Source: workwhilewalking.com

People that are working hard and that stand for a long period need some kind of aid in relieving all kinds of pain that are associated with their job. You who work these kinds of jobs know what we are talking about. Back pain, joint pain, varicose veins and all sorts of other issues are what is plaguing you. Thanks to some new revelations there is an alternative to standard medications and it comes in the form of Anti-Fatigue mats.

Today’s article will tell you about them and about the advantages of using these mats. If you want to try them for yourself you can get them here! But, let’s get to the topic at hand. The anti-fatigue mats are there to combat health issues that are targeting the workers that have prolonged periods of standing. During the prolonged staying workers create a static load on their back and leg muscles.

Those loads over time lead to musculoskeletal injuries (MSDs) and generalized fatigue. Usage of anti-fatigue mats is supposed to get rid of or at least ease the bad sides of longer standing while also bringing health improvements for the workers and cost reduction for employers. 

The part you are going to read next will address all of the advantages that these mats are providing, and we will consider both sides – employer and employee to round up the picture and give you the best insight into these.

Reduced back pain and joint stiffness

Source: consumer.healthday.com

This is probably the most obvious benefit and the one that you can immediately feel. Every worker that stands for a long time on a hard surface will, after some time, feel fatigued and joint and muscle pains. Anti-fatigue mats will relieve pressure on the spine from standing on hard surfaces. We all know how hard surfaces impact our bones, tendons and our joints.

This is why good enough shoes are hard to find but imperative, especially for those that stand a lot. For some people, even good shoes will not help and that is where these mats come to aid. By standing on something softer and ergonomically made to relieve pressure from certain spots you get the benefits of pressure relief on your back and joints and thus fatigue a lot less.

Posture improvement

Source: alliantpt.com

With positive benefits to our back and joints, the anti-fatigue mats also improve our posture. With those ergonomically placed spots that relieve certain pressure points in our body, we can benefit from the improved posture.

With a lack of pressure on our muscles, back and joints we do not have to take certain bad body positions to relieve those problems, thus causing bad posture. These mats help us stay in the best and more natural position for the body and help us work longer and harder without having to have issues like back pain and muscle tightening.

Tightening muscles

Source: bobvila.com

Anti-fatigue mats also help with the reduction of muscle tightening especially in our legs. Having to stand for a long time in one or two different positions makes us strain our legs, tendons and muscles that can tighten and contract later on when we try to rest. Some people have very long and painful cramps that are a direct result of this which can be problematic.

If you can’t rest at your home and you start having pains and leg cramps while working you are no longer a productive or healthy individual. Thanks to these mats a softer and ergonomically made surface will ease those problems and allow you to feel more energetic while the pain and fatigue are long gone.

Productivity increase

Source: foodservicedirector.com

A happy employee is a productive employee – it is as simple as that. If your working environment doesn’t meet the normal requirements all your employees will suffer and your business will suffer as well. Having good working conditions means that you workers will be satisfied and offer a lot in return.

This means that every kitchen, every car industry and every other industry that requires standing in one spot for a prolonged period should look into these mats and invest in them. Ultimately you are also showing concern for your workers’ health. If you take care of them they will take care of you – this is the way it goes. 

Cost savings

Source: fcw.com

The last two points in this article are related to employers, as you already figured out. Cost savings are something every business strongly concerns about and having your workers rest more than needed and go on sick leaves more than normal will ultimately end your business suffering. If you have workers that get injured in their workplace you as a business have to make compensation to them, if they don’t feel comfortable in their workplace they will lower their productivity, and if they go on constant leaves due to medical conditions, again you and your business will suffer.

To make all of this less of a thing in your company try and research what your employees need and try to give them that. You will see that their productivity will skyrocket, there will be no, or there will be less injuries or medical conditions in the place of work that will result in better cost savings for you. 

In the end, it is important to state that these mats are only the first step in helping yourself and your workers achieve a better level of comfort and health in the workplace. These are not magical and they will not erase every problem you have but they will greatly reduce the problems you are getting by standing for longer on hard surfaces and they will increase the comfort levels of your workspace. 

Many doctors out there recommend that if you can at least a few times a week try and go to your local park and walk barefooted through the grass or sand. Getting off of shoes and hard surfaces and reconnecting with earth is a great way to make some of your pain and problems go away. Almost the same principle is behind these anti-fatigue mats. They are intended to ease your pain and to have you stand on something a bit softer while you work to help you relieve some of the pain that has accumulated over the years.