Dr Parul R Sheth says it may well be your profession that's causing that backache or the swollen feet you've been battling. Is it?

Why feet always ache by the time I return home from work. I don't know why since it's not that I am walking around much. My job is to usher in the people who come to the hotel," says Ronita, 22, who works at a hotel restaurant. Ronita has odd working hours - she begins in the evening and finishes late in the night. There are many women like Ronita who have to stand for a number of hours, or whose work demands running around.
Whether you are a sales representative or a receptionist, on your feet all the time or sitting for hours at a desk, the profession you choose may bring with it health problems characteristic to it. Prevent 'work health blues' by understanding what's causing them and by incorporating small healthy habits.

On Your Feet
When your job requires you to stand on your feet for long periods, you may run the risk of getting backaches and varicose veins. Look at the shoes you are wearing. They may be the culprits. Do they really fit you? Do they have high heels?

It is true that standing in high heels makes your butt stick out and the natural curve of the spine looks great. But high heels can also alter the curvature of the spine in the opposite direction or create a hunch in the lower back - which are a cause for alarm. According to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, women should wear shoes with a heel of no more than 6 cms height and that even those should be worn for no more than two or three hours a day. Also, wearing high heels for long periods of time may shorten the Achilles tendon in the foot, causing a loss in the range of motion in your feet.

Improperly fitted shoes and high heels can cause the big toes to become crooked and trigger calluses and corns. The crooked toe can then hurt and affect your ability to walk.

Lower back pain is a common complaint too. Working over time, poor posture such as slouching, incorrect ways of standing, lifting, and sitting, excess weight and stress are all possible causes of back pain.

Activities that require standing for a long time can cause varicose veins, especially if you are overweight. The veins in the leg become swollen, twisted, look blue and come closer to the surface of the skin. They bulge and feel heavy causing itching, swelling, tenderness and pain. Selecting the right shoes is the first step to eliminating foot pain.

Sitting Pretty
Desk jobs can cause aches in the neck and back. Reveals Soni, "I am only 24 and I already have severe carpal tunnel syndrome. My colleagues and I sit in office eight hours a day, working at identical computer terminals and our bodies are not designed for that. Most of us suffer stiff necks and backaches." Women in 'sitting' jobs can also suffer from aches behind the knees and are at a risk of slipped or prolapsed disc, a painful back condition.

People who sit for a long time for instance, during long air travel, run the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) where blood clots form and travel to the heart or brain.

Virus In Here
Wherever there are many people, there are germs. You may be at risk of catching various viral infections in a workplace. The most common ones are rhinitis and influenza or flu. Both are typically spread by direct contact or by air. If you are a flight attendant or you work in a museum or department store where there is a constant traffic of people, you need to build your immune system. Take a multi-vitamin, try to get enough sleep (specially if you are a flight attendant) and increase your intake of fruits and fruit juices.

Night Shift
Nurses, doctors, hotel staff, etc work night shifts. Their internal body rhythms tell them to sleep, but their job requires them to stay alert. These people suffer from sleep disorders. Doctors recommend naps in the afternoon and a reversal of their sleep hours.
• Limit the use of pointed toe boxes
• Choose high heels with toe boxes that suit your feet
• Let there be some room in the shoe for your toes to 'wiggle'
• Try on the shoes before you buy them; do not depend entirely on size
• Go for shoe shopping later in the day when your feet may be larger
• Pregnant women should avoid high heels

Approximate Cost
• Don't stand for too long at one spot, walk around a bit and change your posture
• Wear shoes with heels not more than two cm high if you have to spend a whole day in them
• Rest your foot one after the other on a small stool if you have to stand for a long time
• Do not sit for too long. Get up and walk around every now and then.
• Keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed and head up while sitting
• A small pillow between the chair and the lower back can help relieve pressure
• Sit close to the steering wheel and foot pedals while driving to avoid undue stretching
• Take care while lifting weight. Bend your knees and lift the weight
• Squeeze in a 15 minute stretching routine daily.

The Chiropractor's Word
• Avoid sitting or standing for long hours
• Avoid wearing tight shoes
• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Women with varicose veins may need to wear specially designed stockings.
• Exercise to improve circulation in the legs