There are various numbers of studies being done that have recorded the data linking common foot injuries and specific job positions.
Although you may think you’re off the hook when it comes to obtaining a foot injury because your job isn’t listed, you might not be completely footloose and free of the threat of a foot injury. Just like with any job out there, you have to be sure that you are taking proper care (with health and protection) of your feet, as well as various other parts of your body.
There are so many ways that you can take the extra precautions to ensure foot safety in the workplace. Wearing proper footwear, for example, is just one of the things you can do.
How to Stay Foot-Healthy in Workplace
Even if you aren’t working at a physical job, you might be causing your feet some damage without even knowing it. Here are our top three tips to help keep your feet healthy during the workday.
Take a Shower
Especially if you are going out for a workout during your lunch hour, it is extremely important that you clean up properly afterward. Not only does using five minutes for a shower help you feel refreshed for the rest of the workday and help prevent your workmates from dealing with post-workout stench, it also prevents fungal infections and promotes good foot health.
Leave Heels at Home
If you don’t have to wear heels and you don’t feel like your work would suffer without them, don’t wear them! You can make the transition slowly, only wearing them ever so often or you can even have them stashed away behind your desk for when you have meetings, etc. Even though wearing heels might make you feel powerful or professional, having your feet feel discomfort and possibly lead to injuries might not be worth it.
Wear Properly Fitted Shoes
Especially since you’ll be wearing your shoes for prolonged periods of time, you should ensure the proper fit. No matter what type of shoe you’re wearing, it’s important that there’s no room for discomfort.
Foot Injuries Are Common
Unfortunately, even with all the proper prevention attention, it’s still possible that a foot injury will occur in the workplace.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22.3% of the cases were fractures or sprains/strains. The reasons behind these injuries were being struck by an object, which tallied up for being the cause of over half of the injuries on record. Metal items and vehicles also played their part, associated with 50.7% of all work-related foot injuries.
Unfortunately, over 60,000 foot injuries every year is the reason why some people cannot get to work and get the proper salary.
However, these foot injuries can result in so much more than just one or two days off from work. These leg and foot injuries can actually lead to permanent disabilities since some of these “victims” have problems completely or partially with walking. Especially if their job is physical, this can have a direct effect on if it’s possible for him or her to even return to work.
Even if you are at a normal desk job, you’re still at risk for having a foot injury. However, these other occupations have one of the highest risks of having a foot injury on the job:
Construction
For obvious reasons, construction can be an extremely dangerous job in general. However, speaking specifically about foot injuries, there can be a direct correlation between having a foot injury and the types of tasks required in a general construction occupation.
When working in construction, you are bombarded with hazards from every direction in an unsafe area. You can possibly get injured from falling objects or from heavy equipment. One false move or lack of attention can easily lead to an injury.
Statistically speaking, these construction workers generally obtain these foot injuries from climbing ladders or scaffolding. Especially if they aren’t wearing the proper gear, it can cause even more of a risk of sustaining an injury on the job.
Transportation
When it comes to foot injuries, people that work in the transportation industry, including truckers and bus drivers, they are also highly at risk.
First of all, most of their day consists of having to climb in and out of high vehicles most of the day. They also drive for long periods of time, which can actually weaken the foot or leg muscles. This increases the risk that they will then have of sprains and strains.
The unhealthy habits often associated with this type of working, like smoking, can also lead to a high risk of possible diseases later on in life.
Retail and Food Industry
For workers in these two different industries, they have one thing in common. Most employees are required to stay on their feet standing or walking around for up to 12 hours a day. When it comes to foot health, this can lead to various poor foot conditions including blisters, dry feet, and sometimes bruised toenails. People working in these industries should always wear proper footwear to help prevent these problems and bacteria and foot odor.
Fitness, Dancing, and Exercise Occupations
This working with vigorous exercise as part of their jobs can be at risk for foot injuries and small fractures. Although there might not be a way around it, knowing when to stop or take off work before an injury gets worse is extremely important.
As we already mentioned, wearing arch supported, proper footwear is extremely important. If you can avoid it, stay away from pointed shoes or heels and rest when you can.
If you find that you might have some sort of foot injury, seek proper care and tend to it immediately.
