I started working in a fast food kitchen 2 weeks ago and it’s physically stressful so far. I do a lot of meal prep which includes a lot of chopping, carrying, and cleaning. Being on my feet for ~7 hours a day is slowly taking a toll on me and I really want to take preventive measures for long term problems that come with it. My right thumb is numb as I type down this post at 1am because I somehow woke up before 4:30am.
For a little background, this is my first official job where I’m being paid actual money for my work. As per usual, I can’t quit because of finances and I like my coworkers and managers so far. I just want my body to cope with it better and I’m not sure how I should go with it. I was pretty sedentary before I started working. I wear comfortable non-slip shoes with orthotics to better support my arch. I also bought a muscle rolling stick to help massage my feet and leg muscles after work. I think the compression socks I recently got isn’t doing much so I’m going to invest in some Bombas socks soon. What else can I do to prevent breaking my body doing this job?
As others have said, there’s always an adjustment period, and before you know it you’ll be doing it without even thinking about it.
When I started at my current workplace five years ago, I was out of shape after spending almost ten years either at uni, or in a succession of office jobs. So going back on my tools as a welder was a massive shock that I wasn’t really expecting. But suddenly, six months or so in, I realised that I was finding the work much less physically demanding, which felt really gratifying. I wasn’t fit by any means (I never have been), but fit enough to do the work.
Then, 18 months ago I got promoted to a desk job, and I’m fat as shit again. I’d be fucked after a day back on my tools.
There is always an adjustment period. I find after am extended time off from physical labor it takes me about 3 weeks to get fully used to it again. As you work more and more, your muscle tone will return and your cardio performance will improve.
STRETCH STRETCH STRETCH! you might think you stretch but you definitely aren’t doing enough. and it does wonders for keeping your muscles working. Stretch before you start. Stretch during breaks. Stretch when you quit and when you get home too. Yes it looks goofy but IT WORKS. Keep that shit loose before it gets sore and cramped. Look up YouTube videos on proper stretches and focus on legs and back.
HYDRATE! You should be sucking water from a bottle constantly when sweating in a hot physical labor environment. You need to drink probably 3x or more your “normal” water intake, you should be peeing only light yellow on every break. You get dehydrated and you’ll feel like shit.
Stretching and drinking water are ABSOLUTELY essential. Make sure you stretch before your shift, a couple times during your shift, and after your shift. If you notice any particular muscle groups feeling sore or uncomfortable, Google stretches that target those areas.
I worked in the receiving warehouse at Lowe’s for a while and the manual labor resulted in a pretty intense adjustment period for my back and legs. But after learning some stretches that specifically targeted those muscles and doing them regularly I improved quickly. After a month or so I was pretty used to it (and shedding extra weight quickly, which also helped).
Seconding the recommendation to S T R E C H and hydrate yourself, aim for minimum every couple hours. This will help keep your body in shape for longer no matter whether you work at a desk, standing, walking around a warehouse, a kitchen, a school, jobsite, WFH or whatever you do.
How’s your hydration? Poor hydration can lead to muscle cramping, among many other issues.
A lot of great advice in this thread.
Adding a note here about socks. Don’t bother with Bombas. They are fine, but no better than other generic socks you will find out there. I was all in to the hype of them too but after using them for a few years i found they don’t hold up any better than other socks. I wouldn’t consider them an “investment”.
Now, if you want to invest in a sock, consider getting Darn Tough. They are more expensive, however their wool and synthetic socks are pretty solid. I find they hold up way better than my Bombas ever did, are much more comfortable, moisture wicking of wool is very good and, best part, if they fall apart, wear down and get holes, Darn Tough will replace them. They will have you send them back and give you a credit to get a new pair. Full credit. It’s fantastic. Highly recommend.
I’d love some Darn tough socks too but they’re made of wool and I’m an ethical vegan so it’s pretty much out of the picture. I saw that they only had a few selections for synthetic socks 🥹
Even the synthetic ones are great. Your options for colors are a bit more limited but the quality is still good. Would still recommend those over Bombas. I was disappointed in the Bombas quality and found myself having to buy them more often due to wearing down quickly.
Ultimately I hope you can find what you need! All the best to you, friend!
