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A few years ago I ordered an inexpensive footrest for my office, and I liked it so much that I got one for my home computer station as well. I had never considered using a footrest before, even though I'm not a terribly tall person. One day, though, I took a friend's advice about making sure the monitor was ergonomically correct for me and when I tried to adjust my computer chair accordingly I found my feet weren't exactly flat on the floor. I tried adjusting the monitor to a lower level, but that didn't work. The footrest did.

As I watch children use computers, I often see that they have similar problems exacerbated by having to share computer stations with adults or older, taller children . Monitors are often placed on desks meant for older children and adults along with chairs too high for young children. Although in a perfect world very young children would have computer tables and chairs that fit their small bodies, it probably isn't in the budget for most schools or homes at this point. What can help those children whose feet are dangling dangerously at an adult computer station is a footrest. The footrest will not only make it more comfortable for them, it will also keep them from swinging their legs wildly into all the computer cables "hidden" underneath the desk. –And tiny feet terribly tangled in wires isn't good news for anyone.

There are many different types of footrests, but most are priced less than $50, with a number in the $25 range. Some are height adjustable, some tilt, some come permanently tilted, some are flat, and some even have little rolling balls or moving rollers on their surface. Most are made of plastic or vinyl although a few I spotted were constructed of slats of polished wood that make them look like a diminutive cousin of a beach chair.

If you decide that a footrest is a must for your computer station, look for one that is adjustable and has a tilt so that it can be arranged to best fit the children and/or adults in your family. If you want to encourage legs and feet into disciplined (we hope) action while seated at the computer station, you might choose the footrests that come with small rolling balls and/or rollers. These are generally a bit more expensive, but the idea behind them is that you (or your children) will move and stretch your feet and legs more as you slide them back and forth over the balls/rollers. This, of course, doesn't mean that you are trying to lose weight in your lower extremities, but rather that you won't be seated for too long without moving your legs. The rollers and/or balls are meant to entice movement and to gently massage. Of course I wouldn't be a true Gadget Gal, however, if I didn't remind you at this juncture that children shouldn't be sitting for too long at the computer anyway. Therefore, although they may like playing with the balls/rollers with their tootsies, the little massagers are really meant for the adults in the family who may find themselves be seated at the computer station for long periods of time - also something that should be refrained from doing.

I must admit I didn't go the way of balls or rollers when I selected my Eldon Height Adjustable Tilting Footrest. I instead went for little bumps on top that are also meant to massage one's feet. I think the balls and rollers would be more fun, but the bumps do feel good on tired feet. Of course you have to take your shoes off to truly enjoy it, something you can do at home but not always as inconspicuously in the office. As its name implies, my footrest is nicely adjustable and tilts easily. It serves to support and elevate my feet and take pressure off the back of my thighs. In addition, according to what I've read, it's also good for my lower back.

You should know that the children who use my computer at my school are intrigued by my footrest and are proud to place their feet on it. But I'll let you in on a little secret. I haven't mentioned what the little bumps are for– at least, not yet. If I did I'm sure I'd end up untying and tying shoelaces all day long!

Eldon Height Adjustable Tilting Footrest
Height 4 1/4", Width 18 1/8", Depth 13 3/4"

$36.22 from Office Depot