Spent $45 on a pair of anti-fatigue mats for my station and my knees are finally quiet after six years of concrete floors

I was skeptical because my old crew lead swore by standing on folded cardboard, but after three twelve-hour shifts the difference is huge - has anyone else noticed their body giving out way sooner than it should on hard floors?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_piper1mo ago

Hard floors are a crutch for weak joints. Your body is supposed to adapt to standing on concrete - that's what tendons and ligaments do, they strengthen under pressure. Those mats just let your muscles stay lazy and never actually get used to real conditions. I've seen guys on docks for thirty years with no mats and they're fine, while the ones who bought cushy mats are the first to complain about back pain. You're paying $45 to slow down your body's natural conditioning process.

sageross1mo agoMost Upvoted

Wait, you actually know guys who worked docks for thirty years on bare concrete with no issues? That's insane to me, man. I've seen too many older guys in my line of work with wrecked knees and backs from standing on hard surfaces without any give.

susana661mo agoMost Upvoted

Your body is supposed to adapt to standing on concrete" - that's a bold take. My buddy Tim worked in a warehouse for like eight years on bare concrete, no mats, no nothing. He swore by that whole tough-it-out philosophy too. Then @sageross, his knees gave out at 38 and he had to switch to a desk job. Last I heard, he was buying custom orthotics and complaining about the stairs in his building. Funny how that "natural conditioning" didn't kick in for him.