The Best Standing Mat

After a long day sitting down at a desk, many of us can’t wait to clock out and stretch our legs. But if we’re standing too long in one place, that can be just as detrimental to our health. Long-term standing can contribute to tendonitis, arthritis, plantar fasciitis (inflammation in the ligaments of your foot) and a host of other issues in the feet, knees, hips and back.

That’s why more people are turning to standing mats to alleviate some of that discomfort. We’re all familiar with those decorative mats you might see in front of the kitchen sink, but standing mats are something a lot more functional. They are thicker than cloth mats and much softer, made from a foam or gel material that cushions the feet.

You’ll notice the improvement in comfort immediately from a good standing mat, but the long-term benefits are even more worthwhile. The decreased pressure allows your weight to spread out more evenly along the bottom of your foot, alleviating the fatigue that can lead to those aforementioned health issues.

Foam standing mats are fairly common, and are usually the most affordable. They will provide plenty of relief in the short-term, but cheaper mats may be liable to compress over time. Most foam mats are coated with rubber or some other, harder surface that will help give them support — and make them a lot easier to clean.

Hard rubber standing mats are much sturdier, but you can expect them to have a lot less “give” under your feet. They are a lot easier to clean and much more durable than their foam counterparts, which makes them ideal for areas of high traffic. These mats are the kind you’ll most often find in office or industrial settings, for all the above reasons.

Gel standing mats can be a bit more expensive, but they’re worth it for the average household. The gel interior on the best of these mats hits that sweet spot between softness and support, and will usually be able to bounce back consistently between uses. They may not be as durable as other types of mat, but that may depend more on the outer surface.

If your mat will be placed in the kitchen, you’ll definitely want one with some sort of waterproof surface. (And since it’s a high-traffic area, a scuff-resistant coating won’t hurt either.) Beveled edges can reduce that wear and tear along the sides and lessen the possibility of tripping. Remember, you want the mat to be comfortable. Don’t get one that’s so thick it becomes more of an obstacle.

How thick should your mat be? As a general rule, standing mats should be at least 3/8 of an inch thick to be effective, no matter what material they’re made of. If there’s going to be more weight on it, consider getting something as thick as one inch, but remember that you don’t want something that’s liable to trip you up. A mat that’s too soft can be just as ineffective as one that’s too firm, so check the weight rating for your mat before buying it.