We all know that standing on your feet all day is no picnic. We’re not talking about an occasional hour, but eight hours in your dress shoes or work boots. You can wind up with sore feet and exhaustion, still feeling the effects of standing when you get home for the night.
So what can you do to alleviate the pain? Plenty of ways to lessen your discomfort and make it easier for you to get through an entire day. Here are eight tips for your consideration.
1. Use a Good Pair of Insoles
Insoles are available at most sporting goods stores that sell athletic shoes. Insoles can be purchased for either combat boots or dress shoes and will help distribute your body weight more evenly between the ball and heel of your foot.
2. Consider Ankle Supports
This is a good idea if you work primarily on your feet all day and find that your ankles sometimes hurt after a full day of standing up, mainly because they’re supporting so much weight. There are two ways to go here: If you already wear athletic shoes, consider wearing socks with reinforced heel, pad, and toe areas. If you don’t wear athletic shoes, consider buying ankle supports attached to your laces or cuffs. These are made primarily for basketball players but can work well for general use. These can be inexpensive and highly effective at alleviating discomfort on your feet. There are different styles and colors to choose from, so you should find some that will match your other footwear characteristics, including the color of your pants.
3. Use Foot Cream
Foot creams are designed to moisturize and condition your feet. They also increase circulation in your toes and help reduce moisture loss. Your feet will be silky soft and ready to use each time you come out of the shower or at the end of the day after your feet have warmed up from walking around.
4. Change Shoes Frequently During the Day
When your shoes start to feel uncomfortable, there’s a good chance that you’re overworking your feet. You should change into a new pair of shoes every two hours or so, even more frequently if you work in a highly aerobic environment such as an office where many people are standing or walking around.
5. Take a Break During the Day to Stretch and Cup Your Feet
When it’s time to go to lunch, stand up, stretch your legs and flex your toes. That will warm up the muscles in your feet and make them more elastic. Then, before sitting down to take a break during the day, cup your feet in front of you, so they get maximum blood flow. This will help ensure that they don’t swell and become stiff while you’re sitting there.
6. Pace Yourself
It’s essential to be consistent with your workload and not rush through it as if you’ve got the whole day in front of you. It only helps if you’re trying to beat a time clock and scurrying about doing things too fast for your feet. This can lead to more fatigue, cramping, and pain, so keep up a slow, regular pace throughout the day.
7. Keep Your Shoes Clean and Well-Polished
Wearing dirty shoes and not cleaning them properly can lead to much pain and stiffness you don’t need. Be sure to clean your shoes after every wear, especially after you come home from work if they’re covered in dirt or grease. Shoes should be thoroughly cleaned with regular soap and water and allowed to air dry, so they don’t become too stiff and uncomfortable. Then, buff them out with a boot brush, which will help restore the shine and condition.
8. Eat Right
It’s tough to even think about food when your feet are aching and you want to get home. But if you don’t eat properly, your body will start to use up its reserves, including essential vitamins and minerals stored in your tendons and muscles. This can aggravate pain and stiffness, leading to more fatigue as the day progresses. Be sure to eat healthy foods, avoid anything too greasy or fatty, and drink lots of water throughout the day.
We have provided valuable and exciting information on alleviating foot pain after working on your feet all day. These tips can help you get used to having your feet on the floor for 8 hours or more, and for that, you must know what causes foot pain and what remedies you can use to alleviate any discomfort.
