Standing Jobs and Lower-Limb Pain
Table of Contents
How long-standing work affects the body
In jobs where workers stand for more than 8 hours a day — department stores, supermarkets, restaurants, hair salons, and the like — various lower-limb problems develop. As gravity causes blood and body fluids to pool in the legs, workers experience leg swelling, varicose veins, plantar fasciitis, and knee and ankle pain. These are not simple fatigue but occupational conditions that require treatment.
Leg swelling and varicose veins
Standing for long periods weakens the valve function of the leg veins, causing blood to reflux and intravenous pressure to rise. Initially, this presents as ankle and calf swelling after work, but if left untreated it progresses to varicose veins in which twisted veins protrude beneath the skin. Korean medicine views this as a combination of spleen-deficiency with damp retention (biheo-seupjeong) and blood stasis (hyeoreo).
Plantar fasciitis
Standing for long hours on hard floors causes repeated micro-injury to accumulate in the plantar fascia. The hallmark is sharp, knife-like pain in the heel on the first step in the morning. The pain typically eases somewhat once you start walking, then worsens again after prolonged standing.
Improving lower-limb circulation — acupuncture and moxibustion
- Sanyinjiao (SP6): Crossing point of the spleen, liver, and kidney meridians; the key acupoint for improving lower-limb circulation
- Zusanli (ST36): Strengthens spleen and stomach function and tonifies the lower limbs
- Taixi (KI3): Source point of the kidney meridian; promotes circulation in the ankle and foot
- Yongquan (KI1): Just above the plantar fascia; moxibustion improves blood flow in the sole
- Chengshan (BL57): Relaxes calf tension and promotes lower-limb venous return
Herbal medicine treatment
For leg swelling, Banggi-hwanggi-tang (Fangji Huangqi Tang) tonifies spleen qi and removes water-damp. When there is a tendency toward varicose veins, we add Danggui (Angelica), Cheongung (Ligusticum), and Doin (Persica) to resolve blood stasis. For plantar fasciitis, Useul (Achyranthes) and Mokgwa (Chaenomeles) are added to strengthen the muscles and tendons of the lower limbs.
Self-care
- Perform 20 calf raises every hour during work
- After work, rest for 15 minutes with your legs raised above heart level
- Wear medical-grade compression stockings to assist venous return
- Do a daily 5-minute tennis-ball foot massage to prevent plantar fasciitis