Because chefs have to work with their hands everyday to cook and prepare food, it's natural to think hands are the most important things a chef needs. But a chef's feet are valuable too. They are needed for hurrying around the kitchen and keeping a chef supported throughout their shift. After continuous nine-hour shifts, a chef's sore feet can be difficult to cope with. Here's some advice on how to deal with chefs' sore feet.
1. Soak your feet in hot water with Epsom salts
2. Change your socks halfway through your shift
4. Stretch your feet and do other exercises
5. Roll your feet on tennis balls
6. Take time to rest your feet
7. Wear supportive chef work shoes
1. Soak your feet in hot water with Epsom salts
Soaking your feet in hot water is regularly recommended for people who have sore feet, but adding Epsom salts has lots of health benefits too. Epsom salt is a mineral compound which is popularly used for sport injuries. For your health, the salts can sooth muscle aches, decrease swellings and can also boost your overall health.
Try adding some Epsom salts into a hot bath and soak your feet for twenty minutes.
2. Change your socks halfway through your shift
Might sound strange, but changing your socks halfway through your shift can really benefit the health of your feet. As a chef, working a long shift can cause your feet to get very hot and having sweaty feet can cause fungal issues. Especially if you're vulnerable to athlete's foot, changing your socks will keep your feet feeling dry and healthy.
3. Foot massages
If you're lucky enough to have someone who is willing or you're happy to massage your own feet, this is a great way to deal with sore feet. Try massaging any knots in your muscles and do these massages on a regular basis to help circulation. Using other footcare tips can help you relieve stressful sores and pains.
4. Stretch your feet and do other exercises
Just because you're standing on your feet all day doesn't mean you're actually doing any valuable exercise. This is why it's so important for chefs to do regular exercise to stretch limbs and reduce the chance of getting sore feet.
Doing mini press ups with your feet and squats to stretch your hamstrings is very beneficial. What's great is you can actually do these at work, on your break or even while preparing ingredients. Here are some other quick exercises chefs can do.
5. Roll your feet on tennis balls
Stretching your feet on the curvature of a tennis ball is an excellent way to stretch all the muscles and bones in your feet. Rolling the ball along the arches of your feet really stretches out any tension. It is a controlled massage that is recommended for chefs suffering with sore feet or plantar fasciitis.
6. Take time to rest your feet
This is the easiest thing chefs can do for sore feet. When you've got a few days off, make sure you take a day where you can really rest your feet and let them recover from the long shifts they've had to work through.
Sitting on the sofa and resting is some of the best TLC you can give your feet.
7. Wear supportive chef work shoes
Zinc: slip-resistant all-round favourite
Many chefs, who suffer from sore feet, don't wear the correct shoes for work. It's important you wear chefs shoes. Why? Because these shoes are specially designed for chefs and unlike ordinary shoes, they support chefs and provide other safety features, like slip-resistant outsoles, that chefs need from their work shoes.
At Shoes For Crews (Europe) Ltd. our chef shoes are designed for chefs working in restaurants. They support you while you work and have incredible slip-resistant grip, which is crucial when working on slippery kitchen floors.
Visit our shop to see all our styles:
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