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4 Tips to Avoid Pain From Prolonged Standing Jobs

To avoid pain due to standing for long duration at your job, take precautionary measures. Here are some tips to cope with standing for long periods of time.
Girl with laptop in hand standing for long period of time in job
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There are many types of jobs that require employees to keep standing. However, if you’ve to keep standing for long periods of time on a regular basis, the resulting discomfort and pain may affect your performance. If you wish to avoid any sort of body pain due to standing for long duration, you need to take precautionary measures. Here are some tips to help you avoid your long-standing stints at your job take a toll on your body and health. ~ Ed.

There are many jobs that require a working person to stand for long periods of time.

From retail work, cashier, customer service, and in countless other standing jobs, the most pressure is, both literally and figuratively, on the employee.

If you’re familiar with blisters and back pain after a long shift, here are five tips to avoid pain while working on your feet.

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Tips to Avoid Foot, Legs, and Body Pain in Jobs that Require Long Periods of Standing

If you can’t change your job or its long-standing requirements, you may need to change your work style by incorporating a few healthy practices.

Find the Right Shoes

For jobs like construction and nursing, the footwear requirements are stricter.

Construction workers need heavy boots for safety and nurses need to have comfortable shoes with lots of grip. Other occupations leave the shoe choice up to their employees, which is not always the best option.

One of the main causes of discomfort from standing is poor shoe choice.

Most commonly, workers are choosing shoes that look good and stylish rather than choosing shoes that are appropriate for their job.

Make sure that you have plenty of room inside your shoe for your largest toe. This will prevent you from bumping your toe each time you take a step.

Here are some other things to look for in your work shoes:

  • Well-fastened (avoid any kinds of slip-ons)
  • A wide heel with a back that promotes ankle support
  • For restaurants or other slippery floors, non-slip grips are essential
  • Cushioned inner lining for comfort

If you’re currently in the position of having to find the perfect work shoe, visit a site such as Standing Shoes, where many types of shoes are reviewed in order to help you find your ‘sole-mate’. Pun intended!

Strengthen Your Body

In most cases, standing injuries and pain are caused by a quick change in work environments. For example, if you’re used to an office job that is sedentary most of the time, you will have a harder transition into a job that keeps you on your feet.

To combat this, try to slowly ease yourself into this new lifestyle. Some great ways to do this are calf stretches, squats, and heel raises.

Overall, any exercise can allow you to get in shape enough to stay on your feet all day, but these are the easiest to slowly work your way into it.

Focus on Recovery

If you don’t have the time to slowly ease yourself into your new standing gig, it’s important to learn how to appropriately recover from this strain.

When you’re done with your shift, focus on stretching out sore limbs and your back. Soaking in a bath has also proven to work wonders on tense muscles.

You don’t want to overwork your body right away. By recovering with stretches and soaks nightly, your body will slowly get used to the new lifestyle that you have taken on at work.

Find Variation and Take Breaks

One way to keep your body from aching at work is by finding variation in the work that you’re doing. While walking around is still usually exhausting, it is much easier than standing in one place.

If you’re at a job that gives you the opportunity to both walk around and has some opportunities off your feet, take full advantage of these opportunities.

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If you’re in a job like serving at a restaurant, though, these opportunities are often hard to come by. In this case, remember that you should still take a break when you can.

It is generally recommended that you take the weight off of your feet around five hours into your shift to prevent pain and injury.

In a study discussed in Medical News Today, participants in a two-hour standing period at work reported a 47% increase in discomfort across all body regions.

This study further proves that prolonged periods of standing with no variation or breaks can spell trouble for your body.

Wrapping Up

It’s important to evaluate your pain throughout the first few weeks of your job.

Of course, a little soreness and pain are normal while your body is adjusting to the new normal, but you should not be experiencing high levels of pain for prolonged periods of time.

If you have tried all the right shoes, exercised your muscles in advance, properly rested, and found variation in your work, you should be concerned if you are still feeling levels 4 or 5 out of 10 when it comes to pain.

In this case, it is time to see a professional like a podiatrist or similar, to make sure that you have no underlying health problems.

There are countless jobs that keep their employees on their toes. Don’t let your job impact your physical health with these five tips.

Over to you

Are you in a job that requires long periods of standing? How do you cope with it? Share your tips and experiences in the comments.

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Disclaimer: We're not offering any medical advice here. These ideas are for educational and entertainment purposes only. Always seek a professional medical opinion from a physician of your choosing before making any medical decision. The information provided here is not intended to be a substitute to the advice given by your physician or another healthcare professional.

Disclaimer: Though the views expressed are of the author’s own, this article has been checked for its authenticity of information and resource links provided for a better and deeper understanding of the subject matter. However, you're suggested to make your diligent research and consult subject experts to decide what is best for you. If you spot any factual errors, spelling, or grammatical mistakes in the article, please report at [email protected]. Thanks.

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