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Foot Rests

Footrests are allies of good posture. A person with poor posture sitting at his or her workstation for hours on end may develop typing injuries, strain on the lower back, and other pains. For good posture, a person must keep his or her body position in mind:

• relaxed shoulders

• neutral (not raised) wrists

• tucked in chin

• eyes level with the top or middle of the computer screen

• small of back supported by back of the chair

• elbows at 90 degrees

• knees are not higher than the hips (level, or slightly lower)

• chair height reaches the tip of the shoulder blades

• feet should reach the ground – a footrest is necessary if the chair is too high or the legs too short.

If a person has short legs or a chair that is too high (perhaps the chair needed to be raised to keep the eyes level with the top/middle of the computer screen…), then he or she might do a few things to try to stay comfortable: the person will adjust his or her sitting position to accommodate the feet. To get the feet touching the floor, he or she will likely slouch in the chair or scoot to the very edge of it. These two positions do not promote good posture.

However, by simply using a footrest, posture can be improved. Keep these things in mind:

• It is not necessary to go out and spend a ton of money on a footrest (although, it can be nice to have an adjustable footrest and/or a massaging one). Instead, a person can use binders, boxes, phonebooks, or other items at hand.

• The footrest should tilt from front to back.

• Adjust the footrest so that your knees are at about a 90 degree angle – this angle promotes the best circulation.

• A footrest will promote good circulation and can reduce both leg strain and lower back pains.

The prevention of typing injuries starts at the feet – footrests can greatly reduce the strain of typing.

Note: before purchasing or setting up a footrest, consider solving the problem by lowering the chair and work surface. Some people complain that the use of a footrest restricts their movement around the office space while seated. Also, regardless of whether you use a footrest or not, change your foot position often – doing so will help prevent cramping and injuries.