When you’re standing for long periods of time, whether you’re working in the neighborhood coffee shop or flipping a house, the number of hours put in can be demanding on your feet and cause them to ache — even when equipped with the best shoes and orthopedic insoles.
Luckily, there are a number of foot-soothing solutions to help you learn how to wind down after work and kick sore feet to the curb.
This guide will walk you through the best ways to ease your discomfort and introduce some strategies on how to soothe sore feet from standing all day, from stretches to using CBD oil.
#1 Do Some Stretches
When you spend the day standing, you put pressure on the muscles in your feet. And if you have poor posture, the soreness you feel can be exacerbated even further.
Stretching is not just for athletes. It can actually help reduce the tension in your achy feet.
Rather than letting your feet stay sedentary, try these stretches to help with the soreness:
- Standing Lunging Calf Stretch – To target a tight calf muscle, stand and face the wall from about a step away. Place both hands on the wall and step your right feet back until you’re lunging. Push the heel to the floor until you feel it start to stretch. Switch legs and repeat the process until the tight calf muscle is relieved.
- Toe Raise – Keep your aching feet flat on the floor while sitting and raise your toes until only the balls of your feet remain in contact with the floor. Then try the same stretch, but curl your toe so that only it and the ball of your foot remains on the floor. Then try curling your toes inward. Stretch each of these positions for about 5 seconds each.
- Toe Extension – While sitting, have one of your legs crossed across the other leg. Then pull your toes up toward the ankle until you feel a stretch. You should feel the muscle stretch along the bottom foot. Try rubbing your soles while doing this stretch to tackle the soreness.
#2 Foam Rolling
Your muscles are a lot like rubber bands — over time, if you don’t stretch them, they are prone to crack and break. To help manage some of your muscle soreness, you can stretch out problem areas using a foam roller.
If you’re wanting to try foam rolling yourself, try rolling it across your calves, Achilles or on the arch of your foot. You’ll want to target and stretch any area that might be causing you discomfort at the end of the day.
Or if you don’t have a foam roller at home, fish out one of your old tennis balls lying around and use that instead. Tennis balls are great when placed under your foot and rolled back and forth. Doing this will help loosen the muscles on the bottom of your foot that grow tight from standing around all day.
#3 Put Your Feet Up
You can also alleviate tired aching feet by quite literally putting your feet up. Find a nice spot to relax — be it your sofa, reclining chair or bed — and elevate your tired feet so that they are above your heart.
When you put your tired feet up, the blood vessels in your body don’t have to strain to pump blood back to the heart. With improved circulation, your achy feet can recover faster at the end of a long day being on your feet.
#4 Soak Your Feet in a Bath
Another answer to how to relieve sore feet after standing all day is through a good foot soak. With a simple warm bath, you can give your feet an at-home spa treatment. Draw yourself a warm bath and soak your feet to relieve tension. Epsom salts can be a great way to target irritated skin and reduce swelling.
Try a warm bath for yourself by performing these simple steps:
- Find a medium-sized tub that’s deep enough to stick your feet in and fill it with warm water.
- Add one cup of Epsom salt to the tub and stir gently.
- Soak your feet for around 20 minutes for the best results.
#5 Ice Your Feet
On the flip side, you can also use ice to help your sore feet. As a break, or when you get home, you can fill a plastic bag with ice and apply it to the sore area for about 5 to 15 minutes at a time.
Similarly, you can take an ice-cold water bottle and roll the bottle along the arch of your foot. This can not only stretch out the foot muscles, but the cold pressure can also help tackle additional soreness.
#6 Buy Better Shoes
Sometimes it’s not simply enough to manage soreness at the end of the day. If you experience sore feet day in and day out, you’ll want to get to the source of your problems. Shoes can often have a big impact on your foot and the soreness you feel.
Wondering how your shoes might cause soreness? These factors can contribute to poor foot support:
- Wearing shoes past their prime – Your shoes often have a lifetime of around 400 to 500 miles walked. If you’re noticing significant wear and tear on your shoes, they might not be providing the support that they once did.
- Wearing the wrong shoe – Shoes like high heels or flat-soled shoes (like flip flops and flats) can cause damage to the muscles in your feet. If you’re experiencing soreness from your shoe type, it might be time to trade in fashion for function.
- Wearing the wrong type of shoe – Perhaps you bought your shoes too small or too big. Make sure your shoes are comfortable and fitted properly. Your shoe size can change (even when you’re older), so it’s important to make sure your foot isn’t cramped when you’re standing or walking.
Try purchasing a pair of shoes that offer better support when you’re standing all day. Manufacturers make shoes that offer proper arch support to help prevent tension from overworking the muscles from your heels to your toes.
#7 Get a Massage
There’s nothing better than a treat-yourself massage after the end of a long work week. Consider a massage from a professional for those tired arches if you’re able to fit it into your schedule and budget.
Some chiropractic offices will offer massage therapies that can reduce tension in muscles. These massages are done by professionals, so they will be able to target points that can help directly alleviate tension from standing all day.
#8 Use CBD
Wanting to apply a topical solution to ease foot discomfort? CBD might be able to assist with your aches. Topical rubs from full-spectrum hemp oil contain properties that can help manage swelling and soreness at the end of a long day.
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Standing all day can create serious discomfort in your feet. Luckily, there is an arsenal of strategies to help you get back on your feet.
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Sources:
Medical News Today. What are the best foot exercises for healthy feet? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320964
Long Island Spine Specialists. 7 Ways to Care for Your Legs and Feet if You Stand All Day. https://www.lispine.com/blog/7-ways-to-care-for-your-legs-and-feet-if-you-stand-all-day/
Healthline. 10 Home Remedies to Relieve Sore Feet. https://www.healthline.com/health/sore-feet-remedies
