A quarter of Americans are experiencing increased aches and pains during their time in quarantine, according to new research.
The survey asked 2,000 Americans how their daily routines have changed while sheltering in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As respondents are adapting to their new indoor lives, it’s not a surprise 50 percent said their decrease in physical activity has contributed to their increased aches and pains.
Another four in 10 pointed the finger at just sitting around the house for too long.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Dr. Scholl’s, the survey also found 42 percent of respondents said walking barefoot has been another cause of discomfort.
And as respondents are adapting to their new routines and working from home, 36 percent said they’re guilty of poor posture during their workdays and 27 percent said that sitting in an uncomfortable chair has also impacted their aches and pains.
This new normal has also impacted respondents’ wardrobes. In fact, six in 10 have used their time indoors to reevaluate their clothing and footwear choices.
Forty-two percent of those surveyed said they’ve been wearing athleisure clothing daily since they’ve been stuck indoor – and 55 percent said they plan to add more to their post-isolation wardrobe.
Another 66 percent of respondents said they’ve worn more comfortable shoes than usual because of their time in self-isolation.
Forty-five percent of respondents said their footwear of choice while indoors has been slippers and another 36 percent said they’ve been merely wearing socks.
Over half of those surveyed with aches and pains point their finger at their feet for causing their discomfort.
And for those with aches and pains, 48 percent are experiencing back pain.
Nearly three in 10 respondents also said they’ve experienced pain in the arches of their feet during lockdown and 24 percent have been experiencing pain in the balls of their feet.
As all of these aches and pains add up, it’s no wonder 43 percent of those polled said they’re slowly starting to wear shoes around their homes so they can get used to wearing them again.
“There’s such a lack of awareness about our feet … it’s really the last thing most of us think about. But it shouldn’t be! Feet account for 25 percent of the bones in our entire body,” said Charlie Lundy, Vice President of R&D at Dr. Scholl’s.
“For the majority of our lives, we’ve worn shoes on our feet. Now think about the last 3–4 months. We’re walking barefoot a ton. While it’s comfortable and may feel intuitive for us, we’re just not used to it. The muscles in our feet and lower legs aren’t able to keep up with such a drastic change, which leads to some of the aches and pains we’ve been feeling recently.”
With all of this discomfort, 53 percent of respondents said they’ve been taking care of their feet more than usual during their time in lockdown.
Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed are worried that their aches and pains will increase when they resume their normal routine.
Lundy said, “It’s important as we begin to resume normal activities – and normal footwear – that we’re paying attention to our feet by cushioning and supporting your arches with insoles so you’re in a more relaxed state during the day … you’ll be less fatigued by the end of the day and able to do more.”
Top shoes worn during self-isolation
- Sneakers: 53 percent
- Slippers: 45 percent
- Sandals: 38 percent
- Socks: 36 percent
- Flats: 27 percent
- Dress shoes: 15 percent
- High-heeled shoes: 12 percent
Top aches and pains experienced during self-isolation
- Back pain: 48 percent
- Neck pain: 34 percent
- Shoulder pain: 29 percent
- Hip pain: 29 percent
- Arch pain in the feet: 29 percent
- Knee pain: 28 percent
- Pain in the balls of the feet: 24 percent
- Heel pain: 19 percent
Top causes of increased aches and pains during self-isolation
- Less physical activity/walking: 50 percent
- Sitting too much: 40 percent
- Poor posture while working from home: 36 percent
- Lack of support on my feet: 34 percent
- Sleeping longer than usual: 32 percent
- Not wearing shoes: 30 percent
- Walking on hard surfaces barefoot: 29 percent
- Sitting in an uncomfortable chair: 27 percent
- Sleeping in a weird position: 24 percent
- Change in location: 18 percent
