Meta DescriptionThis post gives a podiatrist's view on why employees who stand at work experience foot pain. It also reveals strategies for lower foot-injury incidents. 

Support Employees Who Stand at Work

As a podiatrist for 20 years, I've diagnosed thousands of painful foot conditions. The majority of my patients have told me that they first experienced foot problems while they were at work. I always tell employers that when an employee has a work-related foot injury, their business will feel pain in other ways. Here is what I've learned.

Employees Who Suffer Work-Related Foot Injuries Cost Businesses More Than They Initially Think

According to the (Bureau of Labor Statistics), there were more than 50,000 non-fatal foot injury cases in 2015. During that time, employees spent an average of 10 days away from work recuperating. That equates to lost productivity and lost profits for businesses.

My medical practice is my life's calling. My goal, however, is for every patient to avoid the suffering of a long recovery after surgical foot procedures.

Unfortunately, preventing debilitating foot conditions for employees when they stand for a majority of their workday may be a pipe dream. That is unless employers support their workers in the quest for maintaining healthy feet for life.

Industries and Foot Injuries

Workers who stand for long periods usually work in fields such as:

• Delivery
• Foodservice
• Hospitality
• Industrial

Foot Pain is Often the First Indication of a Foot Problem That Shouldn’t Be Ignored

Along with general work fatigue, they may experience foot fatigue, leg fatigue, flat feet, and other mishaps while standing all the time at work.

Plantar Fasciitis is another common foot ailment. The symptoms include aching pain or tender pain in the arch or bottom of the heel. When walking, the discomfort comes and goes. Therefore, this affects their job performance when a painful episode suddenly occurs.

The Best Way Employers Can Support Their Workers and Lower Foot Injury Incidents

My patients tell me that although they stand for long durations, they would rather not sit all day. They just want to have healthy, pain-free feet.

I believe businesses can support their employees by following these easy steps.

1. Remind Employees to Take Care of Their Feet

The American Heart Association recommends that everyone should take care of their feet to prevent heart issues.

Keep oxygen in the body's circulatory system flowing correctly by:

• Wearing shoe inserts because they provide relief for many types of foot conditions
• Buying shoes that fit with your orthotics
• Washing feet daily to prevent odor
• Wearing clean socks made of an acrylic-blend to counter moisture

2. Ask Employees to Exercise Their Feet Regularly

Michigan Medicine of The University of Michigan suggests exercising the feet to relieve pain.

• Before standing in the morning or while on breaks, bend your foot up and down.
• Stretch your toes by putting a towel around the back of your toes. Keep your knee straight, and with the towel end in each hand, pull the towel toward you. Hold for 15 seconds, three times each foot.
• Perform toe-stretching exercises by flexing the toes.

I'd like to add another helpful tip:

• Bring another pair of shoes to change into midway through your workday.

3. Provide Customizable Arch Support Insoles

Every reputable medical journal I've read mentions orthotics as a proven remedy for foot ailments. As stated earlier, you can suggest employees try arch support inserts, but if you provide the inserts for them, that is even better! I can only recommend what works for me and my patients and that happens to be orthotic insoles.

I wear shoe inserts daily inside and outside of my medical practice. The only product I trust is SelectFlex Arch Control Insoles SelectFlex Arch Control Insoles.

The award-winning insoles relieve pain for several different conditions including:

• Achy feet
• Arch pain
• Arthritis foot
• Back pain
• Diabetic foot
• Flat feet
• Heel pain
• Hip pain
• Knee pain
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Neuroma (pinched nerve/benign tumor)
• Neuropathy (nerve damage that causes weakness/numbness in feet

Over the past few months, several of my patients have begun wearing inserts with their shoes. Soon after they put them on for the first time, they tell me they will never be without them. They also wonder why no one told them about the product sooner.

I suggest businesses stock up on orthotic insoles. I believe that is the best way to support employees who frequently stand while they work. When you invest in your team, you safeguard your greatest asset. Learn more about customizeable arch supports and you'll understand what I mean. Text 844-600-0082 or call (844) 570-1862 today.

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People who work on their feet all day often find it takes a toll on their feet after a while. Sore feet is a common complaint from nurses, construction workers, waitstaff, teachers and many other professions. For some, the pain goes beyond just sore feet, and results in back and joint pain as well. If you’ve thought about using an insole for foot pain relief, here’s what you need to know.

PROBLEM: STANDING FOR LONG PERIODS 

A recent WebMD.com study showed standing all day at work takes a serious toll on lower limb health due to daily muscle fatigue and may have long-term consequences for those who have to stand for prolonged periods for their work.

The study concluded standing up to five hours or more a day, contributes to significant and prolonged lower-limb muscle fatigue. This may raise your risk for long-term back pain and musculoskeletal disorders. This is bad news for the millions of bank tellers, retail assistants, assembly line workers, and others who earn their living standing on their feet.

REACTION: THE CAUSES OF FOOT PAIN FROM STANDING

A Swiss based study pointed out that almost half of all workers worldwide spend more than three-quarters of their workday standing. They noted two hours of standing on the job is not associated with problems, but "a longer period is likely to have detrimental effects," said Maria-Gabriela Garcia, a doctoral candidate within the department of health sciences at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

"Basically, the body does not like to have the same posture or load placed on it continuously, so change is always good," said Kermit Davis, graduate program director for environmental and occupational hygiene at the University of Cincinnati. The foot’s structure will experience misalignment and pain when supportive muscles and tendons begin to fatigue after standing for prolonged periods, most especially in the arch of the foot.

SOLUTIONS: SUPERIOR INSOLES FOR PEOPLE WHO STAND ALL DAY

Shock absorbing or ‘massaging gel’ insoles provide extra cushioning when working in demanding environments, most especially on hard surfaces. A well-known maker of insoles, Dr. Scholl’s, claims “all day shock absorption, comfort and energy” from their Work Insoles product line. This type of insole absorbs foot impacts and redistributes these forces over larger surface area, to cushion the foot and lessen the impact of standing all day. The company also claims to “reduce muscle fatigue in feet and legs.” Sounds great if it works!

Most workers, especially those 45 years of age and over, require more than just shock absorption and a massaging gel. They also need foot support to make up for what they lack anatomically due to age and to allow them to comfortably stand throughout a demanding workday.

One such innovative insole that meets the needs of older workers is SelectFlex. This unique insole has a ‘PowerLift Arch™’ that actually lifts your arch upwards throughout the entire day to constantly support the foot and maintain the structure of arch. If you have sore feet from standing all day, this sounds like manna from heaven.

SelectFlex partnered with the largest orthotic manufacturer in North America and is the only arch-adjustable insole on the market. SelectFlex provides 3 comfort settings to suit your demanding needs. The tagline is “Dial-In Comfort/Adjust Away the Pain!” Jean Luc Picard, Captain of the Enterprise, famous said, “Make it so!”

A constantly-lifting arch provides all-day comfort that keeps you feeling more energized, helps reduce muscle fatigue in feet and legs, and allows you to stay on your feet longer. This is the most comfortable insoles on the market and worth a try.

I love being a healthcare professional making a difference in improving patient’s lives and health. As a peri-operative nurse standing for long periods in the operating room, foot pain is the bane of every nurse’s existence. Even if you start your day with an infectious smile and positive attitude, being on your feet the entire 12-hour shift can turn even the most cheerful nurse into a grumpy one.

As I grow older, I constantly struggle with the physical demands of static posture, from continually standing in one position during lengthy surgical procedures and or awkward postures from tilting the head downwards for long periods of time.

Other workplace challenges range from carrying heavy instrument trays, bending down to reach the sterile field while scrubbed, assisting surgeons or the worst part of standing on hard work surfaces such as concrete, creating repetitive strain and pain in the feet from lack of arch support.

All surgical personnel are at risk for work-related musculoskeletal injuries. Simple foot and ankle pain can lead to disability and puts our careers at risk. But as we in the medical profession know, prevention is better than the cure.

The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) recently published a position statement outlining ergonomically healthy workplace practices. It outlined strategies to reduce the risk of repetitive injuries and provides guidelines for developing a preventative plan for an ergonomically healthy perioperative environment. Proper arch support was listed as one of the most important preventative health factors.

A COMMON PROBLEM

Imagine walking through the physical therapy (PT) department and seeing your coworker, a peri-operative nurse of 25 years, as the patient. Unfortunately, this scenario is more common than you think. Thirty-eight percent of nurses suffer from back pain so severe they must take time off from work and to 12% of nurses have such severe back pain that they must leave nursing altogether.

Past surveys have shown up to 54% of workplace injuries among nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides were musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The U.S. Department of Labor defines MSDs as injuries or disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, or spinal discs.

A recent study of 636 Japanese University nurses found foot and ankle pain was prevalent in 24% to 51% of staff. Respectively, the study also showed the prevalence of pain that prevented the nurses from performing daily living and work-related activities at 4% and 17%.

SOME GREAT NEWS

According to Nurse.com, 45% of women, 65% of men nurses wear running shoes to work. If you use this type of shoe, you can add a supportive insole that provides the kind of arch support you need to help reduce pain.

For me, having better arch support was the best way I found to prevent tired, painful feet, legs, and lower back at the end of a long shift. When my arches are properly supported, my whole body, and especially lower back, are aligned. I even noticed less neck pain. The best part was that without all this pain I felt like I had more energy at the end of the day.

There are a lot of shoe inserts out there that promise to provide arch support, but not all of them deliver. When I came across SelectFlex and saw it was customizable, I gave it a try. It’s PowerLift Arch dynamically lifts your foot arch with each step and corrects the foot’s tendency to roll inwardly or pronate. Up to 80% of the population’s feet tend to pronate, which throws off the body’s alignment. This gives you painful feet at the end of the day from misalignment. Plus, it’s adjustable so you can choose the level of support that works best for your feet.

Other inserts also fail to address the impacts of walking on a hard surface all day. I found SelectFlex stabilized my ankle as I walked, absorbing the impact throughout the day. For healthcare professionals who are constantly walking on hard hospital floors, this is a great product.

If you’ve ever looked into medical orthotics, you know how expensive they can be. What sealed the deal for me was when I learned SelectFlex costs one quarter of what medical orthotics cost. If you want to feel better, be more active and more productive, take a look at SelectFlex online at www.selectflex.com.