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If your work entails being on your feet all day, Foot Pain is something you will have to deal with regularly. Whether you work in a restaurant, teach in a classroom or even cut hair in a salon you need to be on your feet anywhere between 8 and 10 hours per day or even more. Finding ways to relieve foot pain from standing all day should be a top priority for you.
Much of the Pain that you get from standing all day is preventable by wearing shoes with the right fit and sufficient cushioning and support. But, sometimes footwear might not be enough, and so you will need to try other things to relieve the pain.
#1 Wear Custom Orthotics
Wearing proper work shoes can help ease foot pain, but if you are not ready to invest in several pairs of work boots, you can go for custom orthotics. Orthotics are special inserts that provide support to the fascia, muscles and the foot skeletal and ensures that they remain in the correct position. These shoe inserts are helpful when dealing with foot pain and other conditions like plantar fasciitis.
Although you can buy a pair for your shoe size at most retail stores, the best idea is always to get a custom one from a professional. Custom orthotics will be more helpful in relieving foot pain since they conform to your feet better than the store bought inserts.
#2 Change Positions Frequently
If you must stand all day at work, it is important to find time to sit for a few minutes. Sitting for a while before working on the next customer in your salon or when you are not very busy if you work in a restaurant can make a huge difference. The few minutes you are not on your feet means that your legs will not have to carry a lot of weight and so they get some precious recovery time.
Walking around, stretching or even standing in different positions can also be very helpful. Changing positions means that you are shifting your weight around and so no one point on your feet will have to carry the body weight for long periods.
#3 Do Some Stretch Exercises
Some stretch exercises after every few hours can help to prevent and Relieve Foot Pain. Standing for long causes your muscles to tense up, and this is one of the reasons why you get sore feet. Some calf stretches do not require a lot of space or time, but they are still useful in dealing with foot pain.
Calf stretches will help to pump blood back to the body from your feet where it pools when standing.
Here is a simple calf exercise that you can do in a few minutes at work.
- Stand on the edge of a platform or step and pull in your abdominal muscles.
- Secure your feet on the platform/step with the heels hanging on the edge.
- Raise your heels for a few inches above the step to stand on tiptoes and hold this position for a few seconds.
- Lower the heel back to an even position and repeat the routine at least ten times and twice or thrice through the day.
#4 Ice and Massage Your Feet
Ice therapy is the best way of reducing swelling and pain on your feet, and it can be a perfect remedy after standing all day. For quick relief, you should crush some ice, put them in a small plastic bag and use it to massage your feet gently. Massage the painful section in a circular motion to numb the nerve endings and reduce the swelling.
You can also wrap a pack of frozen vegetables with a thin towel and use it to massage your feet. Freezing a small plastic bottle full of water and rolling it with your foot is also an effective way of numbing the pain. If you have a foot massager, it will also be helpful as you can use it to improve the blood flow to your legs to reduce swelling and relieve foot pain from standing all day.
#5 Try an Epsom Salt Soak
An Epsom salt soak can help you relieve foot pain from standing all day. Adding a couple of spoons of this salt to some warm water and soaking your feet in it will work well to ease the pain and relax your feet. The magnesium in the salt is what makes it useful for dealing with foot pain, but this soak will leave your feet dry and so you need to moisturize after soaking them.
Foot pain is not only uncomfortable, but it will also affect your productivity if your work requires you to be on your feet. But, you do not have to live with this pain since there are some easy tricks that you can use to get some relief. The five above are just some of them. However, it is also important to know when to consult a professional since some problems may require medical intervention.
Author Bio: My name is Patrick Greer. I’m a founder of FixYourWalk, the blog dedicated to helping the people who are suffering from foot pain. Follow me on Twitter @Patrick80709565
Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/chainsaw-worker-ppe-2396616/
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