime Warranty.
[link asin=”B00IXE4KG0″ title=”Check Prices on Amazon”]
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[boxsph3 h3-text=”3. Kensington® SoleSaver Footrest“]
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The Kensington® SoleSaver Footrest, model number K56152US, keeps your legs elevated and helps your posture sitting. This is the basic model with a non-skid surface and bottom. It is gray and made of sturdy durable plastic and one of the top rated under desk footrests.
When sitting, the pressure will be lessened on your lower spine keeping you pushed back against the chair’s lumbar support. It will lock into place with the thumbscrews on the sides.
It will tilt at 10-, 15-, and 20-degrees for the elevation that feels best to you.
The Dimensions are 4.5-inches tall x 18-inches wide x 14-inches front-to-back and weighs about 2-pounds.
Gift-wrapping is available. You will receive instructions with your footrest and a 2-year Warranty.
[link asin=”B001MS70F2″ title=”Check Prices on Amazon”]
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[boxsph3 h3-text=”4. SAFCO® Remedease® Foot Cushion“]
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The SAFCO Products Company has been manufacturing office products located in New Hope, Minnesota, USA for over 50 years. They make footrests as well as this foot cushion. The model number 92311 sells well on Amazon.com® in this half-cylinder design.
The zippered cover is black nylon and is washable with the padding of 100% polyurethane hypoallergenic medical-grade foam for comfort. The flat bottom has a non-slip tread to stay put without moving around. This might support your posture and help relieve tension in your legs and feet sitting in your office chair or any chair or sofa. Flip it over for a flat area for your feet when wearing shoes.
Your feet will not be hot with shoes, socks on, or barefoot. You can use it as a headrest but it’s too large to take on an airplane. Use at your office desk or anywhere you want the comfort of a foot cushion.
The dimensions are 17-1/2-inches wide x 11-1/2-inches deep x 6-1/4-inches high weighing 1-pound.
You will receive the cushion, instructions, and a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
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[link asin=”B001MS6XW8″ title=”Check Prices on Amazon”]
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[boxsph3 h3-text=”5. Smart n Comfy Footrest Cushion“]
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The Smart n Comfy footrest cushion relieves knee pain, aching sore feet, and is anti-slip. The part number SNF 1 is perfect for office or home use. Turn upside down to rock back and forth. It will help with blood circulation and elevates the feet and legs with its half cylinder-design.
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It’s made from hypoallergenic medical-grade high-density foam with cell walls for air flow and best support. Remove the zippered black cover for washing. It also has an inner lining to protect the foam interior from dirt.
The dimensions are 16-inches wide x 10-inches front-to-back and 6-inches tall weighing about 1-pound.
Gift-wrapping is available. You will receive instructions with your footrest and a no hassle 100% 5-year guarantee refund policy.
[link asin=”B01FJ51388″ title=”Check Prices on Amazon”]
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[boxsph3 h3-text=”6. Phelrena Footrest“]
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The Phelrena footrest departs from the typical office chair footrest with its sling design. The model number WT-13 is not what I’d use at work, but that’s why they make chocolate and vanilla.
This footrest can be used as a carry-on item onto an airplane, bus, train, subway, or even your hammock slung from a couple of trees. The 2 separate foot holders are designed to rest your feet to reduce fatigue without squeezing them having a flat bottom.
The material it’s made from is high-quality canvas weighing only 3-ounces. Polyester is used for some of the other material. It will hook onto the sides of your desk if the desk is small with the 2 attached straps with buckles.
The folded size measures 8-, x 2-, x 2-inches to be compact for traveling putting in the included travel bag.
The straps are about 28-inches from the middle top to the foot and can be adjusted to be shorter.
Gift-wrapping is available. You will receive instructions with your footrest and Warranty.
[link asin=”B071WJP9MC” title=”Check Prices on Amazon”]
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Tips
Exercise while sitting moving your feet to keep lower back muscles strong.- Keep your knees together when sitting.
- Using a tilting footrest with the slope facing you, push your heels down to stretch out your lower leg muscles like your calves.
- Your feet have tons of nerves in them. Take off your shoes and massage the bottoms of your feet with the footrests that have nubby bumps on top.
Final Thoughts
At the end of your work day, you will feel better physically having the best footrest. When you do a few foot movements throughout your day, they will feel more pliable and not so stiff in the ankles. Take a break from your work area every 20 minutes and drink lots of water. Read customer reviews and hopefully, you will find a footrest that is best for your needs. Happy shopping!
Thank you Dr Jean Farber for such a wonderful post on desk footrests. I found this post to be very informative as it has helped me understand how beneficial footrests are. I also completely with you that footrest can be of great help in better posture, spinal alignment and blood circulation.