 |
| For Questions Call/Text Dr. Jimenez Personally @ 915-540-8444 or Contact Us @ 915-850-0900 |
For many individuals, standing for extended periods of time
is a major part of the job. Being on your feet for a large part of the day is a
well-known story for cashiers, bank tellers, restaurant servers, mail sorters,
and retail salespeople, but most commonly, healthcare workers.
Prolonged standing and walking for healthcare workers can
cause or aggravate previous health complications and soft tissue injuries and
its effects can usually become instantly noticeable. An abundance of
individuals often experience swollen or painful feet or legs, bunions or bony
bumps that develop on the joint at the base of the big toe, plantar fasciitis,
Achilles tendinitis, varicose veins, knee complications, low back pain, neck
and shoulder stiffness, poor posture and the effects that follow, restricted
blood flow, heightened risk of knee or hip arthritis and, muscle soreness and
fatigue.
Through many healthcare jobs, as well as with other types of
jobs, standing is frequently a normal component within a healthcare worker’s
day but, when the physical layout or work practices of a task require
individuals to reach across wide surfaces in uncomfortable positions or repetitively
participate in tasks without breaks, individuals may be at a higher risk of
developing musculoskeletal injuries or conditions. Additionally, standing can
be much worse when the individual has limited space to move around or while
working on hard surfaces and/or wearing unsuitable footwear.
The structures of the body function together to hold you in
an upright position. After standing or walking for an extended amount of time,
its important to allow the muscles to rest, otherwise, the joints from the neck
to the feet can become tight and stiff. Regularly when this occurs, the muscles
can become fatigued, leading to tendon and ligament damage or soft tissue
injuries. Also, standing still reduces blood flow to the muscles and slows down
or stops the regular muscle movements that function to return blood from the
feet and legs to the heart. Other body fluids won’t move unless leg muscles
contract and if the blood or other fluids aren’t flowing properly as they
should, veins can become inflamed and/or feet, ankles, and legs can also become
swollen, causing muscle aches.
Our feet are essential for standing. The arches of the feet
function as shock absorbers but with overuse, poor position, or flat feet,
these shock absorbers may stop working properly and the joints in the legs and
hips as well as the spine are forced to distribute the impacts of standing,
walking, running or jumping. The surrounding tissues of the lower extremities
can then become irritated and inflamed, making them more vulnerable to injury.
By law, employers must provide healthy and safe work for
everyone in their workplace. Necessary precautions and changes in the workplace
can be applied to help prevent injuries. Preventive ergonomic solutions that
can be enforced in healthcare environments include fully adjustable work
surfaces, equipment and work stations where height can be modified for easy
reach as well as provide enough space to move and sit comfortably together with
fully adjustable chairs and/or sit-stand stools. Also, healthcare workplaces
should include wooden, cork or rubber covered floors and anti-fatigue mats to
provide a cushion for the feet while standing for long periods of time. In
addition, healthcare providers should be provided with enough seating in rest
areas and lunch rooms.
Individually, each person can also follow specific
guidelines to prevent standing-related injuries. If you’ve been standing for a
while, make sure to take some time to sit and rest or move as much as possible.
Preferably when standing, attempt to stand with one foot in front of the other
rather than side by side and periodically shift your weight from one leg to the
other. Then, an individual can also work with one foot slightly raised by
resting it on a small footstool. Finally, wear a proper pair of footwear and
use cotton or wool socks to allow the feet to breath while avoiding nylons
which can constrict the toes. Overall health is important for everyone and
prevention is the key for ultimately achieving a complete well being especially
for healthcare providers who wholeheartedly focus on treating and offering
their time towards helping and treating others.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
