We had a physical therapist come and speak at our quilt guild. Lots of helpful information... for the foot pedal have it where you would put your feet when you are comfortably sitting in a chair. You shouldn't have to stretch or reach for it. I'm forever chasing mine on my hardwood floor The rubbery rug gripper stuff works . I've also seen a thin piece of board with a small pieces of wood on 3 sides to keep the foot pedal corralled. An of course the stretch break every 20-30 minutes.. hard for us quilters to do... stop when we are on a roll. Hope you find something that helps..