There’s no question that factory work is physically exhausting, and extended periods of time spent on your feet in steel-toe boots take their toll.
We treat many hardworking individuals from various local factories, including Toyota Georgetown, Square D, Osram, Meritor, Jiff and more.
Top 3 Cheap Ways To Decrease Factory Foot Fatigue
1. Foot Stretches Decrease Foot Fatigue
These should be a part of everyone’s routine, factory worker or not!
Left unchecked, the pounding that your feet take during the day can manifest itself in a phenomenon called plantar fasciitis. This painful condition arises from tightness and inflammation in the plantar fascia – a band of tissue in the bottom of your foot connecting your heel to your toes.
15 minutes a day dedicated to stretching will pay dividends in years to come. Check out our free stretching guide for some quick, at-home tips for major pain relief.
Remember, while it feels good, it’s not an instant cure. Do these regularly for the biggest impact. (This tip is great for prevention, but if you have heel pain for longer than 3 days, a proper diagnosis is necessary to ensure that a tear or further damage does not happen.)
You may need an orthotic that is custom-casted to fit inside your work boots. Orthotics bring many that work on concrete GREAT relief by offloading the heel and supporting the arch.
2. Ice Your Feet…DAILY If Needed
Your feet sustain damage at a cellular level during the day. By constricting blood vessels, ice therapy helps to minimize the fluid build-up that this causes, taking the sting out of inflammation.
The blood vessels dilate post-icing, which we believe helps to flush away the toxic by-products of cellular damage.
You can submerge your feet in ice water, use a cold pack, frozen peas or freeze a bottle of water to roll your arch over.
30 minutes is the sweet spot. After about 20 minutes, your nerves tell you’re brain, “Hey, we’re COLD! Send help!” Your blood vessels then open up and blood comes rushing in, which speeds healing. That’s why we say, try to do it for at least 30 minutes.
Once daily should suffice for mild discomfort – just after work is ideal for offsetting the beating that your feet take during the day. Just roll your foot, back and forth to out the kinks while the cold, frozen bottle works its magic.
3. Properly Fitting Steel-Toe Boots
Protecting your toes from the myriad hazards of factory work is a no-brainer, but the benefits of sturdy, well-fitted steel-toe boots extend far beyond this.
When you wear shoes with too much flex, the smaller muscles in your feet and lower legs end up working harder to compensate for the lack of stability.
This additional stress can be devastating when you’re on your feet day after day. In this regard, the sturdiness of steel-toe boots is as indispensable as their ability to protect your feet from impacts.
Just because they’re not flimsy doesn’t mean they’re a joy to wear though. We see a lot of ingrown toenails from boots that are too crowded in the toe box.
Plus, if your shoes are not well-maintained or get very damp, then you may be in for a serious bout of athlete’s foot or toenail fungus.
“Here’s a tip! I see a lot of team members that wear the clog or slip on style boots. This puts a lot of strain on the ankle ligaments over time. It only takes an extra 30 seconds a day to tie your shoes. Lace them up and your legs will thank you!”
— Dr. Nicole Freels
As a rule of thumb, your boots should grip your feet firmly but should still give you room to wiggle your toes – a quick Google search will turn up many horror stories of nerve damage from overly tight shoes. You want the sweet spot.
Your choice of footwear is going to play a big part in the health of your feet, so invest time in choosing well.
I’ve Tried The Cheapest Tips & My Feet Still Hurt
You can’t discount the importance of healthy feet if you work on them all day long. Your very job depends on them.
If you’ve tried the at-home tips, then it’s time to check out some effective & proven treatments for your foot pain.
Lexington Podiatry has early and late hours to accommodate hospital staff, first responders and shift employees.
Foot Health Education In The Community
We are dedicated to educating Kentucky on the benefits of a healthy foundation. You don’t have to work in pain.
We’re known for being the local expert for helping factory workers stay happy, healthy and most importantly…on the job.
So many health issues can be prevented if caught early. If you think your team or co-workers would benefit from a one-day FREE foot screening evaluation day, contact us at happyfeet@lexpodiatry.com to set up a future date!
Free preventative health education and personalized gait analysis from a specialist on location is a great morale booster for hardworking plant employees.
If you’re looking for more information, call our office at 859-264-1411 or make an online appointment.