New qualified nurse. Legs and KILLING me

Davey Do · Apr 19, 2018

I worked with a podiatrist in surgery when I was in my late 20's as an LPN scrub nurse. I had to stand for up to 12 hours at a time for lumbar laminectomies or when there were unseen complications with other surgeries. The podiatrist recommended New Balance which were not as cheap and ubiquitous as they are nowadays.

I go to a good shoe store and still buy relatively expensive New Balances at about $120 a pair, and put Birkenstock inserts in them. It's expensive, but well worth the cost.

Turning 60, and suffering a bicycle accident last year took its toll on me. My LE experienced some swelling, and Belinda got me some support stockings. Boy, what a difference! No swelling and my legs feel great!

My work wife Eleanor gave me a new pair of cheap New Balances she had purchased and didn't want, last December. Belinda and I went on about a mile Christmas walk and I wore those New Balances Eleanor gave me. My feet were tired after that walk, even with Birkenstock inserts! So, I only wear them for puttin' around the house or for riding my bicycle. If I'm going to be walking any distance, it's either the expensive New Balances or my Keen hiking boots.

CharleeFoxtrot, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2018

The one thing I found that worked for me until I got used to the 12s was to change shoes at the 6 hour mark. I would go from the clogs to a tennis shoe or vice versa. Helped me put pressure on different points I guess.

Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2018

My dear here are three things you should try because it does get easier but you also need to survive the trial.

1.Podiatrist sports medicine ,make appointment.

2.Get fitted by podiatrist or casted for sports soft orthotics[expensive] full length[langer is one of the better co.]

3.Thor lo padded socks runners style padding.Buy better sneakers like newbalance all leather upper.

then use nsaid for aches

buy homed foot bath with vibrator

Good luck there are worse things if you don't take good care of your livelihood your feet.

Have Nurse, ADN, RN · Apr 20, 2018

Hi everyone,
I'm a newly qualified nurse and began my job this week . I worked 12 hours on Monday and Tuesday and I was off yesterday and off today. I am back tomorrow and Saturday. But my god, are my legs and feet killing me today. I spent yesterday recuperating with my legs up watching tv all day but today im worse and i have to go back tomorrow I'm on my feet for 12 hours literally, and even writing my evening notes I have to stand at a table. Will i get used to it? I'm not overweight and I wear sketchers shoes.
Thanks for all advice

It will help you a lot to wear good compression stockings. Elevate your feet at work while you are on break. Make sure do some gentle stretching if you can, before during and after work. Get that blood and lymph fluid in those legs moving. Elevate when you get home.

You also might like to try one of those Dr. Scholl's inserts for your shoes. They are suppose to be custom. Just a thought.. And, Welcome!!

mushyrn, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2018

No, your job should give you the ability to sit down at some points in your shift. You can't chart sitting down? You need to learn how to fix that. Bring that up to your employer. If that were the case, I feel their rate of injury on the job cases would be skyrocketing.

djh123 · Apr 21, 2018

I only wear my work shoes for about 6 months, get new ones, and the work shoes then become my next-best pair, to eat out in, run errands in, etc. Gotta use the best ones at work (unless of course you also need great ones for running/hiking/whatever).

K+MgSO4, BSN · Apr 21, 2018

I only wear my work shoes for about 6 months, get new ones, and the work shoes then become my next-best pair, to eat out in, run errands in, etc. Gotta use the best ones at work (unless of course you also need great ones for running/hiking/whatever).

Sorry, truely sorry but once my work shoes are retired they may be used for gardening / outside chores but otherwise in the bin. You may work in a different area but as a very hands on NM on a GI ward I go where the emergency buzzer takes me - upper and lower GI bleeds, chrons/colitis patients collapsing from dehydration as they refuse thier infusions usually in an awkward place such as the bathroom etc....post incident they get Clinell wiped or binned depending on the situation.

If I didn't have giant lady feet I would look into a light weight boot such as a Blunstone Women's Black Full Grain Leather Slip on Work and Safety Shoes | Style 743 Elastic sided series | Blundstone Australia

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Apr 21, 2018

One of my favorite topics, much to my husbands dismay. Shoes, shoes, shoes! The right shoes for you can make all the difference in the world. Dansko's are popular but didn't work particularly well for me, the heels are just a little higher than I like for work. Alegria worked a little better but I still wasn't pain free after a 12 hour shift. Regular tennis shoe type shoes no matter how expensive the brand don't work for me at all. The magic shoe for me turned out to be Halflinger clog type shoes, zero pain after even a stretch of 16 hour shifts.

But what works for me, or what works for any other nurse might not be what works for you. You can experiment until you find the right shoes for you, which can get expensive. You can see a professional to be fitted for shoes which can also be expensive. No matter what expect expensive to be the outcome. Some rare nurses can work crazy hours in cheap shoes, but for most of us good [read relatively expensive] shoes are a must.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 22, 2018

I swear by compression socks. They work wonders.

But do yourself a favor and order high-quality ones, at least 15mmHg. They may be more expensive, but they last longer and work better than most of the ones you can grab at the drugstore. I get mine from PRO Compression: they frequently have BOGO specials.

EDNURSE20, BSN · Apr 22, 2018

I wear sketchers too and have no problem. I remember my first time the hospital as a student I had this problem, found stretching after a shift helped a lot. But luckily I got used to it as a student, plus also working in retail where I never got to sit down for anything, I don't get any sort of pain now as a new grad.

You will get use to it pretty quickly. Just make sure you sit when possible and stretch after a shift.