oh my aching legs

[sunshineonleith]

i'm a 3rd quarter nursing student - we have clinicals every other week for two days (4.5hrs each day). when i come home at night my legs ache so badly i cry. i've worked as a barista and in ltc, so i'm used to standing long hours. i work out 3-4 times a week lifting and doing cardio. what's the deal? i think my shoes are the most likely culprit, so i just bought insoles and that helped, but my legs still ache. i also wear support nylons....I just envision this problem getting worse as my clinical hours get longer and eventually (gulp) when i hit the floor on my own.

any ideas? what do you do to prevent aches and pains? thanks :)

[RNSuzq1, RN]

Hi sunshine,

I'm hoping someone has good suggestions because many of us have the same problems. I just finished school and we were doing 8 and sometimes 10 hour clinicals - I'll be working 12 hour shifts at my new job (and I'm twice your age), so I know it's going to get worse.

Someone suggested support hose and those did help some - I think I really need a much better shoe and would like some names if anyone can recommend ones that they like. One of the biggest problems seems to be the fact that in clinicals and on the job, we never sit down - just go, go, go without a break for hours. Thanks, Sue

[beautifulb]

What type of nursing shoes do you wear? There are quite a lot out there and there are quite a few that some of us can't wear. Search the thread for shoes that our fellow allnurses members find that work best for them.

Also, support hose will help.

Do your legs ache b/c in addition to your regular work-out you have your clinicals. Do you stretch often? Especially your back. There are so many wonderful stretches that you could use that would hopefully help you.

I am sure there are other ways but just for now.

I hope everything helps a little.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

After years of problems with varicose veins I can tell you that support nylons are a joke! I should have been in Jobst stockings which exert more external pressure on the leg when I started out in nursing.

Have you tried elevating your legs when they ache? If you think insoles helped you, you probably should see a podiatrist for advice. A podiatrist can tell you if your foot needs any kind of correction when you are standing and how that can be accomplished.

[shock-me-sane]

maybe you are a bit lacking in K+?

[RN@34]

i work 16 hour shifts and until 2 months ago i had the same problem. my cure was a pair of z-coils.

[WindyhillBSN]

i'm a 3rd quarter nursing student - we have clinicals every other week for two days (4.5hrs each day). when i come home at night my legs ache so badly i cry. i've worked as a barista and in ltc, so i'm used to standing long hours. i work out 3-4 times a week lifting and doing cardio. what's the deal? i think my shoes are the most likely culprit, so i just bought insoles and that helped, but my legs still ache. i also wear support nylons....I just envision this problem getting worse as my clinical hours get longer and eventually (gulp) when i hit the floor on my own.

any ideas? what do you do to prevent aches and pains? thanks :)

Have you tried Birkenstocks? They hurt my feet for about two weeks, and then the circulation improved in my legs so much, I stopped wearing support hose!