Foam Anti-fatigue Mats Actually Cause More Fatigue


When shopping for a mattress, a typical term people come across is “memory foam.” In fact, many people who have slept on a memory foam mattress rave about its comfort, and claim to never be able to sleep on a regular mattress again.

Memory foam is a polyurethane material that is sensitive to pressure and temperature, used especially in mattresses, where it molds to the shape of an individual’s body. This material, while it can be comfortable to sleep on, is often used in anti-fatigue mats.

Imagine standing on a mattress all day while you work. It would not only be challenging, but also extremely uncomfortable to complete your daily work tasks since your muscles would have to work harder to maintain your balance. You would probably go home exhausted, sore and possibly injured.

This leads us to our next topic in our ongoing series regarding the essential questions to ask before purchasing an anti-fatigue mat:

Does the anti-fatigue surface adequately respond to movement?

Our comprehensive research and development has taught us that a responsive anti-fatigue mat should do two things.

  1. It should rapidly return to its original shape as weight is shifted. If a surface has a delayed “rebound” it will likely already be partially compressed as a load is repeatedly placed on it, reducing its ability to provide the most effective benefit of its elastic modulus.
  2. The response should be “dynamic”, pushing back like a spring, in response to and in-phase with changes in pressure from movement. The result should be a surface that is highly compressible without bottoming out or being overly soft, while at the same time providing stability and firmness.

A well-designed anti-fatigue mat will provide active responsiveness that works in concert with appropriate bottoming-out depth (relative to its compressibility), a balance of stability and instability, and optimal compressibility.

The unique SmartCells cushioning technology has been designed to be “in-phase” with the movements of the body, providing a remarkable anti-fatigue characteristic that helps every subtle and overt movement involved in standing.

The advanced technology consists of a rubber surface layer integrated with an underlying array of cylindrical rubber cells that soften in response to surface pressure to provide maximum fatigue relief. The SmartCells act like springs that cushion as weight is applied and rebound when the weight shifts, which returns energy, providing unparalleled responsiveness that helps reduce standing fatigue.

SmartCells Cushioning Technology: It’s not how the mat feels, it’s how YOU feel.