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Working long hours at a desk can not only be tiring, but can also put a strain on your body if you don’t have the right equipment and support throughout your working day.
A desk footrest can be a pain reliever, especially if you have any health issues or back pain as it encourages you to align your posture.
However, with an array of desk footrests available to buy on the market, how can you know which is the right choice for you? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve compiled a list of the 5 best desk footrests. Alongside this, we’ve written a helpful buyer’s guide and answered some frequently asked questions that might have crossed your mind, also.
This memory foam footrest features an ergonomic teardrop design for improved posture and conforms to your specific body contours.
Switching from the hard ground to a soft and comfortable desk footrest is a simple life change that will help to lessen foot pressure and can improve circulation!
Pros:
Multipurpose! This footrest can be used for a variety of reasons and has a non-slip bottom so that there’s no risk of it slipping from underneath your feet.
Easy to maintain! The soft velour cover is entirely machine washable, simply remove the cover and place it into your washing machine at your convenience.
The ergonomically contoured structure lets you place your feet in numerous positions to support your arches.
Cons:
One customer claimed that the memory foam became flat after significant use.
The ErgoFoam Adjustable Footrest is made out of foam construction, offering both firm support and all-day comfort.
This adjustable footrest lets you add or remove inches to your footrest for maximum comfort, which makes it a great option for people of all heights.
ErgoFoam's ergonomic footrest is available in either premium velvet or breathable mesh, so you can easily care for and maintain this footrest for years to come!
Pros:
Portable! Use ErgoFoam at home, work, or while traveling for extra comfort on long journeys. Travel in style with a piece of home to help you work on the go.
Suitable for everyone! Adjust the height to 3.9" or 5.9" to suit your comfort.
Flip it over and the ErgoFoam becomes a rocker to keep your feet moving, helping you to improve your circulation.
Cons:
A few customers noted that they found the material of this particular footrest to be more slippy than they were expecting.
The HUANUO Adjustable Footrest is designed with support and comfort in mind.
The firm pillow provides a comfortable elevation of 4.15 inches with an additional 1.75 inches by attaching an extended piece.
The high-rebound footstool comes with massaging microbeads and magic tape, keeping the footrest in place on the majority of surfaces, improving circulation, and allowing you to adjust the height.
Pros:
Easy to clean! No special cleaning precautions are required. Machine washable fabric covers for easy cleanup.
This footrest for under desk is suitable for use at home, office or airplane.
The HUANUO footrest comes with 2 optional covers. One of them with massaging microbeads for lower height, one of them with magic tape & massaging microbeads for higher height.
Cons:
A couple of customers noted that they struggled with this particular footrest becoming lumpy and losing its plushness.
The Mind Reader Comfy Rest is designed to improve leg circulation and reduce stress and pressure from your neck and back.
This footrest features a foot massage pebbled surface specially designed for an instant foot massage! Ease the pressure of a stressful day whilst you work with this footrest.
The ridged top allows your feet to grip onto the footrest comfortably and without slipping off.
Pros:
Easy and convenient! No assembly required, your footrest comes ready to use. Just unpack it and you’ve got the perfect office companion.
The adjustable design means that you can set it at the angle and height that's most comfortable for you.
Folds flat for easy storage for when it’s not in use! Particularly handy if you like to have a tidy office space.
Cons:
One customer claimed that this footrest became wobbly and was hard to keep in the specific position that they wanted.
The 5 STARS UNITED Footrest is specifically designed with working for long hours in mind, providing the additional support you need to maintain good posture throughout the day.
The cushion insert is made from 100% memory foam that conforms to your feet and helps to relieve pressure. Make working at a desk more comfortable with the 5 STARS UNITED footrest!
This high-quality footrest boasts a breathable material that is easy to maintain for your convenience.
Pros:
This footrest is recommended by orthopedic doctors, helping you to correct your posture while seated.
100% money-back guarantee should you feel dissatisfied with your purchase, so you don’t have to worry about choosing this footrest!
Improves posture! This ergonomic footrest is perfect for everyone who spends a lot of time seated and encourages you to modify your position regularly so you don’t become stiff.
Cons:
A few customers claimed that this footrest didn’t offer as much support as they were hoping for.
Best Desk Footrest Buying Guide
There are a few things to consider when purchasing a desk footrest, but it mainly comes down to its height and the material that it is made out of.
A footrest is an investment in your health, so you want to ensure that it lasts for as long as possible. That being said, you should avoid buying a cheaper quality footrest as you may make an initial save, but you might pay the price later if your footrest doesn’t support you in the way that you’re hoping it will.
Save yourself the trouble by making sure that you get yourself a good quality footrest!
Check out the features below before clicking ‘buy’.
Adjustability & height
An important factor to consider when purchasing a footrest is the adjustability and height. It is very important for the footrest to be quickly and easily adjustable.
This is because you’ll ideally want your footrest to be as versatile as possible to be able to sit in as many positions as possible, and if it doesn’t have adjustable settings you might find that you’re limited by its functionality.
The majority of footrests come with adjustable height settings. However, some don’t, so you’ll need to make sure that you check the specifications on the manufacturer’s website before purchasing it to be safe.
Materials
Something important that you will need to consider when choosing a footrest is the material that it is made out of. This is because a lot of the time the quality of the material can subsequently affect the durability of the product, too.
Some commonly used materials for footrests include:
Foam - Foam is a commonly used material for footrests as it provides comfort and support. However, it can look less luxurious than its leather counterpart.
Plastic - Plastic is a durable material used for footrests, but is harder and can be less comfortable to use for long periods of time.
Leather - Leather is also used for footrests, and is a durable, more luxurious material. However, it tends to be more expensive.
Wood - Wood is also a commonly used material for footrests as it is durable and relatively inexpensive.
Mesh - Mesh is also used for footrests as it is a breathable material that is also relatively easy to maintain.
Whichever material you choose, take into consideration how many hours you intend to be using it per day as this will help you to determine the best material for you and your lifestyle. If you can afford a high-quality material, then we recommend that you don’t cut corners when it comes to investing in a footrest that could improve your posture and health.
Durability
An important factor to consider when purchasing a footrest is how durable it is. The material is likely to affect this factor as we’ve mentioned before, but how you treat the product will also determine how long it will last.
You could have a very durable footrest, but that only goes so far if you’re not looking after the product as you should. To make the footrest last and keep it smelling fresher for longer, ensure that you’re wearing clean socks when using it.
Alongside this, avoid damaging it or misshaping it (if it’s foam or another soft material) with heavy shoes or any dirt that your shoes might have picked up, as you want your investment to last as long as possible.
You can usually tell if a product is durable by looking at the product reviews section. If a customer appears to be dissatisfied with the product, then they will have likely written a review telling you so. Always make sure that you check the product reviews before purchasing a product, especially when it comes to buying something from a brand you’ve never heard of before.
Maintenance
Another important factor to take into account is how much maintenance your footrest will require in order to keep it in a good condition.
If your footrest is made out of fabric, you’ll want to ensure that it is easy to wash it yourself as fabrics can absorb sweat more than a plastic footrest would for instance.
If you don’t make sure that your footrest is safe to wash, you could eventually find that it starts to smell, which no one wants!
Depending on your preferences, you might decide that the best option for you is to buy a footrest with a breathable fabric, particularly if you know that your feet are more likely to sweat throughout the day.
That being said, look for a footrest that says it is safe to either hand or machine wash. This way, you’ll be able to maintain and properly look after your footrest for years to come!
Surface size
Something important to think about when purchasing a footrest is the surface size. This is because you’re likely to be using it for hours on end as you work, especially if you work full-time, so it needs to be a big enough surface that you’re comfortable with.
A footrest is designed for your comfort and to relieve pressure. That being said, you’ll need to take your shoe size into consideration, as this will determine how large your surface will need to be in order for you to feel as comfortable as you can be.
If you pick a footrest that has too small of a surface, you could find that you’re more comfortable with your feet on the floor which will defeat the whole purpose of investing in a footrest!
Inclination angles
You’ll need to take into account the adjustable inclination angles that your footrest platform is capable of performing.
Typically speaking, a footrest should be at least 45 cm wide and 35 cm deep and have an adjustable range of at least 11 cm. The inclination angle of the support surface should be adjustable at least from 5 to 15 degrees. This will allow you to change your position throughout the day and generally will allow you to be more comfortable.
Always make sure that you are satisfied with the footrest’s product specifications before purchasing it. If in doubt about the inclination angles, you can always do your own research on the specific brand of the footrest that you’re looking at.
Extra features
Something to take into account when purchasing a footrest is any extra features that it may come with.
Lots of footrests come with a textured or pebbled surface that works to massage your feet as you work and can improve circulation!
Warranty or cash back guarantee
When purchasing a footrest, an important factor to take into consideration is how long the warranty lasts and whether it comes with a cash back guarantee.
If you’ve been disappointed by a product in the past, you know how helpful it is to know that you can get your money back or that you can have the product replaced should you feel dissatisfied with your purchase.
A warranty helps cover you in the eventuality that anything with your product goes wrong if it’s faulty and a cash back guarantee is a bonus that is rarer to come across, although some companies do offer it!
Make sure to check the manufacturer’s website for more information on the warranty and whether a product can be returned, and make sure that you’re happy before heading to the checkout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the health benefits of using a footrest?
There are multiple health benefits of using a footrest. Namely, a footrest can align your posture. When we sit with our legs flat on the floor for long periods of time, the blood can eventually pool in the lower part of our legs.
A footrest helps to stop this from happening and reduces pressure on your legs, helping to promote improved blood circulation, and helping to prevent blood clots related to deep vein thrombosis.
They’re also a great product to invest in as you begin to age, as they also relieve pressure on the lower back and decrease swelling and varicose veins.
What angle should a footrest be?
As a general rule, the inclination angle of the support surface should be adjustable at least from 5 to 15 degrees, in order to offer you the right amount of support.
Your best bet is to buy a footrest that is easily adjustable and caters to multiple different heights.
Do footrests help to improve your posture?
The short answer to this question is yes, footrests can help align your posture! As a footrest encourages movement of the feet and ankles when seated, the user is less likely to stay in an entirely static position for long periods of time.
Studies have shown that people working at a desk will benefit from changing their posture so that they mix a combination of sitting, standing, leaning, and use of a footrest as much as possible.
This is because you don’t want your blood to pool when you’re sat with your feet on the floor for long periods of time, as it can lead to more serious health issues down the line as we’ve explained in more detail above.
