Standing and walking on concrete flooring for long periods of time at work can cause all sorts of nasty problems. Symptoms can start with minor pain or discomfort in the feet or back, but if ignored it could lead to long term chronic pain or damaged joints.
Problems with standing on hard floors are particularly prevalent during the winter months. Concrete flooring does not tend to retain heat very well, meaning on cold winter days standing on a concrete floor can leave you and your joints feeling rather chilled.
Independent tests have shown that standing on hard floors leads to an immobile standing pattern, causing stiffness and poor circulation. When we are cold our blood flow decreases, which is why standing on concrete floors during the winter months can cause us such discomfort.
So what is the solution?
One of the easiest ways to protect your joints from cold, hard floors is by placing anti-fatigue matting in your working area. Anti-fatigue matting is specifically designed for those situations where a person is primarily standing in the same location for long periods of time.
Anti-fatigue mats provide a soft, cushioned surface to stand on to help alleviate stress to the back, legs and feet. The matting also provides a warmer, more comfortable surface to stand on, offering relief to the joints from standing on cold and damp floors.
Our anti-fatigue mats have been shown to do the following when tested in a working environment:
1. REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY UP TO 50% in the supporting muscles such as those in the leg and the lower back, when compared to standing on a hard floor.
2. REDUCE FATIGUE by promoting subtle movement in the leg and calf muscles, resulting in increased blood and oxygen flow.
3. In a real working environment employees recorded that they felt their FATIGUE WAS REDUCED BY AS MUCH AS 50% when working on anti fatigue mats, in comparison to working on a hard floor.
Not all anti-fatigue mats are the same
There are different types of anti-fatigue mats and which one you choose will depend on the application that it is being used in. We would always be happy to help you find the right mat to suit your unique requirements. Call us on 0121 313 6748, during normal offices hours and one of our friendly matting advisors will be able to give you advice on choosing the right mat.
