Prevent strains and pains by choosing the right work boots
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that sprains and strain injuries account for nearly half of the 1.3 million injuries in private industry that require time away from work.
Slips and trips, caused by wearing the wrong footwear, result in over 44 million injuries across the United States costing employers $967.9 billion!
Most industries focus on protection for the head, eyes and hands. But what about your back, legs, ankles and feet? Do we forget about them because we take them for granted? Most back pains, 80% in fact, are due to improper footwear.
What is even more surprising about these figures is that the most common complaints were soft-tissue injuries, such as:
- Ligament pain
- Muscle strains
- Tendon pain
- Chronic joint or muscle conditions
- Sprains
Wearing proper work boots goes a long way to reducing your risk of preventable strains and chronic joint pain.
So whether you work in a trade, health services, emergency response, or any other active profession, it pays to know how high-quality work boots support whole-body health.
How the best work boots reduce strain and injury risk
The most common preventable musculoskeletal injuries – those complaints that are aggravated by hard work and unrelated to underlying health problems – include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Ankle pain
- Knee pain
- Hip inflexibility
- Lower back strain
These are the culprits Steel Blue work boots target with features designed to provide whole-body support and guaranteed comfort.
There are many ways comfortable, correctly fitted work boots reduce foot and lower limb discomfort, and reduce the risk of foot and lower limb issues.
Absorbing the shock of hard work
The muscles, tendons and ligaments in the feet absorb an inordinate amount of shock with every step.
While basic cushioning insoles reduce the impact force, they may reduce your rebound, requiring more energy for each step.
That’s why Steel Blue men’s and women’s work boots feature our specially designed Ortho Rebound® footbed with cushioning technology that molds to the shape of your foot.
Ortho Rebound® supports your foot’s unique shape without flattening or compressing as it absorbs the shock of a long day’s work.
Flexible and supportive
Whether you work in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, mining or any other physically demanding industry, you undoubtedly spend a lot of the day on your feet.
You need work boots that move with you and don’t restrict movement.
Steel Blue boots are engineered to walk, climb, bend, crouch, step up, step down, step around and step over.
Our Trisole® Comfort Technology cradles the entire foot to shield you from stress-related injuries as you move, with strategically placed PORON® pads supporting the peak stress areas.
Designed to fit your foot
Steel Blue women’s work boots are designed to suit the female foot anatomy instead of using a scaled-down men’s boot like other manufacturers.
Designed to fit a shallower first toe, smaller instep, and shorter ankle length, our women’s work boots cradle feet properly to support women in trades. Like our men’s boots, every pair comes in full and half-sizes, with a range of lace-up, side-zip and pull-on styles to suit your foot.
More tips to reduce injury and strain risk
- Stretch before, during and after work
- Check your boot fastenings throughout the day
- Don’t risk an unsafe lift
- Get work boots fitted to your feet
- Re-tie lace-up boots if you feel your feet slipping
- Take regular breaks to avoid fatigue
Most importantly, wear lightweight work boots engineered to fit your foot.
Steel Blue is the only footwear manufacture to ever partner with the American Diabetes Association with two styles, the Argyle Zip and Hobart, in the Better Choices for Life program.
Visit a Steel Blue distributor for a custom fitting to feel the difference high-quality work boots make.
