A 2006 randomized trial in the BMJ lines up with that. Dean Seehusen and his team at Eisenhower Army Medical Center split 197 women into two groups, one with feet in metal stirrups and one with feet resting on the corners of the exam table.

Without stirrups, reported physical discomfort dropped from 30.4 to 17.2 on a 100-point scale, and the sense of vulnerability fell from 23.6 to 13.1, roughly 43% and 44% lower.

The quality of the Pap smears didn't differ significantly. As the authors put it, “Once a woman's feet are placed in stirrups, getting out is neither quick nor easy."

Study link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1513491/

Do you have a link to this study? This is something I need in to be able to distribute.

Here you go - you can grab the full text pdf, too: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1513491/

Thank you so much🧡

Huh. I figured it was important to have the subject's crotch closer to the edge of the table. TIL. I wonder if it was important at some point.

Ah good point... maybe different instruments or something? Idk

I wonder if its better closer to centre of the table, for resting elbows and such.

Seems like the kind of work you'd want your hand to be steady for.