In the UK, it is thought that 75 to 80 per cent of the adult population has some form of foot problem, and over 90 per cent will suffer from a foot problem at some point in their lives. Many people put up with foot pain believing it to be normal.

We have all heard the excuses… “I’m breaking the shoes in”, “I’m on them all day, what do you expect,” to name but a few. However, persistent pain should not be an every day occurrence, and is the body’s warning system that something is wrong. Don’t ignore it.

The environment in which we work can also impact on foot comfort, such as the type of floor we stand on. Wooden floors, for example, tend to have some ‘give’, which is much more forgiving than tiled, concrete or marble floors that have very little or no ‘give’ at all. It is not unusual for problems to arise within the foot, lower leg and back as a result of working on hard unyielding surfaces for long periods – especially if you are also wearing a hard soled shoe with no shock absorption.

Dangers for working feet

Working feet can be exposed to many dangers. To avoid painful conditions, you need to follow footwear and foot care advice that is suited to your needs. Pain and discomfort ultimately affect how well you perform in terms of work and play; affecting mobility and performance, and may prevent you from walking, playing sport, and leading a normal, active life. Not protecting feet at work may also lead to serious injury and loss of livelihood.

Work related foot problems

We all know that regular maintenance and a yearly MOT is vital to keep a car running smoothly, yet most of us overlook how important it is to care for our feet. Hidden away in shoes, we don’t give them much thought.

Standing for long periods may cause pain or discomfort to the feet, ankles, knees and hips, as well as to the back and neck. Also, standing for long periods in unsuitable footwear may exacerbate any underlying problem you may have with your joints, increasing the rate at which arthritic changes take place.

Accidents at work

In an at-risk environment, unprotected feet are at risk from accident and injury such as puncture wounds, crushing and laceration, sprained ankles, chemical burns, fractures and even amputations.