Leg rest

[olive2709]

This sounds daft what hight should a footrest be just got of phone with GP heart is OK recommended that I put my legs up when sitting was so pleased forgot to ask should legs be lower then bottom or same hight anyone got any idea

[PMRpro Ambassador]

To some extent it depends on what is comfortable but it also depends on why you are to sit with your feet up. And the state of your hips and back!

For example, if you are hoping for the action to relieve fluid accumulation in your lower legs you are best to have your feet above your heart level - but that is best achieved by being in a partly lying position with your legs supported on a pillow - sitting with your feet that high is bad for your hips as it is a flexed position:

"Prop up your legs. Putting your feet up is good, but elevating them above the level of your heart is even better. It's a way to use gravity to help the blood move from your feet and ankles back to your heart. Doctors have been recommending elevation to relieve leg pain and swelling for centuries. As a matter of fact, Hippocrates in ancient Greece wrote of its benefits.

So lie down on a couch and prop your feet on the arm or put three or four pillows under them (or lie on the floor and rest your feet on the seat of a chair). Can't lie down? Sit on one chair and prop your feet on the back of another chair. When possible, try to elevate your legs for ten minutes once an hour.

But don't sit too long, either. Some experts theorize that even sitting for extended periods can contribute to varicose veins. Bent knees and hips, the thinking goes, complicate and slow the return of blood to your heart."

The best option is probably a "zero gravity" chair - there are very expensive ones and the garden variety which are not expensive (especially if you can find one second hand". They do take a bit of space when opened out but are wonderfully comfortable when you lie there reading with your feet up!

However, if you decide to use a foot rest your legs will be lower than your hips. If so, it is often a good idea to use a rolled towel or small pillow under your ankles so your legs aren't resting on your calves - that will interfere with blood flow and that isn't good.

[Runrig01]

Agree with everything PMRPRO says, although if you suffer with any cardiac issues you need to be careful as it can put more strain on the heart, when legs are elevated above heart level. Also if you have hip replacements hips shouldn't be at more than a 90 degree angle. High elevation is very good for swollen ankles, and raising the blood pressure. Hope this helps x

[olive2709]

Thanks girls you shorted me out

Heart OK, Hips OK, BP OK, so rolled towel under ankles

I have electric bed and I raise the end by a couple of inches at night so will carry on doing that

Olive