I spend a lot more time sitting at a table now than I used to. As a teacher, I was on my feet walking around my class most of the time. But now that I teach from the table in my room, I’ve found that I need to reconsider quite a few things about my work environment.
One of those things I never knew I needed until I got one to review is a cushioned footrest. But after recording lecture videos for hours, giving my feet a break (we don’t have plush carpet) really does make a difference.
The Ergofoam footrest is beautifully simple in its design. The adjustable model they sent me has two parts: the main part is half of a cylinder made from firm foam with a lush velvet cover. (The company also has a model with a mesh cover.) This provides the most support, and has a cool added feature where its shape allows it to be flipped over and provide a rocker to keep your feet moving for better circulation.
The other piece is a rectangluar piece that attaches to the other piece with velcro strips. This adds height to the support if you want that, but can also serve as a cushion on it’s own–I often used this piece as a seat cushion until I replaced my chair with one that had more padding.
A little more creativity reveals even more uses. I tend to prefer to sit on the floor when watching TV rather than the couch, and the Ergofoam turned out to be the perfect backrest when I do that.
Because it’s now clear that teaching from home is my new normal, I’m happy to have the Ergofoam to keep my feet moving even just a bit and provide that extra cushion and support. At only $40, it’s something that I’d recommend to just about anyone who has to sit at a desk all day.
