How To Relieve Leg Pain From Standing All Day

If you have a job or hobby that involves standing all day then at some point you are likely to have experienced foot or leg pain. Whilst standing up for short periods of time is good for our health longer periods on your feet can be detrimental to your health. Learning how to relieve leg pain from standing all day is important because it can help you avoid some problems associated with being on your feet all day.

It is widely accepted that being on your feet for more than five hours a day is likely to cause problems, not only in your legs and feet but your entire body.

Prolonged standing has been shown to cause problems such as back pain, muscle aches, cramp, sore feet, varicose veins, neck and shoulder pain and general musculoskeletal problems. Whilst some of these may be temporary others are not and could cause you long term health issues. Therefore knowing how to relieve leg pain from standing all day is important because it can not only relieve the pain but prevent it from occurring.

This post may contain affiliate links which means that we get a commission if you choose to make a purchase through the link. This is at no cost to you. Please read our disclosure page for more information.

How to Stop Foot Pain From Standing All Day

We have a number of solutions that you can use if you are on your feet all day. Some of the solutions to help are designed as preventative measures whilst others are measures you can take to stop any discomfort once it has started.

The key to soothing aching legs is to use methods that work to alter your daily routine so that you prevent pain and swelling as much as you can rather than relying on help after the problem has occurred. Looking after your health and taking care of your body will go a long way to keeping muscle pain and swelling to a minimum.

So what can you do to prevent leg and foot pain from standing all day? Well here are our top tips that can make a difference to your symptoms.

How to Soothe Aching Legs After Work – Elevate Them

When you have been on your feet all day it isn’t unusual to get swelling in your legs and inflammation which can make you feel uncomfortable. Standing all day can impact your blood circulation and blood flow leading to blood pooling in the leg and ankle. The fluid build-up is called edema and one of the things that cause it is standing all day.

A great way to tackle the problem is by elevating your feet and legs above your heart when you come home. This stops the heart from having to work so hard and allows the blood flow to normalise thereby relieving the swelling.

An easy way to elevate your legs is by using a leg elevation pillow. These are supportive wedges that are usually made from memory foam that support your legs. Simply place your legs on one of these at the end of a long day and spend at least 15 minutes to half an hour using them to help allow the blood flow to normalise and the swelling reduce.

We love the Kolbs Leg Elevation Wedge which is great for using for problems with your feet and legs. Simply pop it on your sofa or bed and allow it to relieve your pain.

Help for Tired Legs – Stretches for Standing All Day

If your feet and legs are sore after a long day from standing then another great method to help alleviate any pain is by stretching. This is because when you are stood up all day you are probably only moving certain muscles whilst others tighten or become compressed which can cause a problem.

Proper stretching at the end of the day helps to lengthen, loosen and elongate those muscles that are tired or sore. There are lots of ways you can exercise or stretch to help alleviate discomfort or pressure.

Hamstring stretching can help as can calf stretches as well as any form of exercise that helps to relieve the pain. 1500 Stretches – The Complete Guide to Flexibility and Movement is a great book to help you see how powerful stretching can be and can give you ideas on how to resolve your aches and pains. Remember if you are in any doubt about what to do speak to a doctor or physiotherapist.

How To Relieve Tried Legs – Leg Compression Massager

If you want to know how to relieve leg pain from standing all day the easy way then the simplest thing you can do is to buy yourself a leg compression massager.

Yes of course you could massage your legs yourself but why make things hard for yourself when a compression massager can do all of that work for you.

This Renpho Leg Massager with heat is the ultimate gadget to help relieve pain and discomfort from prolonged standing. You can choose exactly what areas or muscles of your legs or feet you want to target as the parts that wrap around your legs are detachable. This means you can allow it to work on your feet and calves or your thighs as well.

This massager is incredibly helpful for boosting your circulation as well as helping you to relax your legs, especially with the heat function.

Swollen Feet From Standing All Day – Soak Your Feet

If you get sore and swollen feet from extended periods of standing all day another great solution is to soak your feet at the end of a long day.

Using a foot bath is a great way to relax the muscles in your feet and to help combat fatigue. The best way to do this is with a foot bath, warm water and a good foot soak to help ease any pain. You could use a standard foot bath but we prefer the new foot spas that really help you to relax your feet after a long day.

Renpho’s Foot Spa Massager comes with heat and is great at soothing tired feet. The heater helps to keep the foot bath at the perfect temperature so that your muscles stay relaxed. Meanwhile, the foot bath has different modes including bubble jets to keep your feet a massage. It also has rollers to help stretch and massage your feet to relieve any tension or pain.

How to Prevent Foot and Leg Pain At Work – Wear the Right Footwear

Preventative measures to help stop leg and foot pain should always be your first port of call and the most important of these is wearing the right shoes.

If you are wearing shoes to work that are uncomfortable, unsupportive or which don’t fit you properly then you are going to experience some problems. Good footwear is essential as good quality shoes or boots can prevent fatigue, provide arch support and cushion your feet when you are standing all day.

If you are a woman it means choosing to wear lower heels on your shoes so that you are not straining the muscles in your legs. Make sure that the shoes you pick to wear are of sufficient quality and preferably made from leather or breathable material.

Make sure the shoes or trainers you buy are flexible, cushioned, supportive and fit correctly and you are far less likely to experience problems.

Stop Tired Legs and Feet – Wear an Arch Support

As well as wearing the right shoes when you are standing all day it makes sense to use arch supports especially if you suffer from foot problems such as pronation, tendonitis or plantar fasciitis.

An arch support can easily be added to your shoes so that your feet are kept in the right position to prevent fatigue or foot pain.

If you are unsure what kind of arch support you need it makes sense to visit a podiatrist to get a gait analysis which will help them diagnose any foot issues. Once you have the correct diagnosis the podiatrist should be able to recommend the right support for your footwear.

Walk Hero Arch Support Orthotics are a popular choice if you are buying something yourself. They help with everything from flat feet or arthritis and are not expensive so they are certainly worth trying.

How To Soothe Aching Feet and Legs After Work? – Use Compression Socks

Compression socks are a great way to help improve blood flow in the legs, prevent or minimise the impact of varicose veins and to reduce leg fatigue.

Good compression socks help with blood circulation so that your legs don’t start to swell because of fluid pooling in your feet and ankles. The support you get from these socks or tights is great for your veins and can be really helpful at preventing tired, sore or aching legs.

Fitrell Compression socks are great because they are moisture-wicking so that your legs and calves can release any sweat so that you stay comfortable. They are also designed to stop friction which can also be a cause of foot pain.

Best of all however is that they have been specially designed to help with your circulation and they support your muscles. The makers believe that these particular socks are able to help with joint and muscles stiffness, varicose veins as well as blood circulation.

Stop Leg Pain From Standing – Anti Fatigue Foot Mats

If you do find that you have to stand all day at work and that is playing havoc with your legs, knees and feet then it makes sense to invest in an Anti-Fatigue Foot Mat.

These foot mats are designed to help relieve body pressure particularly from your spine as well as helping you to make muscle movements that increase your blood flow. People use these mats to stand on when they are in kitchens, standing desks, or at work to help alleviate stress on your body.

The makers believe that their mats can reduce stress on your body and joints by 32% which is a significant number if you are having to stand all day at work.

Crucially these mats are non-slip and anti-curl which means they should be safe to use in a work environment.

We hope our tips to help you learn how to relieve leg pain from standing all day are a help. For best results use a combination of strategies to get the results you want and prevent suffering unnecessarily.