Toe-tapping has some surprising health benefits

Good news for fidgeters.

Remember in school, there was always one kid who constantly tapped their feet, you'd hear a drumming, feel your table shake ever so slightly and realise it was your fidgety friend. It may even happen in your office. While he or she may have driven you crazy at the desk, they may actually be a lot healthier than you are. According to a study by the University of Missouri found that fidgeting at the desk could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The research found that doing this increases blood supply which stops the build-up of fatty plaques. "We wanted to know whether a small amount of leg fidgeting could prevent a decline in leg vascular function caused by prolonged sitting. While we expected fidgeting to increase blood flow to the lower limbs, we were quite surprised to find this would be sufficient to prevent a decline in arterial function." Dr Jaume Padilla, an assistant professor of nutrition and exercise physiology said. According to The Telegraph, the researchers compared the leg vascular function of 11 healthy young men and women before and after three hours of sitting. When sitting, the participants were asked to tap one leg for one minute and then rest it for four minutes, and were asked to keep the other leg still throughout. The participants moved their feet 250 times per minute on average. Afterwards, the researchers measured the blood blow of the lower leg and found a significant difference between the fidgeting leg and the static one. The fidgeting leg having a significant increase in blood flow. This could help to prevent heart conditions such as coronary heart disease, angina, heart attacks and strokes. Many of us work in an environment which requires us to sit at a desk for 40+ hours a week, and of course, many health risks have arisen as a result. It is obviously important move more when you are at your desk by taking short breaks, and to exercise outside of work, but this may be one of the simple yet surprisingly effective way to reduce the risk of illness. Get tapping those feet ladies.