Tumbling out of bed and pouring yourself a cup of ambition just to stand from nine to five is one way to make a living. No matter the industry, how long you work, or where you work, most jobs require you to be on your feet for long durations. For most people, clocking out still leaves them on their feet for the rest of the day. This is because many menial daily tasks like cleaning, grocery shopping, and commuting home also involve being up and on your feet. By the time you get to sit back and lift your legs from the ground, the day’s strain shoots discomforting pain throughout your feet and legs. For those with plantar fasciitis, flat feet, and any lower-body ailments, the toll of being on your feet comes at a heftier price. Here are some tips on stopping your feet from hurting at work, allowing you to rest without pain when your day ends.
Take Regular Rest Breaks
Work days fill up with long task lists to mark off as the hours tick away. Many people get lost in the grind and get swept away by the various demands of their jobs, forgetting to take regular breaks. Although sometimes difficult or not easily attainable, regular rest breaks allow you to step away and give yourself a much-needed mental and physical break. During your rest periods, elevating your feet and giving them a break also reduces pressure and pain.
When standing, your feet carry your entire weight, adding intense pressure. Like your arms, consistent strain and weight endurance affect your feet and muscles after a while. Bodies continuously try to regenerate cells and heal as you use your muscles to contract and release on the job. However, overworking or applying too much strain on your muscles causes the regeneration process to fall behind, leading to pain and other issues. Regular breaks and moments to elevate your feet allow your body to heal.
Stretch and Massage Your Feet
Under the pressure of your body weight and the physical demands of your job, muscles contract and tense causing your feet to hurt at work. Stretching and massaging your feet releases muscle tension and gets the blood flowing, reducing pain, swelling, and any inflammation. Whether at home or on your lunch break, giving your feet a stretch releases tension and loosens your muscles. There are many ways to stretch your feet to strengthen and minimize pain, such as:
- Toe curls
- Achilles stretch
- Toe points
- Toe splays
- Runner’s stretch
- Top of foot stretch
- Flex and point
- Ankle rotations
Similarly, there are various massage methods to explore, from rolling a ball under the balms of your feet to specific massage equipment and gadgets.
Straighten Your Posture
Throughout time, one of the biggest pieces of advice consistently passed through generations is straightening one’s posture. Straightened postures go beyond simply displaying proper etiquette. It offers numerous health and physical wellness benefits. A better posture improves breathing, strengthens cores, evenly distributes weight, lengthens your spine, minimizes pain, promotes circulation, and makes you look and feel more confident.
A straight posture aligns your body and reduces intense weight and pressure on your feet. Perfect body alignment allows your core to release some burden from your legs and feet, providing ample support for your upper body. The less demand and strain on your feet, the less pain you’ll experience. Improved circulation also minimizes pain because maximized blood flow ensures that your organs and muscles function properly, as well as helping your body regenerate and supply energy.
Soak in an Epsom Salt Bath
Along with your face masks, essential oils, and cozy robe, extend your self-care session to meet your feet’s needs with an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salt or magnesium sulfate breaks down its minerals when added to water. These minerals then get absorbed into your body as you soak in the tub, providing tension relief, soothed muscles, and boosted cell regeneration.
Soaking your feet in an Epsom salt bath and benefiting from the absorbed mineral nutrients reduces pain and relaxes your feet after a long day of work. Soaking your feet in warm water also circulates your blood flow, providing its own set of benefits, from equally distributed energy to better body functionality. Plus, the water buoyancy further relieves strain, removing the carried weight from your feet.
Strengthen Your Body Muscles
A majority of the agony your feet endure from work occurs from the constant intense force and burden applied from standing and walking all day. Strengthening your other muscles and body parts like your legs, core, ankle, and back eliminates some of your feets’ burden, sharing the weight throughout the entirety of your body. Regular exercise, strength conditioning, stretching, and proper nutrient intake strengthen your body, making those long work days on your feet less strenuous.
Working out breaks down your muscle fibers, stimulating them to refuse with other fiber strands through cell regeneration. As the muscle fibers fuse with new and old strands, they build stronger and denser versions, building and strengthening your muscles. Creating stronger and tougher muscle fibers allows you to handle more weight and withstand certain amounts of pressure forced onto your body. The stronger your foundation, the less pain you endure.
Wear Comfortable Supportive Footwear
Your feet clock in on the job well before you even arrive at your workplace. Walking, standing, and applying general pressure to your feet are activities that all provide you with a reliable foundation to move and power through the day. Wearing comfortable footwear provides your feet with added support, releasing some burden off their plate.
The best footwear or shoe accessory for your feet and job often features comfortable material, padding, solid structures, durability, customized fitting, and some spring to relieve ground impact. Z-Coil Footwear offers orthopedic-designed shoes with built-in orthotics and spring heels to minimize pressure and foot pain, providing supportive and comfortable footwear that will help you throughout the work day. They offer various products, including shoes for healthcare workers, ensuring everyone relishes the benefit of comfort and reinforcements. Adding a little bit of extra support goes a long way, especially when it comes to reducing foot pain at work.
Stopping your feet from hurting at work includes finding the right support, improving your body, and reducing pressure on your feet. Whether you work in healthcare, construction, food service, or retail, standing and walking for long hours wears and tears your feet. The proper care and tools can help ease your discomfort and make your work day more bearable and less painful.
