We all get very busy and are on our feet throughout the day. We get up, shower, stand, and walk, walk, walk, if not run, all day long.  As per a 2016 publication from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, at least 61% of the workday is spent walking or standing.

Outside of work, we walk while grocery shopping, we stand while waiting in line to check out, then we head home to unload our bags full of groceries at home. We use our feet and toes all day long, whether we realize it or not. Therefore, we decided to dedicate this post about keeping our feet and toes healthy.

Footwear

It is important to wear the right kind of shoes for different terrain and surface. Whether you’re going for a hike, a jog in the park, cycling, weight lifting or any other workout, the type of shoes you choose really matters.

The right shoes help in an improved movement of your body while uncomfortable shoes can lead you to adjust your gait in the process, thus, putting pressure on the back, hips, ankles, and knees.

If you’re tackling a home improvement project during a cold and rainy day, for example, you would want sturdy waterproof boots like ariat men’s waterproof work boots that are solid and dependable.

Wearing waterproofed footwear can help protect your feet and keep them warm. Work boots especially cater to protect your toes from accidents and come in a couple of choices: steel toe and composite toe.

Steel Toe

Steel Toe shoes have a protective reinforcement made of steel embedded in the toe area of a shoe. A heavy object, such as a hammer, can fall on your feet. A steel toe boot can help prevent you from injury.

Have you ever walked by a construction site that’s littered with nails? A steel toe boot can also prevent nails and sharp objects from puncturing your boots and into your toes.

Although heavier than composite toe shoes, it is recommended to use steel-toed work boots for larger projects for maximum protection.

Composite Toe

Composite toe shoes are used for protecting your toes just like to steel toe shoes. The difference, however, is in the material. Composite toe shoes are normally made with a combination of materials such as plastic, fiberglass, and carbon fiber.

Composite-toed work boots are lighter in weight compared to steel-toed boots. Depending on the type of project, composite-toed work boots are great for small to moderate-sized projects.

Tired Feet

Whether we are working or off the clock, standing for long periods of time can be tiresome. Not only is standing tiresome, but prolonged standing can also lead to serious health-related issues like leg cramps and backaches.

A short survey was conducted consisting of 14 men and 12 women. Results confirmed that “regardless of age or gender, participants were equally likely to experience significant fatigue at the end of the workday. Also, clear signs of muscle fatigue were observed for more than a half-hour after the standing period ended ..”

Healthy Feet

Wearing the correct footwear suitable for the occasion is important, but keeping your feet healthy is where it all starts. Since we’re all always on our feet, it is important to maintain a routine that not only promotes circulation but also strengthens your feet. You could start with balancing exercises to improve body posture, balance and stability.

By taking care of our feet, we can avoid long-term health issues and reduce muscle fatigue. After all, we all want to be energized when we’re out and about, and we simply can’t feel or be energized if our feet are hurting. Hence, choose the right shoes for right occasion.

What do you do to keep your feet and toes healthy? Let us know in the comments.