Office Chair Footrests and their Effect on your Good Sitting Posture

The ergonomic footrest for chair may be seen as a minor accessory to top ergonomic pieces of furniture like the office chair, but it makes a lot of difference. The degree of that difference depends on the characteristics and preference of the user. The footrests comfort the users and at the same time provides him /her with a good posture.

What is an ergonomic footrest for chair? Why is it so important?

An ergonomic footrest for chair is simply known as support for the feet while sitting. From the definition, you can get its purpose. And that is to support or provide the necessary comfort for a person’s leg as he/she sits. Sometimes the person’s legs can’t reach the floor in a flat manner so it leads to him or her using the footrest.

The importance of an ergonomic footrest is like that of the ergonomic office chair’s backrest, armrests, and headrest. It is because the footrest serves a common purpose like the rest of them which is to provide support and comfort to the users.

The stable surface of a footrest keeps the user’s body posture in good condition. Especially while sitting. The reason is that as a person sits on an ergonomic office chair they will experience constant support from the flat footrests.  

The footrest’s importance doesn’t stop there. Also, with the footrest in combination with all other ergonomic furniture, it can support the easy circulation of blood through the good posture it provides. This will improve comfort, health, and productivity in the workplace.

Reasons why you would need an ergonomic footrest for chair

As one shops for office furniture/set up such adjustable office chairs and desks, he/she would normally consider only the comfort for their backs, shoulders, and necks. But there will be little or no concern for the legs or feet. One can’t attain the greatest comfort like that.

 The reason is that, if the legs and feet are not comfortable or well-supported, it could then lead to causing discomfort. Sometimes it’s worse, the user’s circulation could be disrupted thereby leading to long-term health issues.

With all that said, it is highly advisable to buy a footrest along with an ergonomic office chair. They are built to offer the best comfort and health while sitting. Why else do people tend to feel more comfortable in a salon? It’s because those chairs have footrests. Also, in the sitting room, there are special chairs that possess an office chair footrest which ensures utmost comfort.

To elaborate on why footrests make ergonomic office chairs more comfortable than they already are, there are reasons why:

The ergonomic footrest for chair can be height-friendly

Shorter people who find it difficult to sit comfortably in an ergonomic office chair due to seat height will find the chair much more comfortable with the office chair footrest. Shorter users don’t have to go looking for office chairs with low seat height, they can just find that perfect office chair irrespective of its height. The reason is that the footrest can be adjusted to the height of the user.

As a short person is sitting on an office chair with a very high seat height, he/she won’t be able to do certain things. Such as seating with feet flat or distribute their full weight properly. The footrest will provide this freedom to users. In summary, with the footrest, shorter people will be able to enjoy the full benefit of an average height user.

The footrest encourages active sitting

Several research and studies were done and it was discovered that sitting still for a whole day is bad for people both health-wise and comfort–wise. The main reason is that human beings are prone to be comfortable as long as there is room for movement.

There are office chairs that provide support for the back, necks, and shoulders, but they may not allow that much movement. So this is where the footrests come in. there are certain electronic footrests that have several settings that ensure active movement which will lead to active sitting.

With those settings, the legs will move in such a way it causes easily circulation of blood in the user’s body. In the process, the legs along with the rest of the body will be comfortable. 

They work hand-in-hand with an adjustable desk

As the office chair footrest attachment is useful to workers on a sitting desk, so it is also for workers that make use of a standing desk. There is no difference or diversion from the footrest’s primary function which is to provide the maximum comfort of a user.

The thing about using a footrest while using a standing desk is its ability to extend one’s standing time while working. And the office chair footrest is known to increase a user’s standing time up by 30%. This means the footrests maximize the comfort and health effect of standing while you work.

With the features of the footrest, it can also go hand-in-hand with an electronic smart desk such as our Autonomous AI smart desk 3. The desk human-friendly and it is able to switch between a standing desk and a sitting one. Both the desk and the footrest with an ergonomic office chair such as our basic ergo 2 chair will provide the user comfort and productivity while in the workplace for long hours.

The footrest encourages easy blood circulation

As one uses the ergonomic footrest for chair he/she will begin to experiences some form of elevation. This means there are good blood flow and circulation of blood. This will lead to a decrease in pressure on one’s leg and also on his/her lower back.

Their certain designs are done and material used on the office chair footrest attachment, they all have a hand in the easy flow or circulation of blood. For instance, some make use of a waterfall design similar to the one used on an ergonomic office chair pan. The kind of materials used to build a footrest could be wood, some sort of cushion and so on. There are many materials that can be used.

3 major benefits of using an ergonomic footrest for chair

The ergonomic footrest for chair is known to have over three major benefits. They include good posture, good blood circulation and improved back experience.

Good posture

This is one of the main benefits of using a footrest with an ergonomic office chair. For this good posture to be attained by a user he/she must be able to relive all strains on all points of his/her body. Especially the legs, because without the legs being comfortable while sitting there will be discomfort. And it will be due to the lack of even distribution of the user’s leg weight. 

There is a way in which a person can seat while using a footrest. Following the steps will help to maintain or to correct the user’s posture.

•    When sitting with an office chair footrest attachment, the hips should be a bit higher than the knees

•    As the feet are flat, try to move them about the footrest, don’t stay stiff for long

•    As the footrest is being used, persons with pressure on their back despite the ergonomic design of the chair will still be able to ease up the pressure

•    If the feet can’t be flat on the footrest,  then it should be an adjustable footrest so that this way the user will be able to adjust his/her feet according to preferences

Improved circulation through movement

It is a fact that staying/sitting in one place for a long time is bad for one’s health and comfort. The reason is that it would lead to poor blood circulation which can cause the forming of blood cloth, stiffness and so on. If one keeps his/her feet on an ergonomic footrest will significantly reduce the possibility of getting circulatory issues as said earlier.

It is best for a worker to alter his/her sitting position as many times as possible. It can be done by adjusting the hips, moving the feet and lifting the arms. With these slight altering of posture, it will lead to a better blood circulation and thereby increase one’s productivity in the office. If you wish to, you can always change your posture every 10 minutes for each hour in a workday.

No back problems

Long hours in the office on an office chair with no footrest means there will be an improper positioning of the user’s feet. And it is sure to put a strain on the user’s spine and can cause any kind of lumbar injury if care is not taking. Even if the chair being used is a top ergonomic office chair.

With the help of an ergonomic footrest for chair, all the strains on the spine will be prevented especially with a top ergonomic office chair. The office chair footrest will allow the user to sit way back in the chair and not risk slouching in the end. This way there will be a correct ergonomic angle which will be maintained that will reduce the pressure on the user’s spine or back region.

There is a widely accepted premise that the optimum seating position is the one with a slightly reclined back which will be preferable with a synchronizer mechanism. This mechanism is supposed to allow free movement as a worker is busy on a computer.

The ergonomic footrest is able to significantly increase the point of contact with the chair’s back supports. It is done by sitting with a slight decline of the backrest. This slight recline will cause ease in muscle activity around the user’s spine and it will help to reduce lumbar disc pressure.  

Tips for buying a footrest

When buying an ergonomic footrest for chair it is best to consider some certain factors which will ensure you get good quality. These factors all help to solve problems experienced by people who lack and are in need of an office chair footrest attachment. They could be experiencing pains on the back, neck, and legs. Discomfort in any of these part will mean discomfort all over the person’s body.

Parts of an ergonomic office chair may solve specific issues, but the footrest in combination with the office chair and desk will sync up everything in such a way it becomes comfortable.

Here are the factors to consider before buying an ergonomic footrest:

• Its surface area and texture – when this comes to mind it means the footrest should be able to prevent sliding. So that the feet of the user will not just slip off when he/she is trying to find that perfect sitting posture. As the slips of the office chair footrest, he/she will end up slouching. This will then lead to an experience discomfort which will affect other body parts such as the back and neck.
• Adjustability – this factor is important because it enables people of different heights to enjoy the features of a footrest and a full ergonomic setup (office chair and desk).
• Heating and cooling features – these are optional in a footrest, but if one wishes to have their experience on a premium, this is the factor to consider. For those in cold regions, they can enjoy the warmth of the footrest as they work in the office.
• Foot-lever control – this features gives the user freedom to adjust the footrest according to his/her preference.
• Portability – the footrest should be at most 2lbs or less. After all, you can’t go around carrying a massage carpet.

Conclusion

The footrests do play a large role in ensuring the comfort of a person. The three benefits in which a user of the footrest and ergonomic chair include good posture, no back issues and a better circulation of blood. With all these benefits the user is sure to remain comfortable, healthy and productive in the office workplace.

In summary, adding an ergonomic footrest for chair to one’s budget when looking for the perfect workstation will mean he/she is:

•    Improving comfort levels

•    Reducing the possibility of an injury

•    Correcting the posture

As the footrest helps in maintaining comfort, health, and productivity in the office, so does our office products in autonomous.ai. Visit here to check out complete office setups like the autonomous ergonomic office chairs, standing desks and other office accessories. 

If you wish to get more updates from our blog, please leave an email in the box below.