You probably know what it’s like to finish a long day of work, only to realize your legs feel heavy and your feet are sore. This is a common complaint among retail workers, hospital staff, and anyone who stands for long hours. However, this soreness isn’t always caused by being out of shape or directly from standing. In many cases, it’s a lack of blood circulation.
When you’re stationary for hours at a time, whether you’re standing or sitting, gravity works against your body and makes it hard for blood to return to your heart. This can cause blood to pool in your lower legs, ankles, and feet. With fluid retention comes swelling, discomfort, pain, and fatigue. Thankfully, you don’t have to deal with this – there are a handful of ways to improve circulation and avoid the aches and pains.
Here’s a closer look at the cause and some remedies.
Not moving can cause poor circulation
Although you’re more likely to experience aches and pains from standing all day, sitting at a desk can also cause circulation problems. Your blood vessels require muscle contractions to pump the blood back to your heart. When you aren’t moving much throughout the day, there’s a greater chance that blood will pool in your lower limbs. The result is swollen legs, ankles, and feet that feel heavy and sore.
Unfortunately, the longer you go without moving, the harder it is to pump all that blood back to your heart. The best solution is to get yourself moving as often as possible. However, if your job doesn’t allow for that, you can use compression socks to increase circulation while you work. With gentle, graduated pressure on your veins, it’s easier for the blood to return to your heart, even while you’re standing for long hours.
If you can’t avoid long hours on your feet, it’s important to take action, even if it hasn’t become a problem for you yet. Prolonged standing is associated with numerous serious health issues, like lower back and leg pain, cardiovascular problems, fatigue, discomfort, and even pregnancy-related issues. While you may not be able to avoid all adverse outcomes, wearing compression socks can help significantly.
Prolonged standing wears down muscles and joints
Holding your body upright continuously activates the same muscles, including your hamstrings, calves, and lower back. When you don’t get enough rest or variation in movement, all those muscles are likely to get tired and tight. Additionally, standing for hours puts pressure on your joints and can cause inflammation and soreness in your knees and ankles. If you can’t move around at work, go for a walk around the block when you get home and try to get in a daily workout even if it’s as simple as a yoga session at home.
Many people find that soaking their feet at the end of the day in a warm Epsom salt bath helps soothe achy muscles, and they feel great the next day.
You might be wearing the wrong socks and shoes
Some shoes are not made for standing for long hours. It’s crucial to wear the most comfortable shoes you can find. Although there are shoes specifically designed to provide ample support, many people use inserts for added comfort. If you can’t wear comfortable shoes because of your company’s dress code, try sneakers disguised as dress shoes.
Your socks can also impact your feet for better or for worse. Wearing thin socks can lead to blisters, especially if your shoes aren’t the right size. If your feet sweat, damp or wet socks can also create blisters from the friction, so it’s best to wear socks that wick moisture away from your body.
It’s important to stand on a cushy mat
If your position requires you to stand all day in one spot, like cashiering or working the counter at customer service, you should be standing on a cushy mat. It’s not a perfect solution, but standing on a flat, hard floor for an entire shift will make your feet ache. In some states, mats are a legal requirement under employment law. If your employer won’t provide a comfortable mat to stand on, it’s worth considering a new job.
Your legs don’t have to hurt after every shift
If your legs and feet are hurting after work, it’s a sign that your body needs better support. Whether you’re dealing with poor circulation or a lack of good footwear, simple solutions – like compression socks, proper footwear, and regular movement – can go a long way in preventing aches and exhaustion.
