The nurse’s uniform and footwear may not be the most beautiful and fashionable, but they have a purpose. When someone spends the whole shift on their feet, they don’t worry about being fashionable. For those who care about other people’s health and lives, it is more important to have comfortable and functional shoes.
Everyday shoes after a while start to get bothersome. And when your feet hurt, tingle, or you have a knot, you probably can’t focus on your work. That is why proper footwear is essential because it also provides for the well-being of who wears it.
As for specialized footwear for caregivers, there is not much difference between sneakers, slip-ons, or clogs. According to experts what matters is that shoes intended for medical caregivers have to be comfortable, have good soles, and be easy to pull on (and take off). Nurses are on their feet for hours a day.
Reduce Foot Pain
When you do a stressful job, the least you need is to feel like something is in your shoes. If you are sure there is no physical cause (a sore on the point of constant pressure, a pebble, or a seam of the sock), the most likely reason is neuropathic pain due to a nerve pinching somewhere in your foot.
If you feel it somewhere between the third and fourth toe, there may have been a thickening of the tissues on them. And they are now rubbing against each other and causing irritation. That is no ordinary sore; if the condition persists, surgery is probably the only solution.
Shoes with a wide and slightly curved upfront should spare you of these torments. Although they may not seem aesthetically pleasing, these models are the best thing you can afford to your feet if you are doing work that requires long-standing or walking. Clogs are a typical example of this footwear, and it’s no wonder why most medical staff wear them.
Preserving Health of Joints
Being on feet for a long time is bad; standing and walking in completely flat or high-heeled shoes are terrible. Such footwear increases the pressure on the front of the foot and thus causes pain, calluses, lowering of the anatomical arches of the feet, etc.
Continually wearing the same type of firm footwear can cause deformities, especially on the feet, but then on other parts of the body. That can further disrupt normal walk and prevent daily functioning if your spine is injured.
Tight shoes are the biggest no-no if your profession is related to caregiving. They can be the trigger of many inflammatory processes in the feet. Some of the more severe illnesses that inappropriate footwear can cause are gout and arthritis.
Preventing Bunions
Bunions are a problem that usually occurs when wearing tight shoes. It is actually a twist of the toe to the outside of the foot and other toes. They are not only an aesthetic but also a functional problem that causes pain, impedes movement, and limits the choice of shoes for any occasion. As soon as you notice the first symptoms (about which you can read here), you should solve the problem.
Due to continual friction, thickening of the skin of the foot, known as knuckle pads, occurs. These newly formed bumps on the inside of the foot become subject to constant mechanical irritation. They are rubbing against each other, causing the new bone formation and local inflammation. It further triggers the unbearable pain and causes fractures on toes if they overlap.
The regular nurse’s shoes or clogs for women are not tight and provide plenty of space to move and stretch your toes. It is recommended to get yourself shoes of a bigger size, especially if you have a genetic predisposition to develop any disease or deformity of the foot.
Every profession carries with it a particular health risk. Nurses and every other caregiving staff should make every effort to preserve the health of their feet and legs. They are doing a highly responsible and demanding job, so they have to be in the best shape in order to save other people’s health and lives. Being responsible for yourself is the best way to be responsible for others.
I found that it was important to wear good shoes as a teacher too. I did not like to sit when I taught my classes, so I was always on my feet.
I realize how important good shoes are for nurses. But I would like to say that they are important for everyone who wears shoes.