The $25 Find That Accidentally Fixed My Posture (and Got Rid of My Back Pain!)

"I've spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to perfect my work-from-home setup. I've tweaked the height of my chair and desk, and even tried several different laptop stands that promised everything and delivered little more than vibes. What I didn't expect was that the thing that would finally bring me comfort and help with my back pain would be a $25 ergonomic footrest - an object I had previously filed under "unnecessary office accessories." And yet, here I am."

"Before the footrest, my posture situation was bleak. I'd start the day sitting like a functional adult, only to slowly devolve into a forward-slouching, feet-tucked-under-legs pretzel. By mid-afternoon, my lower back had that dull, nagging ache that made it hard to focus. I thought that was just the price of sitting at a desk. Turns out, my feet were the problem. But without even trying, I had found a solution."

"The BlissTrends Foot Rest has become my favorite desk upgrade. It's small, affordable, and doesn't require rearranging your space or buying a whole new chair. This height-adjustable foam footrest takes up basically no visual space, works barefoot or with shoes, and slides under your desk when you're done. Plus, it comes with a cover that can be easily removed and thrown into the washing machine. It's the definition of low commitment, high reward."

""Most desk posture issues start with where your feet are," says Dr. Mikel Daniels, a Baltimore-based podiatrist and founder of WeTreatFeet Podiatry. When your feet hang, don't quite reach the floor, or you're constantly pulling them back under your chair, the rest of your body has to make up for it. That compensation travels upward fast with "malposition of the pelvis, lumbar spine,"

Extensive adjustments to a work-from-home setup—including chair and laptop stand changes—failed to relieve persistent lower-back ache until a $25 BlissTrends height-adjustable foam footrest was used. Correcting foot placement reduced forward slouching and mid-afternoon lower-back discomfort by promoting better pelvic alignment. The footrest is compact, affordable, height-adjustable, usable with or without shoes, slides under a desk, and includes a removable, machine-washable cover. Improper foot support forces the rest of the body to compensate, affecting the pelvis and lumbar spine, according to a Baltimore-based podiatrist.

Read at Apartment Therapy