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’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.
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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!
Good knife technique is in the wrist a lot, that’s why you need a sharp one. I watched a video years ago by Heston Blumenthal that helped me heaps. I’ll see if I can track it down for you.
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.
Thank you! I fortunately don’t have to work with animal products as much but the knife knowledge is always great to revisit