Most of us spend at least 8-10 sitting at our desks. It can get both tiring and painful. While we tend to care about the comfort of the chair or the desk setup, we often forget our feet.
Don’t you sometimes just feel like you don’t know where to put them? No matter what you do it’s just uncomfortable? That then results in you being less efficient than usual.
Later, you notice that your back is starting to hurt too. All in all, footrests can be just as important for the right, productive office setup as anything else.
The only question is, what’s the best under-desk footrest? More on that below.
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Benefits of Using a Foot Rest
I bet you’re wondering why you should even use a footrest. No matter what your age is. Overall, there are a few significant benefits that these products have for your health.
And I think you should be aware of them!
Improves Blood Circulation
A footrest encourages your feet movement. Also, elevating your feet even a little bit shows blood circulation improvements. If you have a footrest, it might be a good idea to bring it to bed and place your feet on it while laying.
Having your feet at the same level as your heart (or higher) shows significant improvements in blood circulation (source). If you’re looking to improve your blood circulation, you can use a foot warmer too.
Alleviates Pain
Sometimes we don’t even realize how strained our muscles are. They often don’t have a chance to rest.
That’s where a footrest comes in. It finally gives your muscles a possibility to relax, that, in turn, results in pain relief.
Thus, forget about your hip, lower back, ankle and foot pain. I think that’s especially important if you have a desk job since back pain becomes so common when you sit all day (source).
Improves Your Productivity
The math is simple here. The more comfortable you feel at that desk, the more work you’re going to do.
I think that’s a win-win situation in any case. Obviously, some desks come with their own footrests that can feel heavenly!
And I’m sure that any short person can appreciate one too.
What’s the Best Under Desk Foot Rest?
Here are some of my own picks. I highlighted the most important feature of each product that I think might matter the most.
Foot Rest Cushion by Well Desk
This footrest is soft yet sturdy enough to last you long. It’s easy to wash as you can easily take off the cover since it’s with a little zip.
Also, it has an anti-slip thread that leaves no blemishes on the floor. When it comes to the dimensions of the item, it’s 4’’ tall, 12’’ deep and 17.5’’ long.
The foam of this footrest cushion is pretty hard. You can even stand on it but it’s still comfortable.
Thus, it doesn’t wear out and stays firm. Probably one of the highest quality cushion footrests out there just now.
Mind Reader Ergonomic Foot Rest
This product is the complete opposite of the one above. It’s plastic and hard.
The footrest has 3 adjustable angles, which is quite useful. Finding the right angle is sometimes very key to feeling comfortable while sitting.
Overall, it’s easy to store but has rigid edges. That mostly means that you might find it more comfortable with shoes on rather than barefoot.
If you do choose to use it without shoes on, the bumps can either create the massaging effect or just annoy you. Depends on your preference.
All in all, it’s one of the cheapest footrests out there, and it does the job.
STYDDI 2 Pack Inflatable Foot Rest
This inflatable footrest obviously has both advantages and disadvantages to it. First, it’s made out of PVC that’s very easy to wash and soft.
Second, it’s very easy to store. You can bring it anywhere – your office, bus trip, and plane.
But, it might not necessarily be the most comfortable one. Also, sharp objects can easily burst it.
Overinflating it has its dangers too. Overall, a good product if you need to travel a lot of work and need something extra portable.
Foot Rest by Office Ottoman
This one works extra well in the office. It has a removable cloth that can easily be washed in a washing machine.
It’s also made out of antimicrobial, hypoallergenic medical grade foam. The product dimensions are 17.5 x 11.5 x 4.
It does look slightly bigger in the picture than it really is. It has a 30-day warranty.
Good to know in case the product gets damaged. While it’s pretty sturdy, the foam might get squishy after using it for a year or so.
Adjustable Under Desk Ergonomic Foot Rest
How does a small hammock under the desk sound like? When I first found out that a product like this one exists, I was confused.
It didn’t seem comfortable at all. But, it actually is. The best feature of the hammock is the adjustable straps so you can get it to the level/angle that suits you.
It’s quite long too – 25.7 inches, which means that your feet can comfortably stay on it. It’s sturdy too, so should keep up with your feet even if you’re on a heavier side.
Overall, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. You might either find very comfortable or very uncomfortable.
Foot Rest Cushion by Smart n Comfy
I personally like this product because it has a higher arch than the other cushions. It’s 6’’ high, and, therefore, works well if you want to rest your ankles a little bit.
Lay down even. While I know it’s not always possible to do that in the office, that’s still something you can appreciate it.
It’s a good product if you’re a smaller person because a few inches do add up. Even though the cushion has an anti-slip cover, it still slides a little bit. That can be genuinely annoying.
Conclusion
Out of all the footrests I’ve reviewed, I think the one by Well Desk is the best. That’s mostly because it’s very sturdy, long lasting.
Also, you can flip it and swing it a little bit. It’s good to move your feet here and there. It helps to improve your blood circulation and warm the feet up.