Prolonged occupational standing: the impact of time and footwear

Abstract

Prolonged occupational standing is strongly related to musculoskeletal disorders. Despite being the main external load bearing interface between the floor and musculoskeletal system, and easy to manipulate, footwear is often ignored as an intervention for standing related disorders. This study aimed to record the effect of prolonged standing on the body and determine the impact of footwear material. Two pairs of surgical clogs were tested, varying only in material hardness. Participants (n = 12) undertook 3 h of standing in each shoe whilst they completed a repetitive series of simulated work tasks. Biomechanical and subjective data were recorded at the start, end and every 30 min during the 3 h of standing. There was an increase in the discomfort of the low back and all lower extremity regions alongside an increase in calf circumference, selected kinematic and kinetic variables, and changes in plantar pressure distribution over the 3 h. Altering the footwear material impacted on low back discomfort and plantar pressures. Shoe preference varied amongst individuals but was consistently associated with an increased medial midfoot contact area. Overall, this study has demonstrated the effect of prolonged standing on the body, has shown footwear impacts both subjective and biomechanical measures and provides information regarding individual differences and footwear preferences.