Anti-fatigue mats

[oldrustycars]

I'm 50, 6'2" and a few biscuits shy of 300 pounds. Standing at the counter chopping and such is really hurting my back. And it doesn't get me out of doing the dishes. Does anyone use the anti fatigue mats I see in stores? They seem to be more for a workshop, but I don't care about the looks. I'm just wondering if it will help my back. Raising the counters or lowering the floor is not an option.

[Katie E]

Buck was probably your size and we didn't use the anti-fatigue mats. However, one of the things that seemed to relieve back stress/tension was to have a small stool (about 6- to 10-inches high) available to place his foot on as he worked in the kitchen.

I use a similar stool in my workroom in our decorating shop as I work at the cutting table and at the sewing machines. Perhaps this would help to alleviate your discomfort.

Just raising your foot to lower pressure on your spine does help.

[oldrustycars]

Thanks, I'll try that. Stopping wearing a belt to hold my pants up helped, I wear suspenders (Like Justin Wilson) or bib overalls. (Liberty brand...the ONLY brand they wore on Hee Haw)

[jabbur]

I sometimes sit on a bar stool while doing a lot of counter work. It helps.

[Loprraine]

The kitchen we rent to prep in has the anti fatigue mats, and I really like them. I thought about one for home, but they are a bit pricey. I find wearing my kitchen clogs, even when prepping at home, helps a lot.

[Claire]

I'm 5'9 and a bit shy of 200, and suffer from sciatica a few times a year. I, too, am hesitant to buy the mats -- partially because of expense, partially because I'd like something a little more attractive in my kitchen, which is not a showplace to begin with (very 40s country looking, built in the 80s .... I mean the 1880s).

The things that help, to me, are some already mentioned, that is the small foot stool for the leg that is bothering me, and not a barstool, but an old timey kitchen stool that is also a stepstool you can sit on (oh, brother, not explaining it well). They are made, I think, by costco and easily available by mail order.

I have an eat in kitchen, and the obvious answer at times is to do the more tedious jobs (chopping, mixing) that you don't need to stand up for, sitting at the kitchen table. A lot of the prep work simply does not need to be done standing at the kitchen counter. Maybe because she had similar back problems, maybe because doing the prep work might be a multi-person affair (when relatives were visiting especially), but when I was a kid, a lot of the prep work for big meals might be done outside on the picnic table or at the dining room table, shared. Now, silly as it sounds, I have to remind myself of that and take beans I need to trim or other such jobs and just move them to the table or to a chair somewhere else.

[alexk]

some times I find it helps if I can raise my chopping surface.