Three ways to protect your feet when you stand all day

Teachers, retail workers, healthcare pros, kitchen crews, hairdressers, waitstaff, mail carriers, and many others have “standing” or “walking all day long” in their job descriptions. While things don’t seem too dire when you’re young and ready to conquer the world, things quickly change with age and real-life responsibilities.

Yes, experts agree that standing beats sitting. But let’s not kid ourselves—too much of a good thing is still too much. The average person stands about 3.1 hours a day and logs roughly 1.5 hours of light activity. Clocking eight to ten hours upright? That’s an endurance sport without being paid an athlete’s salary.

And the consequences are never late to show up. Achy legs, swollen feet, cranky ankles, and varicose veins are the way your lower half files formal complaints. That’s your cue to pause, reassess, and maybe stop ignoring the warning signs.

Because prevention always beats damage control, we’ve rounded up smart, practical ways to protect your feet and keep them functional, even when your job refuses to take a seat.

1) Choose the right shoes

Your shoes are your best friends when you have to be vertical for more than a few hours at a time. And, just like real best friends, their job is to support you by absorbing impact, offering stability, and accommodating swelling.

Look for footwear with a large toebox, which allows your toes to splay naturally, and a thick midsole that separates your foot from hard concrete or tile. Also, if you work in a spill-prone environment, a water-resistant leather upper and a slip-resistant outsole are the gold standard for protection.

2) Invest in custom orthotics

Store-bought insoles offer a one-size-fits-all cushion that may not be of much help if your sole is a bit different. If you keep using them, your problems may worsen over time, and your feet will definitely speak louder.

Luckily, you can use custom orthotics, which are medical devices specifically molded to the unique contours of your feet. They address your specific gait issues, such as overpronation (rolling inward) or supination (rolling outward).

For instance, you can get medical-grade orthotics for Morton’s Neuroma, a condition that causes sharp, burning pain between the toes due to nerve compression in the foot. Custom-made orthotics match your arch height, offloading pressure from the pinched nerve and redistributing your body weight across the entire plantar surface rather than concentrating it on the heel and ball of the foot.

Plus, proper foot alignment reduces the “chain reaction” of pain that travels up to the knees, hips, and spine

3) Movement and sleep

After a long day at work, the last thing you’d want to do when you get home is move some more. However, research shows that exercises designed to strengthen or soothe your feet are an integral part of your well-being.

In fact, there are some exercises you can do at work whenever you catch a break. Here are a few examples:

The calf lift: Every 30 minutes, perform 10 calf raises to engage the “second heart” (your calf muscles) and move blood upward.
Tennis ball roll: During breaks, roll a tennis ball or cold water bottle under your arch to massage the plantar fascia and release tension.
The wiggle test: Regularly splay your toes inside your shoes to ensure blood flow isn’t being restricted by a tight toe box.

A healthy sleep routine is also important, especially when it starts with a few minutes with your feet elevated. Create a brief pre-sleep routine of placing your feet on a pillow or against a wall to help blood flow back toward your center. You’ll feel a sensation of ease and relaxation.

Look after your feet

Your feet and legs are an important part of yourself, so don’t ignore their pleas for help. Take every possible measure to prevent permanent damage and always spoil your feet during your free time. You’ll be happy you did when you’re 80 and can still walk at a brisk pace without any help.