Top 10 best under desk footrests
As office workers, we tend to sit up to 8 hours a day at work. This causes discomfort and pain to our body. Footrests are not so widely used in the offices, but they could significantly improve your well-being during the working day. These ergonomic products could help people with tired legs, lower back pain and poor blood circulation. Also, footrests are highly recommended for short folks or workers with high office chairs whose feet are dangling and not flat on the ground.
There are a lot of footrests on the market and it could be a time-consuming task to pick up the right one. What follows is my list with the best under desk footrests money could buy. At the end of the article you can read in detail about the numerous benefits these products bring to the table. Let's go!
10. VIVO Adjustable Footrest
VIVO was founded in 2002 in the USA and is currently operating from Goodfield, Illinois. The company started with selling electronics and fixing laptops. Over the years, VIVO started selling office equipment and ergonomic products, too - computer and monitor mounts, height adjustable desks and many more.
The VIVO Adjustable Footrest is a height adjustable product aimed at improving your posture by elevating your feet. This footrest is good for a standing or regular desk. The steel frame makes the product more durable than most of its plastic competitors.
VIVO Adjustable Footrest
- Recommended for: standing or regular desks. Alleviates back and leg pain.
- Type: regular footrest
- Surface dimensions: 15.7" × 9.8" (40 cm × 25 cm)
- Height range: from 5" to 10.25" (from 12.7 cm to 26 cm) achieved by 5 different settings
- Copyright: photo by VIVO
- Height adjustable - the footrest can move its platform to 5 different height levels
- Appropriate for standing desk users - at its highest setting the product is above 10 inches high - it's excellent for folks who use standing desks
- Textured surface - it has a textured surface which keeps your feet from sliding
- Rubber padding - it prevents your footrest from sliding
- Low quality - many users report their footrest arrived with structural defects, missing adjustment holes and bent steel from minor usage
- Unstable - the footrest does not feel stable at all
- Falls apart easily - when you try to move the footrest by its handle, the base comes off
9. Everlasting Comfort Office Foot Rest
Everlasting Comfort is a trademark owned by Upper Echelon Products. The company is based in Austin, Texas, USA.
Everlasting Comfort Office Foot Rest is a footrest cushion with an interesting teardrop shape. The product could improve the comfort of anyone sitting on a desk for prolonged periods of time, especially those with lower back pain and tired legs.
Everlasting Comfort Office Foot Rest
- Recommended for: home or office
- Type: footrest cushion
- Surface dimensions: 17" × 10.2" (43.1 cm × 25.9 cm)
- Height: 5.5" (14 cm) at the highest point
- Copyright: photo by Everlasting Comfort
- Made of memory foam - the footrest cushion is made of 100% pure memory foam with no additives
- Teardrop shape - unlike the competition, this product offers a different, more ergonomic shape
- Could be used as a rocker - if turned upside down, the product could be used as a foot rocker
- Too soft - if you need a firmer footrest cushion, this isn't the product for you
- Slides - the rubberized anti-slip bottom is not of much help if the footrest is not on a carpet
8. Sun-Flex Footrest
Sun-Flex is a Swedish furniture company that was founded in 1986. In 1996 they started their own product development and manufacturing. Today Sun-Flex offers creative solutions to common problems found in most offices.
Sun-Flex Footrest is a product with unique design. It has a steel construction, platform with adjustable height and an additional foot support. This foot rocker has a pending design patent, too.
Sun-Flex Footrest
- Recommended for: office workers
- Type: foot rocker (it doesn't lock in place)
- Surface dimensions: 19.3" × 14.5" (49 cm × 36.8 cm)
- Height levels: 3.15", 4.70" and 6.10" (8 cm, 12 cm and 15.5 cm)
- Copyright: photo by Sun-Flex
- Adjustable height - the foot rocker has 3 height levels
- Rocker design - the foot platform is tiltable. This promotes leg movement and improves blood circulation.
- Foot support - you can put your feet on a support bar - this a creative feature that is offered only by this footrest
- Non-skid feet - the footrest is stable and won't scratch your floor
- Pricey - it is expensive compared to its competitors
7. Well Desk Footrest
Well Desk is a trademark owned by Meadow Sons, LLC. The founder, Luke Soasey, works as an engineer in Intel. The company offers a small range of products - standing desks, a laptop stand and footrest.
Well Desk Footrest is a footrest cushion made of firm foam. It can greatly improve your comfort during the working day.
Well Desk Footrest
- Recommended for: office workers
- Type: footrest cushion
- Surface dimensions: 17.5" × 12" (44.5 cm × 30.5 cm)
- Height: 4" (10.2 cm)
- Copyright: photo by Well Desk
- Comfortable - made of firm 30D high-resilient foam, it's just the right density for a footrest. Compared to its plastic/wooden/steel competitors, the cushion feels more comfortable.
- Could be used as a foot rocker - if you flip the product upside down, you could use it as a rocker
- Anti-slip thread - keeps the footrest stable on most surfaces
- Gets dirty easily - it might not be the perfect choice for the office because it could get pretty dirty quickly. It's perfect for the home though.
- Too low - the height is only 4" (10.2 cm). Make sure this is enough for you before buying the product. And keep in mind, when you put your feet on, it will get a little bit lower.
- Slides - a small portion of users report the footrest could slide if it's not placed on a carpet
6. Kensington Foot Rest
Kensington was established in 1981. The founders invented the laptop security locks. Today, the company sells not only security devices, but a lot of solutions for the workplace, too. Kensington Foot Rest is a sturdy and simple product with adjustable height.
Kensington Foot Rest
- Recommended for: office workers with back pain or fatigue legs
- Type: regular footrest
- Surface dimensions: 17.7" × 13.4" (45 cm × 34 cm)
- Height range: from 3.9"- 5.5" (10 cm - 14 cm) via 4 different feet configurations
- Copyright: photo by Kensington
- Improves back and leg pain - the footrest is designed to alleviate the pain from your lower back or your legs
- Sturdy- mostly because of its feet design, it feels sturdy
- Height adjustable - this product offers 4 different height configurations of its back legs
- Anti-slip base - the footrest has rubber feet. It is stable on the floor and does not leave any scuffs.
- Elegant - in spite of being plastic, it has a sleek look
- Can't lift the front - you can only adjust the height of its back legs. Some users describe the product as tilt adjustable instead of height adjustable.
5. Dr. Foot Rest
Next, we have a footrest made of natural pinewood. This ergonomic product is sturdier and more durable compared to its plastic competitors. If you are short or your office chair is too high, you can easily tackle such issues by purchasing this footrest.
Dr. Foot Rest
- Recommended for: office workers whose feet are dangling or tired
- Type: regular footrest
- Surface dimensions: 17.7" × 11.4" (45 cm × 29 cm)
- Height: 3.3" (8.4 cm) at the lowest, 5.1" (13 cm) at the highest point
- Copyright: photo by Product Patrol
- Made of wood - this footrest is made of natural pinewood. It lasts long.
- Improves circulation - elevating your feet normalizes your blood circulation
- Non-skid rubber pads - this product sits stable on the floor
- Quality should have been higher - some customers reported exposed nails and barely attached wood pieces
- It creaks - a small portion of clients reported their footrest creaks from time to time
- Raw wood - the wood is unfinished. Dirt could easily get in it and leave stains.
4. StrongTek Wooden Footrest
StrongTek is a young company that was founded in 2016 by a data scientist and NASA engineer. They suffered from chronic pain due to the continuous office work and decided they should build ergonomic products to improve their health. Currently, the company offers office and physical therapy products.
StrongTek Footrest is an ergonomic product with rocker design and natural wood construction. The product looks lovely and can elevate your feet, and improve circulation.
StrongTek Wooden Footrest
- Recommended for: office and home. Perfect for people with sore legs.
- Type: foot rocker (does not lock in place)
- Surface dimensions: 17.7" × 10.5" (45 cm × 26.6 cm)
- Height: 4" (10.1 cm)
- Copyright: photo by StrongTek
- Sturdy construction - compared to its competitors, this product feels solid and lasts longer. It is made of heavy-duty Lauan hardwood plywood.
- Increases circulation - because of its rocker design, the footrest improves your blood circulation
- Non-slip rubber feet - the product is stable and it won't scratch your floor
- Non-skidding surface - the grip surface of the footrest is slip resistant
- Stretcher - the footrest can be used to stretch your calves. Also, it could be used as a balance board.
- Light-weight - it feels light and could be moved easily
- Bad quality feet rubber - it could start peeling off quickly. The manufacturer claims they have fixed the issue.
3. ErgoFoam Foot Rest
ErgoFoam Foot Rest is a cushion footrest by ErgoFoam. The product isn't made of soft memory foam - it's using a firm high density foam. This makes the footrest more durable. Also, the product has a velvet cover. Another interesting fact is that ErgoFoam offers three variations of the footrest cushion with different height levels.
ErgoFoam Foot Rest
- Recommended for: office workers with lower back pain or low blood circulation
- Type: footrest cushion
- Surface dimensions: 17.3" × 11.5" (44 cm × 29.2 cm)
- Height options: regular - 3.9" (10 cm), tall - 5.5" (14 cm), adjustable - 3.9" (10 cm) without base and 5.9" (15 cm) with base
- Copyright: photo by ErgoFoam
- Firm foam - it is made of high-density firm foam instead of soft memory foam
- Multiple height variations - unlike any other footrest cushion, this has three height variations. The third variation has an adjustable height - it comes with removable base.
- Rocker - when flipped over, you can use the product as a foot rocker
- Non-slip bottom - it won't slip and will keep your floor without scratches
- It gets dirty quickly - it is better to be used at home rather than in the office. If you use it with your shoes on, it could get dirty quite quickly.
2. Safco Footrest
Safco is a furniture company that was founded in 1966 in New Hope, Minnesota, USA. They offer products such as chairs, desks, tables, lamps and more. The Safco footrest is a simple and sturdy foot rocker designed to alleviate the pressure from your legs, improve your posture and comfort during the working day.
Safco Footrest
- Recommended for: office workers with tired legs or back pain
- Type: foot rocker (doesn't lock in place)
- Surface dimensions: 17.5" × 11.5" (44.4 cm × 29.2 cm)
- Height: 3.5" (8.8 cm)
- Copyright: photo by Safco
- Made of wood - it looks like plastic, but the footrest is actually made of solid wood
- Made in the USA - the product is sturdy and lasts a long time
- Encourages active sitting - the rocking motion help your legs move while you are sitting and working
- Non-skid rubber feet - it has rubber grips which make the footrest stable and keeps your floor from scuffs
- Shorter than usual - the height of the product might be lower than you expect
1. Humanscale FM300 Footrest
Humanscale was founded in 1983 by Bob King and produces premium ergonomic products for the office. Initially, the company became famous with its keyboard systems. Later, they manufactured their revolutionary Freedom Chair. Nowadays Humanscale has more than 1000 employees and is truly a leader on the market offering a wide range of solutions for the workplace.
With its classy look and feel, the FM300 footrest by Humanscale is a piece of art and crushes its competitors. This foot rocker is height adjustable and made of hardwood.
Humanscale FM300 Footrest
- Recommended for: office workers
- Type: foot rocker (does not lock in place)
- Surface dimensions: 16" × 11.875" (40.6 cm × 30.16 cm)
- Height range: from 3.75" to 6.75" (9.52 cm to 17.14 cm)
- Copyright: photo by Humanscale
- High quality - the foot rocker has а steel frame and a platform made of solid hardwood. The construction is sturdy.
- Improves blood circulation - the rocking movement increases the blood circulation of your legs
- Non-skid surface - the surface is not slippery
- Rubber feet - they protect your floor from scratches and keeps your rocker stable
- Silent - the rocker does not produce any plastic squeaking because it is made of steel, wood and rubber
- Classy look - it looks and feels premium
- Expensive - the product is pretty expensive, but you get what you pay for
Why do you need a footrest?
A footrest could be helpful in multiple ways. If you are a short guy/gal or your office chair is too high, you definitely need such an ergonomic product. Footrests could be of great value to office folks with lower back, knee or leg pain. Let's look at all of the benefits a footrest has to offer.
For short folks or high office chairs
If you are a short person but you have a regular desk, your feet are likely to be hanging in the air. Another reason for dangling feet is having a desk that is higher than needed - this will make you increase your office chair height.
The expensive way of resolving such issues is to buy a new desk with the correct height for you. A cheaper solution is to buy a footrest. In one way or another, you should have your feet flat on the ground so your weight is properly distributed.
Better blood circulation
Sitting for prolonged periods of time in your office can make you experience leg stiffness or even pain. This is where the foot rockers (footrests with rocking motion) come into play. These creative products promote active sitting and significantly improve your blood circulation. Foot rockers prevent circulatory conditions and help deter blood clotting. They are specifically recommended for office workers with legs' issues. These ergonomic products will rock your pain away.
Improved posture and decreased lower back pain
It's much harder to slouch if you are using a footrest. This product corrects your posture and makes you sit straight. Using a footrest will make your shoulders, back and knees thank you.
A footrest could alleviate the pain from your lower back. Decreasing the pressure on your spine improves your productivity and comfort.
