Standing, walking or sitting for long periods whilst working
Do you find that standing, walking or sitting for long periods at work causes you discomfort? Perhaps you experience pain in your feet, back, knees, hips, shoulders or neck. Or you may feel stiff, heavy or exhausted after a day’s work. Many people think this is just part and parcel of the job, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Work can be physically demanding. Some people stand all day. Others walk a lot between locations or, conversely, sit for hours on end. If your body remains in the same position for too long or is subjected to the same strain repeatedly, symptoms may develop or worsen.
What do you notice?
Aches and pains caused by standing, walking or sitting can build up gradually during the working day.
You may, for example, notice that:
- your feet or legs feel heavy;
- you experience pain in your back, neck, shoulders or knees;
- you get stiff after sitting for a long time;
- It takes effort to stand up after sitting down;
- you constantly have to change your posture;
- you have little energy left after work;
- if you experience tingling or numbness;
- you skip your breaks because work continues;
- Complaints are dealt with on working days.
Sometimes symptoms disappear after rest. However, if the same strain keeps recurring, the symptoms may persist.
