Pain often results from our daily activities. These include how you move, whether you perform regular exercise, or if you stay in the same position, such as standing on your feet for long periods. Injuries, physical pain and other disorders can be linked to any of these factors.
Working on your feet for long hours can become tedious and painful. Although it might be hard to change your work conditions or find a new job, you can use self-care practices such as choosing the right shoes or giving yourself a foot massage after work to relieve foot pain.
If you’re experiencing excessive foot pain or have noticed other areas of your body also aching, the best approach is to consult with your doctor to determine the best course of treatment.
Standing on your feet all day or for long periods decreases the blood supply to muscles, often leading to mild discomfort and tired feet and legs. In some cases, it can cause back and neck pain or varicose veins that significantly impact your life. The effects of standing all day include:
To prevent further damage and discomfort or worsen any underlying conditions, perform a daily care routine for your feet, heels and legs, and visit your doctor when you notice the first signs of discomfort or pain.
Your feet are your body’s foundation. They support you through the day and allow you to perform nearly every activity you engage in. Starting a care routine to prevent and relieve foot aches and heel pain will help reduce stress on the body. These are a few ways to stop heel pain caused by standing all day.
Take a short break and sit down for a few minutes every half hour to an hour. You might think this will affect your productivity, but regular breaks may boost your energy since they allow your body to rest and recuperate.
Try using a foam roller or massage ball to gently wake up and warm the muscles before starting deeper stretches to prevent injury. Regularly stretching your feet, legs and ankle muscles will strengthen them and help reduce pain.
Find footwear with proper arch support and heel elevation. Always ensure you’re wearing the correct size shoe for proper blood circulation to your feet. You may need to up your footwear size to account for swelling that occurs throughout the day.
Your heart needs to work overtime to circulate blood while standing all day. To help, place a few extra pillows beneath your feet and elevate them above your heart. You can also lie on the floor and rest your feet against a wall.
You can wear compression socks throughout the day to encourage circulation. If you opt for compression socks, make sure they’re not too tight, and remove them if they become uncomfortable.
To alleviate and soothe muscle tension, take an Epsom salt or essential oil bath, like lavender oil, or soak your feet in a warm tub of water. Soaking your feet can help relax your muscles.
A gentle or deep foot self-massage helps decrease pain by releasing tension, improving circulation and stimulating the muscles. Use essential oils or skin lotion to rub your feet and toes until all tension is gone.
Foot health is essential for your overall well-being, determining how you stand, walk, run and sit. Paying attention to your feet can prevent discomfort, chronic pain, and even musculoskeletal, nervous system and cardiovascular diseases.
Relieving pain from standing all day can:
Relieving pain from standing all day promotes overall health. If you’ve been experiencing foot, heel or leg pain for a long time or just have minor discomfort, it’s important to visit your health care provider to prevent further injuries or detect disease early.
Paying regular attention and engaging in a daily care routine is the first step in taking good care of your feet, preventing future foot, back and leg problems, improving your health and increasing your overall well-being.
At New York Spine Institute, we aim to provide you with personalized treatment that addresses your leg and foot pain from the root and provides you with relief. Our goal is to improve your quality of life, no matter what type of job or daily activities you perform.
To learn more about relieving pain from standing all day, contact our team or schedule your appointment today.
