Long and hectic work hours are common in the corporate world. Spending at least eight hours at work is the workplace norm that extends to home offices as many individuals with desk jobs opt for remote work. However, let's not forget that "sitting is the new smoking," and if you have a desk job, you should know the risks associated with prolonged sitting.
Being in the same position for too long can strain your spine, knees, hips, and other body parts. Moreover, repetitive movements often associated with a desk job, such as typing or using a mouse, can increase the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
Fortunately, given the advancements in technology today, there are several ergonomic office accessories that can help you manage your risk of injuries associated with a desk job. From ergonomic mouse and keyboard trays to footrests, numerous ergonomic office accessories can help you stay healthy while working.
If you are an individual with a desk job that requires you to spend most of your awake time on your desk, you need to ensure that you provide support to your body in every possible manner, and one of the ways to do so is to invest in an ergonomic footrest.
But what is an ergonomic footrest, and what is the science behind ergonomic footrests? Do ergonomic footrests actually work and make a worthy investment, or do they make an overrated workplace accessory?
Let's find out what ergonomic footrests are and how having an ergonomic footrest for your workstation can benefit you if you have a desk job.
The Science Behind Footrests
An ergonomic footrest is a workplace accessory that is designed to provide adequate support to your feet while you are at work. The ergonomic position of the feet while sitting on a chair should be such that your feet lie flat on the ground. While most ergonomic office chairs provide an adjustability feature that allows users to place their feet flat on the ground, many sitting solutions that are commonly used in offices today don't provide the support your feet need to stay in an ergonomic position.
In that case, if you sit on a chair that is too high and doesn't provide you support to place your feet, you may be inclined to sit on the chair with your legs crossed. Studies indicate that sitting with your legs crossed for a longer time (3 hours or more) can lead to several health problems, including forward head posture, shoulder strain, and strain on your pelvic region. Moreover, inadequate movement of your legs for a long time period can significantly increase your risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Since using a footrest encourages appropriate placement of the feet and movement of your ankle and feet while you are sitting, its usage can help reduce the risk of several health conditions.
4 Ways Using a Footrest Can Benefit Individuals With a Desk Job
At a glance, a footrest may seem like an irrelevant workplace accessory. Why would anyone need a footrest when they already have ergonomic workplace essentials like an ergonomic office chair and a functional desk?
However, many individuals with a desk job don't realize the difference this simple addition can make to your comfort while you spend long hours at the desk. Most individuals with a desk job are unaware of the impact of using a footrest on your body and its functions and that's what we look at below. Let's look at a few ways using a footrest can benefit individuals with a desk job.
1. Helps Boost Blood Circulation
When your job requires you to spend long hours at your work, it eventually results in poor blood circulation, especially in the lower part of your body. As a result, it is common for individuals with a desk job to experience tingling sensations and numbness in the feet. In some cases, poor circulation to the lower body contributes to swelling of the feet and heaviness, which can affect daily life activities. Moreover, poor circulation can also affect other parts of your body, and one of the warning signs that most individuals with a desk job often experience is fatigue.
Using a footrest helps find a solution to the problem of poor blood circulation. When your feet are adequately supported while providing you with room for movement, it can significantly reduce your risk of developing health issues associated with poor circulation. Moreover, the positive implications will not be limited to your lower body as your entire body will experience improved blood circulation.
2. Lowers Your Risk of Spinal Concerns
A major drawback of a desk job is the increased risk of spinal disorders. Prolonged sitting is a significant cause of several lower back problems, the risk of which multiples if you don't maintain appropriate posture while sitting.
Prolonged sitting, especially in inappropriate posture, is a leading cause of back pain, joint degeneration, spinal dysfunction, spinal disc bulge, and rounded shoulders. Issues with spinal health remain a leading cause of economic costs for organizations and economies that lead to a loss of more than $100 billion every year. The loss is attributed terms of health costs for the organization, reduced productivity, and absenteeism.
Using a footrest can serve as a way to manage spinal concerns. A footrest helps reduce back strain and allows individuals with a desk job to constantly change position while shifting weight from one foot to another. Hence, individuals with a desk jobs do not have to forcefully keep their bodies in the same position, which lowers the risk of spinal concerns.
Moreover, using a footrest also helps align posture, aids in reducing fatigue associated with prolonged sitting, and eases pain and discomfort of the ankles, knees, feet, and thighs.
Hence, using a footrest is one of the effective ways to lower your risk of spinal concerns.
3. Positively Improves Your Posture
Using an ergonomic footrest brings one of the lesser-known benefits of allowing you to keep your body upright. Since your legs are not hanging uncomfortably while using a footrest, the blood flow in your lower body is improved. When there is less risk of circulation issues, there are reduced chances of leg pain, numbness, stiffness, and the risk of developing blood clots or varicose veins.
But apart from all these benefits, using a footrest can dramatically positively impact your posture. For employees with a desk job who spend around half of their working time slouching over their screen, it is common for them to experience back pain which can negatively impact productivity. However, using a footrest allows you to maintain a more relaxed and comfortable body position and inhibit you from slouching.
As a result, using a footrest is one of the ways to improve your posture. While it is a lesser-known benefit of using a footrest, it's a major one, and every employee who is required to spend long hours in front of the screen on the desk must know it.
4. Enhances Comfort Levels
Many organizational studies support the idea that employees are more productive when they work in a comfortable environment. Moreover, studies also confirm that discomfort is technically a distraction that affects employees' ability to focus and produce quality work.
If you are an employee with a desk job, you can significantly enhance your comfort levels by adding a footrest to your workstation. This simple addition to your workstation can reduce strain on your body, enhance blood circulation and improve posture, contributing to enhanced comfort levels. Whether you have a conventional workstation
that requires you to maintain a sitting position for a long or a standing desk, adding a footrest can provide much-needed relief as it allows you to shift your weight
on both feet. In fact, even when the popularity of height-adjustable standing desks is on the rise, the benefits that a footrest can provide shouldn't be undermined.
Final Words
Incorporating the use of a footrest in your workstation can bring several benefits to your body and productivity. From improved posture to enhanced blood circulation, reduced risk of spinal disorders, and greater comfort levels, there are several ways having a footrest can benefit individuals with a desk job.
If you are looking for ways to enhance the comfort level of your workstation to enhance your comfort and productivity, get in touch with FlexiSpot, which is home to ergonomic office furniture and accessories. From ergonomic office chairs to height-adjustable workstations and accessories that serve as a footrest, this amazing brand has something for everyone. Get in touch with us today and learn more about how you can improve the functionality of your workstation.
