Farmers have a very physically demanding job. Days can be really long, including spending hours on their feet. Some of the work settings are hard on the body too, including cold concrete floors and muddy fields. Aches, pains and injuries are common. However, they don’t all have to be. Some changes, including ensuring you’ve made the right choices with wellingtons, could make a big difference.

How do people walk?

One of the things that could be causing different aches, pains and injuries is your walking technique and the type of footwear. If you don’t get enough support from work boots or wellies, it can lead to back, hip, neck, and leg pain. It generally happens because you put too much pressure on joints, muscles, and ligaments. It could also occur if your footwear does not allow proper movement.

The correct walking technique is to put your heel down first. You then start to bear your weight down. The pressure transfers from your heel, through your arch, to your toes. It ends at your big toe when you lift your foot for the next step.

So, what you have here is rolling motion and transfer of weight and pressure through your foot. It requires a lot from your footwear. If it doesn’t provide cushioning and support, aches, pains, and injuries are the end result.

Check your wellies or work boots

The first thing you need to do here is check your footwear. You might find that your wellingtons or boots don’t have a proper insole. It could simply be a thin piece of cardboard. If so, what do you think is happening when you take a step? Your weight is bearing down on the hard material on the bottom of the boot and then the harder ground. It’s no wonder you can suffer foot fatigue and pain after a bit of time.

You can also have problems here if your regular footwear does have a good insole. The change from having proper support and cushioning to none when you put on your wellies or work boots is bad for your body.

How to fix the problem?

There are a few different things you can do to make farming easier on the body. Firstly, you need to ask yourself some important questions. How long are you typically spending working? What kind of surfaces are you standing on? Are you wearing wellingtons or boots that offer the right support? What kind of aches and pains do you have? The answers will help to determine the best solution.

Generally what you will need is a good pair of insoles. There are lots of options here, including foam, gel, wool, leather, and more. If you’re new to farming, off the shelf ones can work very well; you generally just need to ensure you get the right size. However, if you’ve been farming for a while or want to be kinder to your feet, you will need custom orthotic insoles. They are best for ensuring you get the right support, and can reduce the chance of musculo-skeletal problems.

It is also a good idea to take a look at your walking technique. Ensure you are stepping and moving properly. It will reduce wear and tear on your body. Additionally, it will improve your balance.

Choose fantastic wellingtons

Did you know that most farmers go through a pair of wellies or work boots every few months? Even high quality ones may only last a year. That is how demanding the job is. If you want to reduce the wear and tear on your body, you’ll definitely want to choose good footwear and insoles.

JS Hubbuck Ltd understands how important good boots are. That is why we stock some fantastic ones, including basic wellingtons and boots with various features. We also have footwear for shooting and other activities.

You can have a look at a small number of the boots we offer on our website. There are far more available at our shop though. Pay us a visit or get in touch if you want some advice.