What standing all day at work can do to your body

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The association recommends trying “fatigue-reducing techniques such as alternate propping one foot on a footstool, the use of anti-fatigue mats, using a sit-stand stool and wearing supportive footwear,” said Lisa Spruce, senior director of evidence-based perioperative practices at AORN. “The longer I’ve been at the job, I’ve started noticing knee issues, especially because we do a lot of bending down and standing back up when we’re shelving books and showing customers things and creating displays,” bookseller Bear Spiegel, 28, said. “Being able to have a stool available would be really useful just so I could rest my knees for a couple of minutes throughout the day while I’m doing things on the computer while I’m at the registers.” Spiegel’s coworkers suggested wearing a knee brace and athletic tape, and those solutions have helped, but it’s hard for him to predict what days he’ll need the extra support because his symptoms vary each day, he said. “There have been days that I’ve requested a stool and thankfully my managers have allowed me to take them out and use them when needed,” Spiegel said.