5 Ways Your Salon Mat Improves Your Health
We know. The salon mat doesn’t sound like the most exciting topic. It's the least active of all your salon equipment. Look down at that thing. What is it doing? It doesn't dry hair, it doesn't come in flashy colors, you can't mix anything with it, and if you posted it on Instagram you would kill all of your followers with boredom. It's a gray shape stuck to your floor out of sight, and under appreciated as a result. You might have that brief moment of relief when you walk onto it in the morning, but you probably forget what you're standing on once you get into the swing of the day. But foot problems are the most common health complaints among stylists these days, and while you're combing through those locks, the floor mat is (or should be) keeping your feet trim and healthy with a design rich in comfy science. So as you're working through your tired knees and sore feet, just think of these 5 ways your salon mat is improving your health.
1. Protection from Arthritis
Some of you young 'uns probably haven't given a thought to the state of your bones and cartilage 30 or 40 years down the road, but you'll start feeling the consequences of your standing profession soon. It's the fate of all hair stylists to stand for hours beyond the normal working person, and most people will have walked 75,000 miles by the time they're 50. You want to do the math on what the average stylist does? Neither do we, but we know that the cartilage in your ankles is at pretty high risk. It’s a matter of prolonged strain. You’ll be on your feet most of the time regardless, but you put less wear and tear on the cartilage in your ankles and toes when it’s easier for you to stand. Enter the floor mat. No brainer.
2. Helps Regulates Diabetes
There's no cure for diabetes yet, but podiatrists recommend anything that improves circulation in your feet to help combat the effects. That means taking care of your feet and legs. Most salon mats have a similar benefit to shoe insoles. They won't be as effective as custom orthotic insoles, but they should take a significant strain off your feet and keep blood flowing freely through your legs. That will help with everything from foot ulcers to decreasing the risk of amputation later.
3. Back Pain
Anything that helps your feet will help your back. The improved blood circulation we just talked about has something to do with this, but it's mostly a matter of support. All bones connect, and if your feet ache, odds are your legs and back aren't far behind (no pun intended). This mostly has to do with arch support (or the lack of it), and an increasing tightness in your back from standing up all day. Obviously you should be stretching every day and working to improve your diet, but a salon mat does provide more support for your feet, and that means more support for your back.
4. Happy Heart
Some days you just start feeling cranky and you can’t quite pin down the reason why. You might start by looking to the state of your feet. A lot of happiness depends on being able to live within the moment, and it's easier to appreciate that moment when you aren't aching everywhere. A good salon mat means better feet, and that means less pain with a more pleasant day in general. If you don't know about the healthiness of being happy, it's worth looking into. It has far reaching effects, gong all the way from your heart to your toes. It helps fight problems like cardiovascular disease and reduces the many risks inherent to stress, and it also makes you generally more active and motivated, which leads us to the next benefit.
5. Business Health
The success of your business is more reliant on your personal health than you might realize. When you're healthy and happy you treat your customers better. You're more likely to give them a good conversation and better service in general. You'll sound happier, you'll be more aware of your client's social cues and be able to address them. Happiness leads to a hundred different little improvements that lead to a better chance at turning a first-timer into a regular or getting a higher tip.
The Science
If you're still with us, you might be the kind of crazy person who actually cares about the “how” and “what” behind all these effects. Most salon mats are made from a closed cell polymeric sponge material. You've probably seen that term if you've done any research on floor mats, and your interest probably stopped there. But just know that closed cell sponge materials are absolutely fantastic for standing on. It often means the difference between lying on a memory foam mattress and lying on a giant kitchen sponge (a sponge is an open cell foam, by the way, and not as comfortable as they look. Don't ask why we know that). Normally your weight rests on your heels and the balls of your feet. But when you step onto a closed cell polymer it displaces that weight along your whole foot, so your arch takes some of the weight too. That’s where the reduced pressure and improved circulation comes in.
A Foot's Best Friend
You can go a long ways on a good salon mat, so it's important to keep an eye on their condition and repair or replace them as needed. And if you aren't using them, you need to jump on that and promptly apologize to your body, because you've already done a number on your soles, knees, and back. Mats usually range from a half inch to a full inch, and these feel different with different feet (although most people seem to prefer 1 inch mats). Feel out the mats in other salons to get an idea of what will work best with your body, then get that padding rolled out on the floor. Because this isn't just an issue of comfort any more, this is about your well being: a happy life can start or stop at the ground.