While occupational health and safety is a huge focus for big businesses, the same emphasis on this aspect of maintaining a sound workplace is often less of a priority for small businesses, which are often fighting hard just trying to make a success of the enterprise.

This is a problem for the many small businesses – shops and cafes are some obvious examples – with staff who spend the vast majority of their time on their feet. The risk for small businesses that deprioritise their employees’ health and wellbeing is the potential for long-term physical damage for staff down the track. In a worst-case scenario, this could translate into legal action if a staff member can prove standing for long periods during their time with the business caused damage to their bodies.

Kusal Goonewardena, founder of the Elite Akademy physiotherapy clinic, says the No. 1 problem he sees with people who work on their feet is back pain. But knee, hip, neck and shoulder pain and headaches can also be problems for people who stand all day.

"These ailments usually stem from poor posture when standing, and may also be due to inactivity in areas that are meant to move," says Goonewardena.

"Our bodies are 70 per cent fluid, which means we are meant to move. So, if you have to stand a lot try taking mini steps, marching on the spot and calf raises to break up the static nature of standing. Twenty reps every 20 minutes is ideal."