If your job keeps you on your feet, you’ve got to have the right gear to stay comfortable, or you’re just going to end the work day too tired out to do much on your personal time. It’s a tough lesson but one that many people have to learn the hard way, despite the best efforts of employers and shoe manufacturers alike to spread the word. Of course, the right shoe isn’t the whole battle, but it can provide the foundation you need to make sure you’re coasting to the end of a workday instead of winding up exhausted. Not only does the right footwear help you keep your energy up throughout the day, it also reduces pain and the chance of a repetitive stress injury over the long haul. In addition to the right shoes, you might want to consider additional support from insoles or compression socks, as well as joint supporting gear like knee braces for help with any additional pain or fatigue. So what kind of shoes work best?
Finding the Best Support Option for Your Profession
Believe it or not, traditional work boots are actually a great resource for those who have to stand all day. Whether you’re talking about heavy boots that were originally designed as combat uniform essentials or rugged, waterproof boots with hardened toes developed for the construction industry, the high-ankle boot is a good resource in many professions. There are just a few issues with it that make it a less than ideal choice under certain circumstances:
- Can trap heat
- Heavyweight manufacture adds pounds to your daily carry
- Loud in some interior spaces
- Often has dark soles that can leave floor streaks
For those working outdoors or in industrial environments, this option is still likely to be the best choice because of its additional toe and ankle protection, and you can find a variety of high quality options when you shop mens shoes online, because rugged work boots can also be fashionable, so they’re fairly popular. If you’re working indoors and you’re not on the shop floor, though, there might be better options for standing jobs.
Supportive Shoes for All-Day Activity
Athletic shoes for men are built to provide you with intensive support in the places where your foot is most likely to have repeated impacts as you walk or run. That reduces strain as you move. Finding the right model and the right brand means being able to more precisely pinpoint just the right option for your own needs, too. Are you moving a lot, in a job that takes you all over a large building complex? Standing in one place? The best choice and the most effective support will depend a lot on exactly what you do. Discounted Asics shoes are a great starting point, though. They not only have athletic shoes that fit a variety of niches, they’re a good point of comparison as you weigh questions about what kind of support you’ll benefit from most.
Don’t be afraid to keep a few pairs in rotation, either. It never hurts to be able to pull out the best shoes for today’s demanding tasks, instead of having to wear the same ones every day. That rotation not only lets you go out with better preparation for your challenges each morning, it helps you rotate between pairs to make sure they don’t break down from over use. Look for your best fit today.
