Aching legs and feet... Advice?

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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Yes, yes. I know it's been discussed on other threads but I couldn't find helpful advice. I'm in my second semester of an ASN proram and they moved us up to 8 hour shifts in acute care for our clinicals. I bought a good pair of shoes (New Balance) and even went out and got a pair of those Rockers compression hose. I tried the hose out for the first time today and it felt like they did less for me than even my regular hose! I come home from clinicals and have to take something for the pain and then put my feet up for an hour or so before I feel up to doing anything else.

I know working as a nurse on my feet all day is not going to be easy on the lower extremities (or anything else for that matter!) - but I was wondering if anybody had any good advice for me so I can work on this now and not in 2 years when I'm actually on a floor full time.

If anybody knows of any REALLY good support hose or tricks for avoiding some of the pain... I've been looking over other threads for advice on better shoes, but a lot of people seem to recommend the New Balance, so I'm kind of stuck there...

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me!

If you have pain in the joints, which you did not say,.....taking glucosamine

sullfate will help. It helps rebuild the cartilage between joints....so, it helps

stop pain between the bones in your feet, ankles, knees, etc.

I have found it very helpful.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I just plopped the j.rubios shoes into a search engine and didn't find nuthin. Ya got a website for them?

http://www.jrubio.us/

Specializes in OB, ortho/neuro, home care, office.

Good one, beat me to it :) I was looking it back up when I saw Marie found it :)

Specializes in NICU.
Do you wear regular socks over your hose. I debate what to do with my mine. Any thoughts? :)

As one poster stated - your feet tend to slip around in your shoes if you wear hose. You subconsiously are working your muscles to keep your balance when your feet are slipping around, so this makes for more aching in your legs at the end of the day. So I'd wear socks - I know I always do on the days I decide to tolerate hose - they're so hot and itchy I can't stand them!

And on a kind of gross note - your feet smell a lot worse if you just wear nylon hose. If you wear cotton socks over them, they well absorb the moisture and keep you feet and shoes fresher. Believe me - I work with a lot of people who just wear hose, and they have some stinky feet compared to those who wear socks. :(

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

When i wear my TEDs, i put my regular socks over them.

I don't need to add to the rank of the locker room funk with my own sweaty shoes.

Update: Thanx for all the advice!

Indy - I don't know if I'm going to burn them, maybe just cut em up with my bandage scissors! I tried regular hose the next day and my legs felt soo much better. Suffice it to say, even though I spent $8 on them, those hose are never going on me again! I'm going to attribute much of my pain to those blasted compression hose!

kat911 - I also tried sitting down more when I do my paperwork (even though with 7 nursing students on the floor in addition to the normal staff that's exceedingly difficult) instead of standing in one spot next to whatever surface I could find.

To everyone who suggested expensive but good shoes - Maybe when I'm not struggling to pay tuition and books I'll be more able to look into that!

Gompers - Thanx for the advice about the smelly feet issue. Since I wear scrub skirts I always wear hose (yeah! It gets annoying!) I don't get complaints at the hospital since my shoes are never off, but my sister has a fit when I get home. I'm definately going to go buy some anklets to wear!

Also, having people who have been there tell me that it just takes time to get used to it gives me a lot of hope! Thanx y'all!

I have nursing shoes from merrell, dansko, birkenstock and worn them each only once. I recommend that you just keep trying until you find something that's comfortable for you. I finally settled on some asics (and this is the link to where you can find them: http://www.zappos.com/n/es/d/722001255/page/1.html), and they work great for me. They are really light. I have narrow feet and my arch is kind of high. A lot of people at my job wear the danskos but complain that they do hurt. I find that they are too heavy and even at my right size they flop off in the back a lot and I have heard that complaint a bit as well. One thing that I have learned not to take for granted as a nurse is comfortable shoes. Good luck in your quest.

Yes, yes. I know it's been discussed on other threads but I couldn't find helpful advice. I'm in my second semester of an ASN proram and they moved us up to 8 hour shifts in acute care for our clinicals. I bought a good pair of shoes (New Balance) and even went out and got a pair of those Rockers compression hose. I tried the hose out for the first time today and it felt like they did less for me than even my regular hose! I come home from clinicals and have to take something for the pain and then put my feet up for an hour or so before I feel up to doing anything else.

I know working as a nurse on my feet all day is not going to be easy on the lower extremities (or anything else for that matter!) - but I was wondering if anybody had any good advice for me so I can work on this now and not in 2 years when I'm actually on a floor full time.

If anybody knows of any REALLY good support hose or tricks for avoiding some of the pain... I've been looking over other threads for advice on better shoes, but a lot of people seem to recommend the New Balance, so I'm kind of stuck there...

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me!

read the reviews about the Propet' Walker on the link below. I still have to use an arch support as I have very high arches but it is the first shoe I have worn in years that my feet don't SCREAM!

Gina

http://www.shoebuy.com/sb/s.jsp/r_ss/br_Propet/d_AdultF/p0_3349,3549/b_4-0.82907-94.73994-475.83427-480.83583/sh_B_Propet/p_2/st_121492/sbstl_284962

Specializes in NICU.
Gompers - Thanx for the advice about the smelly feet issue. Since I wear scrub skirts I always wear hose (yeah! It gets annoying!) I don't get complaints at the hospital since my shoes are never off, but my sister has a fit when I get home. I'm definately going to go buy some anklets to wear!

You can usually find those tiny cotton socks that don't even go up your ankle - just basically cover the feet. Another thing that helps, if you really don't want to wear socks (so long as your feet aren't sliding around in your shoes), is baby powder with cornstarch. Sprinkle some inside of each shoe before you put it on and again after you take them off, to absorb moisture and deodorize.

Specializes in Family Practice Clinic.

I also work 12 hours shifts, my feet hurt so bad when I went home, i took aleve every night. Now I wear SAS shoes. SAS are wonderful shoes, I have had mine for six months and still are going strong, other shoes only lasted two to three months. When i get off work i change out of my work shoes and drive home in moccasins (hour and a half drive one way). Big difference in the feet with the SAS shoes.

Dear aching legs and feet,

I am currently going through schoo; to be a nurse of course. I currently am working at a dernatology office been there foe 6 years. We deal with patients. whom have problems with cellulitis of the legs. The doctors usally RX Jobe Stokings Pressure being ten to twenty in pressure. If those other brand did not seem to help maybe it is the pressure or maybe it is the brand. Also as far as shoes I do come from a back ground of Resturant business plus being in the medical field and as far as shoes I have found that Burkin Stock Shoes work best. There was plenty of times I came home with sore feet I coudn't stand it. I have found the Burkinstock Shoes are the best. Hope this helps

Rp

I suffered from plantar's fasciitis for 6 years. I wore splints at night and tried several orthopedic inserts. None of which worked for very long or at all. I then went to The Good Feet Store and bought their pricey inserts. For 2 years now, I am pain free. As anyone who had ever had feet pain, no amount of money is too expensive. The very best money I ever spent.

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