How to Protect Your Knees in the Workplace

All too often overlooked until it’s too late, the knees are one of the most important body parts when it comes to conducting manual labour. Without optimally-functioning knees, those who conduct work in an active environment will struggle, and sometimes even have to take time off work completely.

With around 325,000 instances of Work Related Lower Limb Disorders recorded between 2015-2016, it is clear that this is an issue needing attention. We have the lowdown on how to ensure your knees are adequately protected throughout your working day:

Preventative Stretches and Exercise

At the beginning and end of each work day, be sure to perform a number of leg stretches, such as heel cord stretches, standing quadriceps stretches, supine hamstring stretches and half squats. These low impact exercises will allow you to promote mobility and reduce discomfort in your day-to-day life.

If you partake in exercise outside of your hands-on job, opt for activities that won’t put unnecessary surplus stress on the joints, such as swimming or walking. Be sure to engage in some forms of exercise, so as to keep the joints supple and active.

Massages and Creams

If your workload is particularly strenuous, you may benefit from booking yourself in for a sports massage every so often. Specially designed to relieve pain and discomfort after exertion, these procedures – whilst sometimes painful in the process – will put you in good stead for withstanding the pressures on your knees.

Additionally, for quick relief on days where you can’t run off to the chiropractor, be sure to stock up on some anti-inflammatory topical creams. Apply to the area bringing you pain and, after a short period of time, the symptoms will wane and you will be back on top form.

Safety Gear and Workwear

Even if you religiously lived by the first two rules, only the smallest accident could result in a long-term serious damage to your knee joints if you work without protective clothing.

There are a wide range of protective knee pads on the market, offering specialised protection in line with the harshness of conditions within your profession. Whether it’s a PU, plastic or reinforced steel pad, there’s little excuse to leave your knees open to damage with the selection available.

Footwear is also an important thing to consider, with inappropriate footwear often resulting in slips and trips, which can completely shatter your knee if you happen to be unfortunate enough to land badly. Opt for industry-approved work boots – always.

VUINO supplies many of the world’s leading brands for protective gear and clothing, making them an ideal all-rounder for your company’s uniform selection. We pride ourselves in providing safety solutions for a myriad of industries nationwide. Kneepads aside, we also stock a vast number of garment accessories, including protective knee pads, protective helmets, waist support belt and tool bags making VUINO your one-stop custom service for all construction requirements.

Contact us today to see how we can assist you with kitting out your team with industry-standard protective gear, from kneepads, to hiking gaiters.