Standing for extended periods of time, especially within restricted areas, has been shown to exacerbate a variety of health problems often related to lower-body tiredness, swelling, and pain. Previous studies investigating how different flooring materials and their varying properties (stiffness, elasticity, and energy absorption) contribute to these health problems have shown conflicting results. This is due to the wide variety of materials and methods used; thus the relationship between these health issues and flooring itself remains unknown.
To investigate whether flooring materials have a significant effect on objective and subjective parameters related to feelings of fatigue and discomfort.
Ten participants (between the ages of 18 to 40) with no existing or previous lower-back or extremity issues participated in the study. Participants stood on six different types of flooring over a four-hour period and rated their perceptions of fatigue and discomfort at the end of each hour. A total of seven testing sessions for each participant took place, spaced apart by 48 hours. Researchers regularly took biomechanical and physiological measurements from the participants. All participants wore identical socks and hard-soled shoes during the testing period. Center-of-pressure (COP) weight shifts were measured every 10 minutes.
No significant differences were found between the different floor types during the first two hours with regard to participant discomfort and fatigue ratings. Differences between fatigue ratings among the different flooring types became significant within the last two hours of each session. Floor A, which was simply a hard steel floor, ranked highest in discomfort and fatigue, while Floor F (the thickest but least stiff mat) ranked highest in discomfort and fatigue among the observed mats. There was a significant correlation between the objective variables measured (COP weight shifts, body temperature) and the subjective perceptions of fatigue and discomfort, both of which were notably affected by the condition of the flooring.
This study involved a total of 10 participants, and research was carried out under highly uniform and controlled circumstances at intervals of four hours at a time. The authors note that the type of thermometer used to measure skin temperature may have been a source for errors in the data.