Aching feet at the end of a nursing shift – small changes will make a huge difference
Nurses and shift workers normalize tired feet at the end of a shift. They also normalize those calluses. For many female nurse, reward for a few weeks of long days is often a trip to the salon for a warm soak, a refreshing foot scrub, gentle foot massage rubs and a colour choice that can be shared with friends. Supportive stockings have now been replaced by compression socks, and those white shoes have been replaced by the clog or the air -filled running shoe. Fashion is a fun thing to talk about and certainly the marketing and the affordable luxury price makes it easy but if the shoes were really working then legs would feel light and feet would not hurt at the end of the shift. That’s not a dream; that’s a reality that most nurses do not know.
Let me introduce myself. I am the nurse who pounded the floors for 12 hour shifts. I spent a lot of money trying out different shoes and orthotics because my feet hurt at the end of the day. I went into home care to get away from the concrete floors and still they hurt. I went to school and studied feet and foot health not only to try to understand my issues but to help prevent the problem for others. I also wanted to prevent those amputations ,I saw and also those not so healthy legs I met on retired nurses.
What I learnt I want to share. Protect and take care of your feet and legs and you will be a happy, healthy nurse.
- Well made Graduated compression socks are a god send. 15-20 are ok but and 20-30 are better for daily wear. They need to fit well. You want a turn welt top at the end so the top does not cut into your leg. Plan on spending around $30 a pair. Wear them all the time. They come in short, crew and below the knee versions. Anything is better than nothing. Put some merino or alpaca wool in there and that’s a foots anti microbial , wicking, skin friendly dream – Why? Your skin likes to be coddled and the foot is the reservoir for the calf pump. The ankle is the rotating pump. The calf muscle is activated by the foot moving up and down. That action is 40% of your cardiac blood flow. It’s a big deal to maximize that pump. The graduated compression acts in your favor – the flow goes back up to towards the heart. Heavy legs are a sign of suboptimal pumping.
- Your shoes need to fit. Callusing is a related to a shoe not fitting well, and the foot sliding in the shoe. A foot that slides mean the toes have to grip. Gripping toes cause tension and are the equivalent of driving with the brakes on. The tension stops the foot pump from operating.
- A shoe that fit means that toes have enough space to wiggle and the widest part of the foot fits comfortably into the shoe – with the heel secured into the back of the shoe (so no slippage or gripping occurs).
- Shoes that are comfortable are important, but they need to fit, be secured and connect you to the ground. Shoes filled with air are unstable to the intrinsic muscles of the foot. Think walking around on a mattress instead of connecting to the earth. A crepe or Vibram rubber sole to absorb the shock from hitting the concrete is much better than a hard immobile clog or a sneaker full of air. A pair of Vans/ Keds is better for the foot than a Hoka.
- Your intrinsic muscles need to work to not have aching feet. Practice Rock paper scissors with your toes and toe wiggling helps. So does optimizing arch flex, which is why rigid shoes and orthotics don’t typically work They make your feet week and immobile when you actually want strong flexible mobile feet that pump and move and connect.
- Postural stability is huge. That head weighs 12 pounds. Your tongue is connected to your toes (that’s your fascia). Tension in your feet impacts your shoulders/ neck and vice versa. Balance is about balancing the weight not carrying the weight. Shoulders should be up and back, head carried high, hips forward and weight more on the heels. When standing toes ought to always be free to wiggle. If you need help walk into a room with arms open as if to say ‘Ladies and gentlemen”.
- When buying shoes the simple trick to make sure the shoe might fit is to take the insert out , place the heel in the heel cup, match the pattern of the insert to the pattern of your foot. If the pattern matches up well with the width enough to accommodate the foot then the chances of that shoe being comfortable is good.
- Securing the shoe to the foot so the heel does not slip or lift and toes don’t grip is the next part. That is done by adjusting the laces or buckle to snug the shoe just behind the metatarsals. When you do it well the toes will spread slightly and be able to wiggle freely, the shoe will feel snug but not tight and your foot will be happy. Often , our nurses use a block lace by doubling up the lacing in the second eyelets and pulling it comfortably snug. We may even tie a knot there so that it does not come undone. That trick prevents the foot from sliding forward and secures the heel. We have done it to Thousands of our customers and in doing so have prevented corns, calluses, wounds and amputations. It works by shifting the weight into the back of the shoe and preventing gripping and slippage. This reduces toe tip pressures and the friction that causes all sorts of problems.
- If this works, please drop us a note contact@footcarebynurses.net
We are a small and growing woman owned company of passionate nurses, who do home visits and are trained in the care of feet to prevent problems and enhance quality of life. We are looking for scientifically minded passionate nurses to join our crew who want to apply hands on care and nursing knowledge that truly makes a huge difference.
www. FootCare by Nurses.net