The answers to just about every question we've had about squatting, and our PROPPR® toilet stool range are here
Frequently Asked Questions
Using a toilet foot rest helps replicate the “squat” position on a pedestal toilet, which ‘unkinks’ the colon. When you PROP, or squat, the puborectalis muscle relaxes and your colon straightens.
Even if you ‘go’ regularly, the practice of PROPPing generally allows for a quicker, easier and more complete bowel movement and removes or reduces the need to strain or push. Eliminating completely and often also helps to maintain good colon health and helps to reduce the potential for issues later in life.
And, doesn’t it just make sense to go the way nature intended?
We did extensive testing and prototyping to come up with what we believe is the perfect “catch-all” height. The PROPPR is slanted on the top so depending on your preference you can turn the PROPPR around to have a different height.
Due to the slanted design of the PROPPR range, the height varies from 21.5cm-23.5cm for the standard Acer and 22-24cm for the timber stools, while the NEW Acer Starter is a little it bit shorter at 17.5cm-19.5cm (slanted) high.
Our NEW Acer ‘Starter‘ is designed for those with lower height toilets (say hello to our US friends in particular); folks just starting to PROP; or for those tall in stature with long legs.
How do I use it? The PROPPR should sit neatly to the side of your toilet when not in use. Just bring it to the front of the toilet and put your feet on top of it when using.
The average Australian toilet height (including the seat) is about 42-45cm tall. We originally designed the PROPPR with this toilet height in mind, so the gap between the top of the lid and the top of the PROPPR is roughly 20cm. It doesn’t matter how tall or short you are, the PROPPR is simply designed to get you about 20cm off the ground, and – importantly – your knees higher than your hips.
That said, in 2021 we launched a shorter and wider based clear Acer called the ‘Starter‘. It’s designed for those with lower height toilets (say hello to our US friends in particular); folks just starting to PROP; or for those tall in stature with long legs.
Due to the slanted design of the PROPPR range, the height varies from 21.5cm-23.5cm for the standard Acer and 22-24cm for the timber stools, while the NEW Acer Starter is 17.5cm-19.5cm (slanted) high.
Yes. We have designed the PROPPR to fit neatly and discretely to the side of your toilet no matter how small your bathroom.
Yes – the PROPPR bathroom foot stool will work with any toilet. We deliberately designed the PROPPR NOT to wrap around the toilet pedestal for aesthetic reasons and also because of the wide variety of toilet designs available today. Also toilet heights vary so we chose a height that will be a good common denominator.
Yes absolutely! The PROPPR is for anyone. The standard range of PROPPR’s work well for men, women and teenagers. Generally for the PROPPR to be most effective the user’s height needs to be at least 140cm. If you have a young child that you think could benefit from a toilet stool please get in touch, as we can investigate the production of a stool at a bespoke height – we’ve done it before with great success for our little user.
No… The PROPPR has NOT been designed to take a person’s full weight. It will only take the weight of your legs when seated on the toilet. The angle on the top of the PROPPR has been deliberately designed so that you’re not prompted to step on it. Only use your PROPPR as a footrest. When you buy or receive a PROPPR, you agree that you’re not going to stand or sit on it – you’ll only use it as a footrest. Please tell anyone else that uses your PROPPR about the “No Step/Stand” rule.
We’re going with a No! Our firm belief is that if the PROPPR has a secondary function (like a magazine rack or toilet-roll holder) it would cease to be used for its primary function! We want the PROPPR to only be used for its intended purpose, ie PROPPing!
Squatting is the ultimate position because it’s how nature designed us to completely release. But, the reality is that the western pedestal toilet is not going to disappear overnight and those in cultures and countries that have them are not going to take to squatting en masse.
The PROPPR gets you comfortably close to the perfect squatting/releasing alignment (releasing the kink in your gut and allowing the colon to straighten) and is suitable for most levels of flexibility. The key is to have your knees higher than your hips. A foot rest for toilets, like the PROPPR, helps you squat and sit at the same time!
Using the PROPPR may help with many bowel and digestive issues. But you won’t know until you try it. In cultures where squatting is the norm and the bowel is emptied completely each day, the incidence of many common western bowel problems are extremely low. Anecdotally the PROPPR has helped many people, and it certainly won’t do you any harm to try it!
Using the PROPPR may assist with constipation. You won’t know until you personally give it a go. Many factors could contribute to a blocked colon: dehydration, lack of fibre in diet, lack of exercise or eating the wrong foods – so your constipation may not just be associated with your posture. Anecdotally, the PROPPR has helped many other people and it most certainly won’t cause any harm for you to try.
There are a small range of bathroom foot stools on the market that offer similar benefits – but where the PROPPR differs is the style, design and environmental consideration. We aimed to create a beautiful, minimalist footrest that would be a stylish addition to a designer bathroom. It’s a functional piece of bathroom furniture to be proud of. It says you care about your health, yet you don’t need to sacrifice style! Also, at every point of the process we have endeavoured to use products that are environmentally sustainable, long wearing – and no cheap plastic!
Some doctors will love the PROPPR and encourage its use! Others may be sceptical. Our advice is to trust your own body and try it for yourself. The PROPPR is completely safe!
You could squat on the toilet seat – but for many people in the Western world squatting is super difficult (due to our general lack knee/hip flexibility). It’s also a little more dangerous with the risk of slipping or breaking the toilet seat – ouch! Using the PROPPR is a safe alternative. A foot stool for western toilets gets you comfortably close to the perfect squatting/releasing alignment (releasing the kink in your gut and allowing the colon to straighten) and is suitable for most levels of flexibility.
The PROPPR is intended to be a one-off purchase for daily use, and if looked after, it will last a lifetime. We therefore believe it offers great value for money across the PROPPRs life. It’s a quality piece of furniture, manufactured to exacting specifications while utilising long-lasting, and in the case of the timber models, natural FSC Certified (sustainably grown) timbers.
In addition, consider the price of the PROPPR against the cost of ongoing treatments with health professionals or the purchase of laxatives and supplements that may not assist over the long term – the bowel can become addicted, or even immune, to these treatments. It’s not to say that these may not be necessary, but for some, the simple act of ‘propping’ may greatly reduce the need for these alternative or ongoing interventions.
Yes! Discrete, easy to manoeuvre and store… the PROPPR was deliberately designed not to wrap around the toilet pedestal for aesthetic reasons; and also due to the wide variety of bathroom sizes and toilet designs now available. It’s intended to fit neatly and discretely to the side of most toilets when not in use. This provides not only a better aesthetic, but also reduces the potential for it to be a trip hazard, given it can be easily tucked away. It also makes it much safer and easier to use for those with any mobility issues.
Certainly you could, but the PROPPR was created to be the right height to best replicate the ‘squat’ position on the western pedestal toilet. It was designed for its purpose. Many stools on the market are simply not high enough to elevate the knees above the hips. Or they can be quite ‘chunky’ and hard to store, creating the potential for trip hazards and clutter. The PROPPR is a dedicated product for an intended purpose.
The PROPPR should sit neatly to the side of your toilet when not in use. Just bring it to the front of the toilet and put your feet on top of it when using.
The timber PROPPR is finished with a toxic-free varnish that will wipe down very easily. And the PROPPR Acer is made with waterproof anti-microbial acrylic. With any bathroom space, you have to keep things clean on a regular basis. If you wipe down the PROPPR with a damp cloth regularly, you will have one super hygienic item!
The timber PROPPR is made from naturally and sustainably grown resources. Each PROPPR will be slightly different in character and colour with cosmetic inconsistencies such as grain pattern, knots, mineral oxidation streaks, scars and growth rings. These natural timber characteristics add to its character and uniqueness.
He had problems with his last movement!
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