Possible ramifications of prolonged standing at the workplace and its association with the development of chronic venous insufficiency

The issue of working conditions and their health ramifications have recently been raised on the public agenda in Israel with special emphasis on occupations requiring prolonged standing. This review article discusses the physiological and medical aspects of prolonged standing in the workplace. Searching the literature, 19 studies were found which specifically examined the effect of prolonged standing versus prolonged sitting at work. Most of these studies suggested that prolonged standing may result in the development and aggravation of chronic venous insufficiency. The association between prolonged standing and venous insufficiency was found to be more pronounced in women than in men.