Home / Work Wellness / Tagged: Construction Worker Safety

How Work Boots Benefit From The Use Of Insoles

How Work Boots Benefit From The Use Of Insoles - SelectFlex

Insoles, also known as shoe inserts, can provide a variety of benefits for those who work on their feet for long periods of time. The added support and cushioning can help reduce the risk of injuries and improve overall comfort, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction (Tread Labs).

One of the main benefits of insoles is arch support. Many people have different foot types and arch shapes, and insoles with built-in arch support can help distribute weight evenly across the foot, reducing strain on the heel and ball of the foot. This can help prevent common foot problems such as plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and flat feet. Furthermore, insoles that provide arch support can also help realign the foot and leg, which can reduce the risk of lower back, knee and hip pain (Upstep).

Cushioning is another important benefit of insoles. Standing or walking on hard surfaces for long periods of time can put a lot of stress on the feet and legs, leading to fatigue, discomfort, and pain. Insoles can provide additional cushioning to the foot, helping to reduce impact and improve comfort. This can help to reduce the risk of injuries such as stress fractures and can also help to alleviate pain caused by existing foot conditions.

Shock absorption is another key benefit of insoles. When walking or running, the foot strikes the ground with significant force, which can lead to injuries if not properly absorbed. Insoles can help absorb shock, which can help reduce the risk of injuries such as stress fractures, shin splints, and heel spurs. Additionally, insoles like SelectFlex with good shock-absorption can also help to reduce fatigue, making it easier to work for long periods of time without feeling tired.

Temperature regulation is another important aspect of insoles. Feet can get hot and sweaty, especially when working in environments with high temperatures or heavy physical activity. Some insoles are made with materials that can help regulate temperature, keeping feet cool and dry. This can help to reduce odors and prevent fungal and bacterial growth, keeping feet healthy and comfortable.

Odor control is another important benefit of insoles. Feet can produce a lot of sweat, which can lead to unpleasant odors. Some insoles are treated with antimicrobial agents to help control odor. This can help to reduce the risk of fungal and bacterial growth, which can cause infections and odors.

Customization is another important aspect of insoles. Every person's feet are unique, and off-the-shelf insoles may not provide the best fit. Insoles can be made to fit the specific shape and size of a person's foot, providing a more customized and comfortable fit. This can help to reduce the risk of injuries and improve overall comfort, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction. Customization, especially in arch support can primarily be found in SelectFlex insoles.

In summary, insoles can provide a range of benefits for those who work on their feet for long periods of time. Arch support, cushioning, shock absorption, temperature regulation, odor control, and customization are all important aspects of insoles that can help to reduce the risk of injuries, improve overall comfort and lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction. It's important to note that not all insoles are created equal and it's always good to seek professional advice when it comes to foot related issues. A qualified podiatrist can help you find the right insoles for your needs and work environment.

Consider Wearing SelectFlex Adjustable Orthotics to Help Enhance Your Work Boots. 

Follow Us

BEST KEPT SECRET FOR IMPROVING EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY

BEST KEPT SECRET FOR IMPROVING EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY - SelectFlex

Understanding Productivity For The Work Environment

Workers who walk or stand for long periods of time during their workday, without proper foot support and shock absorption, are susceptible to pain and harmful musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that can have lasting effects on the body. Just as steel-toe footwear is often required as personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers, insoles are essential for preventing pain and fatigue.

If workers spend hours on their feet, there is an increased risk for inflammation and excess muscle fatigue that could be avoided with proper foot support and insole comfort. Aches and pains in the body associated with foot issues can also impact workers knees and back. Understandably, this can result in reduced employee work productivity, lower morale and increased absenteeism.  Thankfully, solutions exist today that can reduce the negative impact of the environment on employees’ feet.

Healthy Feet Start With Smart Corporate Decision Making

In order to address foot and lower extremity issues within their workforce, companies are predominantly choosing between insoles and floor matting. Personal insoles offer numerous advantages over floor mats (Occupational Health & Safety).  These benefits include:

  • Portability: Insoles can be implemented instantly without training and go wherever the worker goes. This makes them an ideal solution for both stationary and mobile workers who work both indoors and outdoors. Additionally, when a worker walks away from their workstation, the comfort stays with them. This option also protects employees who walk to and from work, ensuring they arrive and leave without strained or sore feet.
  • Personalize Comfort: Employees can select the type of insole that best matches their needs, allowing for personalized comfort for workers based on their foot size and arch type.
  • Direct Contact with the Body: As insoles are placed inside the footwear, they have 100 percent surface contact with the feet and body, 100 percent of the time, providing a reliable ergonomic solution. Therefore, they’re far more effective than the standard anti-fatigue floor mats at reducing muscle strain, improving balance reactions and increasing blood circulation. This helps to prevent pain and injuries.
  • Reduced Risk: Insoles reduce the risks of slips, trips and falls, making the workplace safer and lowering expenses related to workers’ compensation claims. Facilities that utilize matting, must make sure to keep the surfaces clean and well-maintained so that they remain intact and the edges don’t curl up and create tripping hazards.
  • Less Maintenance: Insoles are often machine washable, making them extremely easy to keep clean compared to mats that build up dirt over time. 
  • Easy to Implement: Insole programs are simple to implement, particularly if you have conducted a wear test trial with a key group of employees first.
  • Cost Effective: Insoles are more affordable than floor matting.  Top end cost for a floor mat is approximately $200 with higher end insoles at approximately ¼ that cost.

Rather than an afterthought, the right insoles should be considered as a necessary complement to any corporate health and wellness program.  Implementing a company insole program is an important decision and all aspects should be considered, including employee involvement, to ensure the program meets the needs of all workers, and has a positive impact and acceptance rate.

How To Make Those Workers’ Feet Happy

The rank and file know that proper supportive insoles will help address physical work requirements such as prolonged standing, static postures, over-exertion and repetitive motion.  The right insole provides better balance and overall lower body alignment.  This in turn reduces aches, pain and injuries on the job.  Another added benefit is that once an insole program is instituted, the confidence level for safety leaders will be increased (Corporate Wellness Magazine)

Finding an insole provider that offers numerous customizable and comfortable options allows companies and employees to explore a range of solutions for both plant/ warehouse and office workers.  Insoles that provide shock absorption can be used to prevent health and pain issues, while others provide more support to align the foot into the proper neutral position.

A new insole, SelectFlex provides companies with a unique and cost effective way to offer their employees dynamic customization for their arch while, providing maximum comfort.  With SelectFlex PowerLift Arch suspension system, the wearer is able to control the support level and dynamic firmness provided to the arch.  This unique Arch-Control Insole has earned SelectFlex the honor as Best Foot Protection Product of 2020 by Industrial Safety & Health News (ISHN Awards).  Additionally, this superior technology will translate to improved employee foot health, reduced fatigue, higher productivity and lower injury/illness associated costs.

Different work activities, types of footwear and other factors within a corporation can impact the level of safety, comfort and support required. Therefore, it’s important to provide anti-fatigue solutions with multiple customization options. SelectFlex allow users to adjust support easily and quickly when these factors impact comfort, support and balance.

  FOLLOW US
   

IMPORTANCE OF ERGONOMICS FOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH & SAFETY

IMPORTANCE OF ERGONOMICS FOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH & SAFETY - SelectFlex

Meta description
Do you stand on your feet at work for the better part of the day? Your feet get sore and painful? Working under such conditions can have adverse effects on your feet.

Importance of Ergonomics for Health and Safety
The ergonomics field is quite broad. Basically, it can be defined as a scientific branch that borrows knowledge from other disciplines such as physiology and engineering, ensuring that designs complement the skills and strengths in a person, minimizing the effects of their shortcomings. Ergonomics addresses the way people interact with a work environment; for example, the postures that they are mostly in during work or the movements they are needed to make. This can be used instead of just waiting for them to adapt to particular designs while undergoing challenges like discomfort and stress. Therefore, an ergonomist's work is to devise ways that can help people fit in a system effortlessly.

People who work on their feet are one of the most affected people in workplaces. Yes, standing is a natural human posture that poses not so many health risks. The problem comes in when the standing is done for too long. People working as machine operators, salespeople, and assembly line workers do jobs that require a lot of standing. This regular practices can cause different diseases and ailments. Some of these ailments include:

  1. Fallen Arches
    Also known as flat feet, this is a condition where you find the entire foot's sole touching the floor when you stand. Our feet' arches are significant since they help us balance, stand, walk, run, and jump by providing the foot with the flexibility and springiness required. The diagnosis of this disease is made through a visual examination which is later confirmed by imaging tests. Most people who develop this disease show very few, if any, symptoms. However, you may feel some pain, especially in the mid-foot region. This pain may increase when you get involved in an activity. Swelling can also develop along your arch and ankle.

    People who work while standing for too long can develop this disease mainly after the foot is subjected to pronation for long.

    The good thing about Fallen Arches is that it can be corrected. Treatment can involve over-the-counter pain medications, foot exercises, or orthotic insoles such as SelectFlex arch control insoles and surgery (very rare).

2. Plantar Fasciitis
This disease is one of the most common causes of foot ache among workers. It occurs when inflammation develops on the thick tissue band that runs across the foot's bottom and connects the toes to the heel bones. Most patients who have had Plantar Fasciitis always complain of sharp pains, especially when taking the first steps. This pain then gradually decreases, but if they stand again for too long, the pain then returns.

When workers stand for too long, the bone that supports the foot's arch (plantar fascia) experiences great tension causing minimal tears to start developing. Since they work daily, the recurrent tears start irritating and inflaming the bone leading to the disease's development.

Therefore, people who work in such conditions can protect themselves from this disease by wearing adequate arch support in their shoes to reduce the stress applied to the foot. Orthotics experts have recommended using customizeable arch support to help cushion the foot, protect it, and promote worker wellness.

There are ergonomic-friendly ways that can have been effective in preventing this disease. For example, workers are encouraged to maintain a healthy weight. They can also engage in routine stretches after long working hours. Proper work footwear and appropriate shoe inserts are also recommended.

  1. Morton's Neuroma
    This is a condition where a nerve in the foot gets irritated or damaged. One of the main symptoms is stabbing or burning pain coming from beneath the toes. You might also feel like there is a small stone stuck under the foot. These symptoms get worse as the disease develops and might worsen when you wear high-heeled or tight shoes.

    Ergonomists in workplaces suggest that when working, workers should wear safety shoes with several characteristics such as:
    • Wide toecaps
    • Made from soft material such as leather
    • Shoe inserts with gel
    • Quick closing system
    • With wide lasts

    Shoes that have flat surfaces and pointy ends should be avoided at all costs. Also, the ones made of a rigid material, especially around the toe area, are not suitable for a job where you stand for so long.
  2. Foot Pain
    The human foot is designed for mobility. This makes standing for long hours while maintaining an upright stand tiring. Foot aches are common to people who spend most of their working hours upright. This discomfort might be originating from the calluses, corns, knees, and other parts.

    Several options have been employed to try and help workers avoid such pain while on their jobs. This includes changing the environment on which work is being done (especially the floors), wearing the recommended standard of shoes to work, and allocating suitable floor mats for them to stand on. Research has also proven that simple foot stretches at intervals during the day come in handy.
  3. Rheumatoid Arthritis
    Standing for long hours is also known to cause rheumatoid arthritis. People with this disease might confuse the first symptoms with normal foot pains after experiencing pain and stiffness in the toes' joints and ligaments. These aches later persist, especially when they walk after being in a stagnant position for a long time. The aching can also be accompanied by abnormal warmth in several parts of the foot, even if the other body parts are cooler.

    If you are one of the people who work on their feet, you should practice several prevention techniques that will minimize movement. For example, you should always keep what you need around you to avoid unnecessary stretching and pulling. Also, you are not supposed to stand in one position for too long; move your knees a little bit. Stooping down helps release the stiffness and pressure that will have built up while you were standing.

    It is evident that most of these diseases can be caused by wearing shoes that do not have the best cushioning for your arch and feet. If you spend long hours working on your feet, save yourself from the pain and get our SelectFlex Arch Control Insoles today.

                                                      FOLLOW US