Further Medical Uses for Footstools

From the sanctuary of my hospital bed I can see the benefits of being able to put your feet up after a serious illness or major surgery. Several patients in my vicinity have had varicose vein surgery and as part of their recuperation have by necessity to promote proper blood circulation to the legs. Others have blood pressure issues so that blood flow to feet, positioned on appropriately sized footstools, becomes an essential component of recovery.

Whilst in recovery many people are under pain relief medication. Some patients require oxygen whilst other need something stronger such as morphine. The medical profession are keen to stress the benefits of effective recuperation as part of the whole recovery process. They stress the need for relaxation and for people to get as much sleep as they can. This can be achieved in bed however as the patient gets increasingly mobile, he or she is encouraged to sit in a chair with feet in a horizontal position. The reasoning for this is simple; - blood flow is more evenly distributed in this position and the body' natural defences s can more effectively repair damaged tissue. Clearly the prescription of a suitable footstool is most important.

Size matters! Doctors recommend a footstool height where the legs are on a slight incline from the the recipient's bottom. A comfortable "sitting" height is about 16 inches so a footstool height of 12 - 14 inches would be appropriate. Height levels can be adjusted on certain types of footstools but these are mechanical in appearance and aesthetically displeasing. A much better solution is to select a given height by choosing feet for the stool. These come in different sizes and styles and can be attached to your footstool accordingly. The choice can be made between wooden, or metal legs, either of which can be fixed on castors to aid manoeuvrability.

The outer covering material of the footstool needs to be correctly specified. In a medical environment, polyurethane or "faux leather" upholstery coverings enable regular cleaning and sterilisation of surfaces. With concerns over patient transferred infections and efforts to clamp down on the super bug MRSA, effective use of appropriate cleaning agents is vital. What is clear however is that a correctly specified footstool really can increase the recovery times of patients who reed rest and recuperation.


The author has over 20 years experience running companies involved in furnishing fabrics and furniture manufacturing in the UK and writes extensively about ottomans footstools and contemporary furniture.