Forget reading material, foot stools are what patients need to get the job done on the porcelain throne, according to US researchers.

After being popularised by social media, toilet stools have now received a medical stamp of approval from Ohio State University after researchers found they can help constipation and bloating.

Their analysis of over 1000 bowel movements reveals 71% of the 52 healthy participants experience faster motions when they rest their feet on a low stool.

The stool, officially known as a ‘defaecation postural modification device’, increases the odds of complete bowel emptying nearly fourfold, according to the researchers, who have released a new video about the study results.