What are Anti-Fatigue Mats?
Anti-fatigue mats are specifically designed floor mats that aid in reducing fatigue from standing on hard surfaces for a prolonged duration. These mats are usually made of rubber or specialised foam, providing a softer surface for standing. They offer efficient cushioning and the required support to relieve the stress on feet and legs. These mats are typically used where prolonged standing cannot be avoided, including industrial sites, kitchens, offices with standing desks, and retail counters.
This guide provides detailed information about anti-fatigue mats, their working mechanism, uses, types, and advantages.
Anti-Fatigue Mats
Anti-fatigue mats are ergonomically designed to alleviate physical stress, boost blood circulation, and reduce fatigue while standing on hard floors. Our muscles continuously work against gravity to maintain an upright posture when standing. Thus, prolonged standing can cause muscle constrictions and decreased blood flow, which can cause aching or discomfort in joints and muscles.
If this stress continues, it can also lead to chronic fatigue and other health problems in the long run. When muscles are constricted, the heart also has to work harder to ensure proper blood circulation, which requires more energy. This extra effort causes discomfort, fatigue, and pain.
Therefore, these mats are often used in industries for workers who spend most of their time standing on hard floor surfaces. These mats have a specialised design that promotes subtle movements of the calf muscles and leg, which leads to enhanced blood circulation. They offer a cushioning effect to the feet and provide a comfortable standing experience. This ultimately results in reduced fatigue and minimum body stress, which leads to workers’ productivity and well-being.
Working Mechanism of Anti-Fatigue Mats
Anti-fatigue mats are designed on such a working mechanism that helps improve blood circulation throughout your body. These mats offer soft and comfortable standing surfaces and create constant micro-movements in the leg muscles. In this way, they ease pressure on your back and knees and create a slight instability, which causes the activation of your leg muscles. They also encourage even pressure distribution across both legs for a better posture and reduced stress.
While standing on these anti-fatigue mats, you should make natural changes to your standing position more often. It helps for alleviating headaches, reducing tension in the shoulders, and taking pressure off your back. This technique helps in activating your venous pumps, which aid in pumping blood back to the heart instead of concentrating in the lower limbs and causing discomfort.
Your risk of suffering from blood circulatory issues is ultimately reduced. Moreover, standing on the anti-fatigue mats provides a soft and warm surface, helping you avoid standing on cold, hard floors. It helps maintain your body temperature, avoid fatigue, and save your heart from working harder to warm you up.
Uses of Anti-Fatigue Mats
Anti-fatigue mats are suitable for use in diverse workplaces where workers have to stand longer. They are commonly used in:
- Welding Bays
- Production Lines
- Barber & Hair Salons
- Commercial Kitchens
- Bars, Pubs & Restaurants
- Packaging & Dispatching Areas
- Checkouts & Other Retail Areas
- Distribution & Fulfilment Centres
- Assembly & Machining Workshops
Types of Anti-Fatigue Mats Based on Their Composition
The following are the different types of anti-fatigue mats based on the types of materials used in their manufacturing:
1) Foam-Based Anti-Fatigue Mats
The anti-fatigue mats are suitable for use in dry areas or areas with occasional water splashes. They can be cleaned with a damp cloth. They work efficiently in areas with light to medium foot traffic, such as packaging areas, production lines, etc.
2) Vinyl-Topped Anti-Fatigue Mats
The mats have a centre layer of foam topped with a durable vinyl surface. This makes these anti-fatigue mats highly resilient to general wear and tear, making them suitable for use in heavy-duty areas. Heavy items, such as trolleys, can be placed over them.
3) Rubber Anti-Fatigue Mats
Higher-density materials are used for manufacturing these types of anti-fatigue mats, offering greater durability and resistance towards wear. These mats come with holes and are suitable for use in areas where CNC milling or lathe machines are used.
Types of Anti-Fatigue Mats Based on Their Thickness
Anti-fatigue mats have a soft design that creates slight instability for efficient working and provides you with a stable surface for safe working while standing on them. Based on varying thicknesses, anti-fatigue mats have the following types:
1) 6mm Anti-Fatigue Mats
These are suitable for occasional to light-duty usage.
2) 9mm Anti-Fatigue Mats
It is one of the most used anti-fatigue mat types and can be conveniently used in areas with medium and continuous usage.
3) 10mm to 12mm Anti-Fatigue Mats
These anti-fatigue mats are specifically designed for use in medium to heavy-duty areas.
4) 14mm Anti-Fatigue Mats
These are the thicker anti-fatigue mats, which are made of dense materials. They have vinyl layers over foam that provide protection and make them more durable.
Advantages of Using Anti-Fatigue Mats
If you stand all day long, you may experience fatigue and other health issues. Blood pooling in legs and more pressure on joints can cause discomfort and pain and cause work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Using anti-fatigue mats in workplaces and industrial settings helps to increase staff members’ morale and productivity and reduce their absences due to reduced discomfort and fatigue.
1) Better Posture
Standing up exerts a large amount of vertical weight on the joints, which puts lots of pressure on them to support the weight for extended periods. However, an anti-fatigue mat reduces stress by allowing you to make natural changes frequently while standing. It results in an even spreading of weight among both feet.
2) Decreased Circulatory Issues
Although blood flows more freely throughout the body in a standing position, the heart has to work harder when the body is at rest to ensure efficient blood pumping. It exerts greater pressure on the entire venous system. By using an anti-fatigue mat, you can relax your muscles, which reduces pressure on veins and eliminates stress on the heart, reducing the likelihood of circulatory issues.
3) Enhanced Productivity
Body aches and joint pain can reduce productivity while working, as fatigue starts after 90 minutes of standing. An anti-fatigue mat can resolve this issue, leading to enhanced productivity levels during work. It will benefit your health and well-being and your company’s success.
4) Reduced Pain
Longer hours of standing on hard surfaces stiffen joints, which can also cause neck and shoulder pain. Neck and shoulder pain causes tension headaches and affects working capability. An anti-fatigue mat can prove helpful, as it provides a cushioning effect under your feet and reduces the pressure on your body. It ultimately leads to lower headaches and reduced joint pain.
5) Reduced Slipping Risk
Falls, slips, and trips can cause injury, which affects your well-being and has negative implications for the company. However, anti-fatigue mats are made of non-slip materials and have ribbed surfaces, which reduce the risk of slipping while standing on them. The reduced likelihood of slipping saves you from potential injuries and, in extreme cases, any other casualties.
Last Words
According to the Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992, employers in the UK are obligated to provide suitable workstations for employees to avoid falling or slipping. Moreover, they are required to provide a footrest along with the seat to ensure workers’ convenience while working. These legal requirements make anti-fatigue mats a recommended feature for every workplace.
Moreover, anti-fatigue mats can last longer based on several factors, such as the type of mats, their usage frequency, the type of area (dry or wet) in which they are being used, and the likelihood of chemicals or oils spillage on them. Therefore, it is important to consider the persisting conditions and your requirements to select a suitable type of anti-fatigue mat for your workplace to ensure its longevity.