The foot is an extraordinary piece of natural engineering. It has 26 bones, 30 joints and about 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons. So, it pays to look after it.
In the workplace, foot injuries are often caused by blows to the top of the foot, usually from falling objects. Too many of us know the feeling. As a result, more organisations are making it compulsory for workers to use safety footwear that offers metatarsal protection.
According to testing measurements from Standard ASTM-F1614-C up to 90% of force from the most intense blows can be absorbed by the Oliver Metatarsal guards.
Metatarsals are the five tube-like bones of the mid-foot, and because of their size, location, and little surrounding tissue they are particularly prone to being injured when anything falls onto them. A metatarsal injury can be debilitating because the foot partly relies on these bones for movement, balance, and supporting the body. Metatarsal injuries, which are renowned as being difficult to heal, occur in a wide range of workplaces including construction, fabrication, storage, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and retail.
Metatarsal protection, as used in the Oliver 55 series models 55-336 & 55-346, is designed to absorb the impact of objects that either fall onto or roll onto the upper foot. According to testing measurements from Standard ASTM-F1614-C up to 90% of force from the most intense blows can be absorbed by the Oliver Metatarsal guards. Importantly, this additional protective feature does not impact on the comfort of the wearer or their capacity to have flexible and efficient movement. They are also lightweight and despite their protective qualities do not feel rigid, constrictive or bulky. When combined with protective toe caps, metatarsal guards provide strong protection against foot injuries.