I started working in a fast food kitchen 2 weeks ago and it’s physically stressful so far. I do a lot of meal prep which includes a lot of chopping, carrying, and cleaning. Being on my feet for ~7 hours a day is slowly taking a toll on me and I really want to take preventive measures for long term problems that come with it. My right thumb is numb as I type down this post at 1am because I somehow woke up before 4:30am.
For a little background, this is my first official job where I’m being paid actual money for my work. As per usual, I can’t quit because of finances and I like my coworkers and managers so far. I just want my body to cope with it better and I’m not sure how I should go with it. I was pretty sedentary before I started working. I wear comfortable non-slip shoes with orthotics to better support my arch. I also bought a muscle rolling stick to help massage my feet and leg muscles after work. I think the compression socks I recently got isn’t doing much so I’m going to invest in some Bombas socks soon. What else can I do to prevent breaking my body doing this job?
I am in a similar position in my job. I am more of a farmhand, so I do a little bit of everything. I just cope with energy drinks lol. Maybe I should get some compression socks.
Stretch and do some light exercise right before you leave for work just to get the blood flowing. Take regular breaks just to stretch as well, and make sure to use as much of your breaks as possible off your feet. I’ve worked a few of these jobs and the worst thing you can do to yourself is ignore your breaks or even taking your breaks but not sitting down.
Make sure to get good sleep before your shifts and go to bed at a reasonable time. At the risk of accidentally sounding pro-capitalist here when I’m not trying, human bodies are actually uncommonly great at exercising and being on our feet for extended periods of time, so you should get used to it eventually. The first few weeks are definitely not going to be fun though.
I’ve been working in kitchens for about ten years. I was pretty much sedentary before I started too, and yeah, the first few weeks are the hardest, but you do get used to it. NGL it’s hard work though. It’s rough on your body, mind and soul. Good on you for taking steps now to look after yourself, I wish I had when I first started. Aside from @bermuda@beehaw.org’s advice, here’s some tips from an old line cook:
If there are rubber mats in your kitchen (this is OHS in some places), stay on them as much as possible. Aside from the non-slip aspect, the extra bit of cushioning is easier on your knees/ankles than tiles/concrete.
Other usual stuff like proper lifting technique.
If you’re standing at a bench or grill for long periods try not to hunch over too much, it’s easy to do if you’re concentrating on what you’re doing.
Alternate your posture by either bending your knees a little or spreading your legs a bit. Try not to stand flat footed for too long, and try to avoid keeping all your weight on one leg for long periods.
A good sharp knife that fits your hand along with proper cutting technique will save your wrists/shoulders from a lot of strain.
I read your advice this morning and caught myself in bad posture several times today. Bending knees and feet apart were comfortable while doing all my prep work. I think I still need to work on my knife technique so I get a good use of my shoulders instead of depending on my wrist alone. I do always sharpen my knife though because nothing’s more frustrating than a dull knife. Thank you so much for this!
Finally found it in my youtube history. Took ages because I was thinking of the wrong celebrity chef. It’s a sponsored / marketing video but mostly educational.
There is always an adjustment period. I find after am extended time off from physical labor it takes me about 3 weeks to get fully used to it again. As you work more and more, your muscle tone will return and your cardio performance will improve.
STRETCH STRETCH STRETCH! you might think you stretch but you definitely aren’t doing enough. and it does wonders for keeping your muscles working. Stretch before you start. Stretch during breaks. Stretch when you quit and when you get home too. Yes it looks goofy but IT WORKS. Keep that shit loose before it gets sore and cramped. Look up YouTube videos on proper stretches and focus on legs and back.
HYDRATE! You should be sucking water from a bottle constantly when sweating in a hot physical labor environment. You need to drink probably 3x or more your “normal” water intake, you should be peeing only light yellow on every break. You get dehydrated and you’ll feel like shit.
Stretching and drinking water are ABSOLUTELY essential. Make sure you stretch before your shift, a couple times during your shift, and after your shift. If you notice any particular muscle groups feeling sore or uncomfortable, Google stretches that target those areas.
I worked in the receiving warehouse at Lowe’s for a while and the manual labor resulted in a pretty intense adjustment period for my back and legs. But after learning some stretches that specifically targeted those muscles and doing them regularly I improved quickly. After a month or so I was pretty used to it (and shedding extra weight quickly, which also helped).
As others have said, there’s always an adjustment period, and before you know it you’ll be doing it without even thinking about it.
When I started at my current workplace five years ago, I was out of shape after spending almost ten years either at uni, or in a succession of office jobs. So going back on my tools as a welder was a massive shock that I wasn’t really expecting. But suddenly, six months or so in, I realised that I was finding the work much less physically demanding, which felt really gratifying. I wasn’t fit by any means (I never have been), but fit enough to do the work.
Then, 18 months ago I got promoted to a desk job, and I’m fat as shit again. I’d be fucked after a day back on my tools.
