I have a 250 page document. In many cases there remains significant space between the final line of the body text on a given page, and the footnote separator line. That is, in these cases it would appear to me that another couple of lines of text should be able to fit there. But MS Word instead leaves the area blank and starts putting body text on the following page.

What are the variables that determine how much of the empty space between the final line of body text and the footnote separator line, can be used? I have a feeling that if I adjust the settings, I can make better use of that space.