Have you ever been the victim of a long-standing job, or have you ever walked into a store and noticed that it feels just a tad too damn crowded? For those of us who have worked in retail, these are two scenarios that we can all relate to. Standing for hours on your feet while simultaneously being packed in among the other customers is one of the most torturous nightmares you could imagine. Herein, we’ll be going over some exercises to help ease this nightmare from happening to any more people.
Table of Contents
Fitness Exercises for Standing All Day
Back exercises
The first thing you are going to want to do is to locate the muscles in your back that are responsible for maintaining your posture. This can be done by raising your shoulders, letting them fall naturally, and then trying to keep them pulled down. Try to maintain this for at least 15 seconds. This should happen with your elbows on your knees. Repeat this process three times, and then move on to the next step.
Shoulder exercises
Next, you’ll notice that if you rotate your shoulders in small circles while keeping your arms at your sides, you will begin to feel some kind of pulling sensation in them. Do this for about 15 seconds before attempting any other exercise.
Foot exercises
After you’ve completed the rotating step, we’re going to want to focus on the muscles in your bottom and medial sides of your feet, as well as those in your calves. To do this, you’ll want to bring both feet together and then bend them so that they are at a 90-degree angle. Next, squeeze both feet together as if you were trying to gently push someone out of the way. This exercise should only be performed up to five times before moving on to the next step.
Yoga stretches
After locating the muscles that are responsible for keeping you standing up straight, take a look at how they feel. Are they tense? If so, then you will need to try some yoga stretches to loosen them up just a bit. One of the most widely-recognized yoga stretches is the downward-facing dog, so that’s what we’re going to be doing next. To perform this, you’ll need to start on your fours while keeping your arms straight out in front of you for some balance. Keep your back straight while you look down at the ground. Now, lift both feet away from the ground for about 6 inches and push them toward the sky, while spreading your toes out (you should feel like you are walking forward on your hands).
Foot stretches
This next stretch is very similar to our last one, but it’s a bit different. This time, we’re going to be bringing one toe up to the sky while keeping the ball of our foot on the ground. The idea is that you are pushing out with your toes while keeping your foot on the ground all at the same time. Perform this for five repetitions before moving on again.
Lunges
After you have completed the stretching, you’ll want to attempt some lunges to get your blood pumping. You can start this off by bringing one foot forward while keeping the other stationery. Make sure that your knees are at 90 degrees, and then push yourself back up with both legs. Now, rotate this around so that the other leg is the stationary leg.
Heel raises
To finish up, we’re going to do a couple of heel raises. This exercise is very similar to the yoga stretch that we did earlier, but this time we’re going to be raising both feet at the same time. Raising one foot by itself might not be able to get your blood pumping and loosen up all of the muscles in your legs and feet. For this exercise, you should push both feet out while pushing against the ground with one hand and the bottom of your foot while pushing against the ground with your other hand.
Tips to choose shoes to support to stand all day
- Heel: higher heel (2 inches or more) for improved balance and less plantar fasciitis risk
- Arch: Supports the foot’s natural arch and lets you distribute your weight evenly across the sole of the shoe
- Pronation: The shoe needs to create space in the front and back of the foot to accommodate for your pronated (rolling inwards) ankles
- Lacing: A wider, loose lacing system will help spread out pressure points on your foot all day long.
- Materials: Shoes with leather, mesh or breathable fabric will be easier to stand in for longer periods of time.
- Flats: Flats are a good alternative since your heel won’t have to carry your weight while wearing them, which lessens stress on the feet, back and knees.
- Suggestions to choose shoes fit for long standing all day are sneakers, canvas shoes, or flip-flops.
How To Prepare Before Standing all Day?
Work out
It will help keep your muscles and joints flexible and strong. You need to stretch after every meal. Stretch of the adductors, pectoralis major & latissimus dorsi, your shoulders, and wrists.
Wear shoes with good support
Wearing supportive shoes with good cushioning will reduce pain and difficulty when standing all day long. Shoes with a larger heel are better because they provide stability for the arch when you are working on hard surfaces when walking or standing for a long time in one position.
Wear comfortable clothing
You should wear clothing that stretches to accommodate your body’s natural movements. Wear loose-fitting clothes for work. Avoid high-rise jeans, shorts, pants, and loafers.
Keep your feet cool
Your feet are sensitive to the weather. You can easily feel extreme heat or cold in your feet which can cause discomfort, pain, and even damage to your bones. Keep them at a good temperature for you to stand comfortably all day long.
Be sure to use the right equipment for standing all day
If you spend a lot of time on your feet, you should invest in a good standing desk to make it better and easier for you. There is no doubt that desks play an important role when people work in different places. A good desk can help an individual feel comfortable when he/she is working for long hours in the office.
Pain After Standing all Day
Flat feet pain
When you are working long hours on your feet, you may feel discomfort in your feet. This may be caused by the large surface area that is under pressure while standing or walking barefoot. You can avoid these pains very easily by wearing good shoes fit for flat feet that will protect the foot from the heat and cold. Flat feet are mostly caused by flat arches. Over-pronation of the foot is the leading cause of flat feet among many other cases. You can wear proper footwear to take care of this problem.
Ball of foot pain
This type of pain is otherwise known as metatarsal pain. Although the symptoms are similar to that of flat feet, it is not always caused by flat feet. The symptoms can appear when standing for long hours on your feet while wearing shoes with low supports, inappropriate footwear, joints issues, and other cases like this.
Knee pain
When you stand or walk for a long time on your feet while wearing a low-supporting shoe, there is a possibility that your knees will hurt. These pains may be caused by a weak patella, inflexible knee muscles, and other cases like this.
Hip Pain
When you stand or walk for a long time, your hips may start to hurt. The pain can be caused by weak hip muscles or it can be caused by an overly tight or inflexible hip joint. The pain you experience on your hip may be due to overuse. This is often the case with people who are new to fitness activities, which can also result in injury if they do not take adequate precautions.
FAQs
How to stretch after standing all day?
– Sit on the floor with your hips toward the back of the room. Then, stretch your back slightly. Position yourself at approximately a 90-degree angle to the floor.
– Straighten your legs and hold them straight out in front of you, which will be about an inch away from your body.
– Make sure that you are focusing on stretching out your hip flexors instead of pulling up into your back. If this is done, then you can help place more focus into stretching out that hip flexor.
How can I make standing all day easier?
It can be difficult to stand all day, but there are some ways that you can take to make it easier. One of the things you can do is wear shoes with a good support like walking shoes on concrete surfaces or tennis shoes that offer cushioning on the sole. These will reduce difficulty standing for long periods of time on hard surfaces like concrete or tile floors. It is also important to wear clothing that stretches so it accommodates your body’s natural movements when working in a seated position for long periods of time, such as wearing looser fitting clothes while at work. You should also keep your feet cool by wearing closed-toed shoes.
Build strength by doing some exercises that work your leg, hip, and core muscles. You should also get a nice standing desk to place on it. If you get this one then you can get a great workout at the same time you are working for long hours.
What exercises can I do while standing up?
It is best to start out by working with basic moves that involve your arms, legs, and core. One exercise you can do is by squatting on one leg. This will help strengthen your legs, core, and arms. Another thing you can do is by doing push-ups. You can also try doing some planks on the floor where you are standing up on one leg for time intervals.
What helps with back pain from standing all day?
When you stand for a long time, it may be hard on your back. One way to prepare for this is by using a back support cushion. You should also make sure that you are wearing the proper shoes for your back pain. This will keep your feet from hurting and will help with overall body alignment to reduce back pain from standing all day.
In addition, make sure to take breaks from standing periodically by taking a walk or doing some squats or other exercises while you are at work. You should also make sure that your chair is the right height so that you have proper knee alignment to relieve back pain after standing all day.