A few weeks ago the Humanscale Pony Saddle ergonomic stool brought back my curiosity in heathlier office furniture. My personal work-pains aside, I have a lot of concerns for our workforce after recently seeing the film Wall-E, where the entire population turns into soft-boned jelly people due to prolonged sitting. We’re not there yet, but the negatives to a computer driven society are already upon us.

FM500. Designed by Humanscale.

In past lunch-and-learns on ergonomics, I learned that the best thing you can do for yourself during the day is to keep adjusting. In Humanscale’s words, “movement is good, and movement is necessary.” Totally stationary sitting is bad no matter how comfortable your chair, keyboard tray, and monitor arm. This is where Humanscale used their creative juices and introduced the FM500 foot rest.

The FM500 keeps you moving with its curved supports that encourage healthy rocking as well as a healthy amount of entertainment. According to Humanscale, an elevated position for the legs eases pressures on the lower back when sitting. Sedentary positions are the main cause of swelling in the feet, and after a long days work, no one wants to shove swollen feet into their dancing shoes. The FM500 is a simple designed that stimulates movement of the feet and legs with an elegant, eco-friendly package. Made of predominantly plywood and die-cast aluminum which is 99% recyclable, the FM500 is in line with Humanscale’s ongoing commitment to sustainable materials in their products.

About the Manufacturer: Humanscale has dedicated itself to the design and manufacturing of high-performance, ergonomic office tools and solutions since 1983. With its headquarters in New York City, USA, Humanscale likewise has offices in London, United Kingdom; Paris, France; Hong Kong; and Mexico City, Mexico. Humanscale is most well known for its Freedom Task (Desk) Chair, designed by ergonomics pioneer Niels Diffrient. Aside from seating, Humanscale manufacturers keyboard systems, monitor arms, lighting, air purifiers, cpu holders, foot rests, and laptop holders, primarily focussing on corporate, healthcare, hospitality, government (GSA), and home office segments.