Glossary
Footrest
A raised platform for your feet, used when a desk or chair height leaves your feet unable to rest flat on the floor.
A footrest is a raised platform placed under a desk to support the feet when they cannot rest flat on the floor. This usually happens when chair height is raised to align the elbows and desk correctly, which can leave shorter users with their feet dangling or only partly supported.
Letting the feet hang unsupported for long periods puts pressure on the underside of the thighs, which can restrict circulation, and it removes a stable base that helps keep the pelvis and lower back in a neutral position. A footrest closes that gap so the whole leg, from hip to foot, is supported at a working desk.
Footrests range from simple fixed platforms to tilting or rocking designs that let you shift foot angle throughout the day, and some include a slight massage texture on the surface. The main sizing mistake is choosing one too low or too high for the actual gap being filled, so it is worth measuring the distance from the floor to the sole of your foot while seated correctly before choosing height.