Sitting ergonomically at your desk is challenging.
To do it right, you need to raise or lower your chair so that your arms at the keyboard are parallel to the floor, raise or lower your monitor so the top of it is at eye level, and make sure your feet are supported. If everything else is right but your legs are dangling, you need to use a footrest.
Beyond ergonomics, a footrest can also encourage healthier, active sitting by engaging your feet to rock back and forth for better leg circulation. The plushy ComfiLife Foot Rest and the sturdy Humanscale FR300 Ergonomic Foot Rocker are better than a plastic footrest at helping you maintain proper posture and feel more comfortable at your desk.
Our pick
This footrest has a washable cover and high-density foam that offers firm yet cushy support for your feet. It can be used as a foot rocker, and the 2-inch detachable base lets you adjust the height.
In our testing, we found that the ComfiLife Foot Rest offered firm, all-day comfort. Unlike plastic footrests, which tend to be clunky and feel cheap, it has a foam construction that just feels good to use.
Its plushy surface and soft give make you want to press your feet into the cushion and stretch your ankles, and for added movement, you can flip it over for rocking. With a detachable base, you can use this footrest at either a 3.9-inch or 5.9-inch height.
The ComfiLife Foot Rest stays in place on hard and carpeted floors alike, and the cover is easily removable for tossing in the washing machine (gentle cycle only). Plus, unlike competing foam footrests, it has a nonremovable cloth cover over the memory-foam inserts, which makes them easier to remove and adds to the footrest’s overall high-quality feel.
Upgrade pick
With its hardwood platform and steel frame, this footrest looks good under a desk and is solid enough to withstand constant use. It rocks smoothly and can be adjusted in height up to 3 inches.
The Humanscale FR300 Ergonomic Foot Rocker (listed on Amazon as the FM300) is like a rocking chair for your feet. The large, wooden platform glides easily over the metal frame with ball-bearing rollers. Nonskid surface strips on top keep your feet in place, but they also make this footrest better for using with shoes, rather than with socks or bare feet.
The FR300’s solid construction feels light-years ahead of cheaper plastic footrests and justifies the higher price. And the gentle rocking that this footrest encourages can help you engage your legs and ankles.
