I’ve been a runner for 25 years and have been practicing yoga for 10. So why do I find it so much less painful to run for an hour than stand for an hour? Even the thought of standing for extended periods makes my back ache, especially during the summer, where standing is part of the fabric of the season, from waiting in line at amusement parks to standing in the security checkpoint queue at the airport.

“The way we stand is so important. Our body can only handle so much strain in one position,” said Dr. Diane Koshimune, a podiatrist. When standing, most people’s tendency is to assume a “relaxed” stance, with the arch of the foot collapsed and your foot rolled in slightly, she said. That position puts more tension on the inner side of your foot, ultimately leading to pain in the foot, ankle and lower back.

Focusing on maintaining a more “active” stance can help distribute your weight more evenly and align your joints, Dr. Koshimune said. To do this, she advises engaging the leg and foot muscles while standing and, without picking up your feet, rotating your kneecaps outward slightly, which will cause the arches to lift slightly. The stance requires steady focus, of course, but Dr. Koshimune said, “Mindfulness can help to make standing a little more comfortable.”

When we stand for long periods of time, we are extending and lengthening our hip flexors, said Victoria Lyon, a certified personal and group fitness trainer and public health researcher at the University of Washington. Holding those muscles in extension can feel strenuous, and they fatigue.