On 11/22/2021 at 5:32 AM, Cal said:

 

Good deal Gene, please report back after you get them in and try them out.

The one's I mentioned I would liken to putting a shim under the table leg

Late with the report, @Cal. Sorry. 

The inserts are Timberland Pro from Amazon. Got 2 pair just before Thanksgiving and, promptly pulled out the liners and put the inserts in both work shoes. One low cut pair of Sketchers and, one pair of Red Wings. They are nice! Haven't experienced even a twinge of a back ache since. 

 

 

I think I went a very different route than most people here but I will share what has been working for me.

 

A couple of years ago I started looking at the way that I was working and things like functional fitness in general.
I have thankfully always been in pretty decent shape, which is kind of surprising considering what I have put my body through but as I have gotten older there are definitely things that I needed to change.

The first was sitting.  I work in the computer industry and spend a lot of time typing things and that used to mean sitting.
After a lot of research I wound up getting a combination sit/stand desk and forcing myself to stand for longer periods each day.  
Not going to lie, the first couple months of this sucked.  I tried anti-fatigue mats, insoles, and it still sucked.
About that time I was reading in one of my running groups about the supposed benefits of barefoot running and the concept that for most of our history people haven't had shoes so I embarked on a new experiment.  Got rid of the mats, insoles, shoes, just my feet, a pair of socks, and a hard tile floor.
The first couple days my feet hurt, but I noticed something interesting.  My posture was better, and nothing on the rest of my body was giving me problems.
A few weeks in, my feet stopped hurting as I built up the muscles and ligaments needed to stand correctly.  A month in, I rarely sat, and two months in it felt strange to sit down. It feels great now and I am on my feet on concrete / tile 10+ hours a day.  My footwear has transitioned to very minimalist shoes with zero fancy support or insoles or moccasins around the house mainly to keep my feet warm.  At first, my daily runs / walks with the pups suffered but as I have built up foot strength this is back to normal and I feel much more grounded and stable.

As always, your mileage may vary but this has been working really well for me for a couple of years and I feel better for it. 

 

On 1/4/2022 at 6:05 PM, Gene Howe said:

Haven't experienced even a twinge of a back ache since. 

Fan-tilly-as-tic 

 

My YEARS of back pain was traced to one leg longer than the other. Once it was pointed out to me, I laid a piece of 1/4" ply on the ground, right foot on the ply, left foot not. Immediate relief. Went on to shims within the heels + and insert for non-craftable shoes.

 

These days, when the pain returns, there's usually a reason. Non-cushioned shoes + no shim. Regrettably, driving now makes my hip hurt. Road trips are soon bye bye 'till I'm in a comfortable 'lectric 600m range vehicle.

 

As far as mats, my F&B background tells me bar mats and anti-fatigue mats might help down the road. Me, I do my best thinking sitting down. Currently working on a mirror / picture frame, 10 minutes at a time.

 

Kangaroo mat seems highly rated. I've seen them in service as well.

 

They are not non-skid, and the manufacturer notes this: Legal Disclaimer - Not recommended for concrete floors.