Your occupation can contribute to foot problems, and working feet are particularly prone to the following problems:

• Aches or pains in the heel, arch, ball of the foot or legs.
• Itching and/or discolouration in the legs caused by varicose veins.
• Numbness, tingling in the foot, changes to the colour of the skin, caused by poor circulation.
• Swelling in the feet, ankle or leg.
• Injuries such a crushing, punctures, amputations and lacerations caused by heavy objects falling and crushing the foot or toes; treading on pointed or sharp objects such as nails or broken glass; feet trapped between objects, such as between a conveyor belt and roller.
• Sprained ankles, fractures or broken bones resulting from slips, trips and falls. Causes include slippery floors, long stride length with the wrong heel, cluttered walkways, incorrect footwear and poor lighting.
• Constant walking on hard, inflexible surfaces can exacerbate joint damage, and wearing shoes that are a poor fit, or have too high a heel.
• Knee, hip, back and neck pain.
• Corns and hard skin.
• Sweaty and smelly feet.
• Athlete’s foot.