Arghhh, my aching legs & feet!

kastas, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2004

Look at your shoes. There have been several shoe threads lately with a lot of suggestions. I had the same problems with my lower legs, feet, and ankles hurting horribly after my shifts. I switched to Birkenstocks and have not had a problem since. I swear by them, though the rubber ones I wear (L&D, think amniotic fluid) do make my feet sweat pretty bad...Good luck. :)

PedsNurse1981 · Mar 30, 2004

I tried a pair of Dansko's, they've done wonders for me. However, the pair I have have a very hard bottom, so they've made my feet very calloused which causes problems if I don't work to keep the bottoms of my feet soft in between shifts. Good luck.

harley_fan · Mar 30, 2004

I had the same problem also. I bought a pair of support socks. You can get them at any uniform shop. They work wonderfully. After 12 hours, my feet/legs don't ache as much!

KimRN03 · Mar 31, 2004

Thanks for all the suggestions! I will try a different pair of shoes and some support hose!

Bailarina · Apr 4, 2004

I feel your pain, I am going through the same thing. When I wake up the next morning after a shift my feet still hurt! I have spent so much money on shoes, Danskos killed my feet, I was almost in tears by the end of the night. I've tried Anywear clogs, same thing. I am just sticking to new balance tennis shoes, but my feet still ache. Maybe the fact that I NEVER get to sit down, not even while charting is the reason :crying2:

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 4, 2004

It took $500 orthotics to get rid of my foot pain. I have fallen arches AND plantar fasciitis, thanks to years of carrying around 200-300# and more, as well as spending a lot of time running the floor at work. Before I got the orthotics, I tried every kind of insole known to humankind; at one point I even cut up an old worn-out eggcrate mattress topper we'd had and used pieces of it in my shoes to cushion my poor barking dawgs.......all to no avail.

Now that I have these miracle workers in my New Balance shoes, my feet rarely hurt anymore.....and even my ankles, knees, and hips feel much better. While they haven't exactly been able to turn me back into a 25-year-old, they make it possible for me to get through even the busiest shift without feeling like an 85-year-old by the time I clock out. :)

unikuelady, RN · Apr 4, 2004

I am also a lower leg pain sufferer. The shoes and support socks helped alot, but the most wonderful investment was when I bought a hot tub. I stays at 104 degrees, it has 5 jets that I can move to any part of my body. When I position my feet directly in the path of the jet for 10-15 min, the combination of the hot water/massage has been a miracle for my legs. I can sleep at night now without the constant pain/cramping that I would get after spending 12-14 hours on my feet. If you can afford it I would definitly recommend a hot tub. It is also great for the spirit, dim the lights, put on calming music, something to drink (non-alcoholic).....gives me a chance to wind down from an especially bad day. Only takes 15 min. :)

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Apr 4, 2004

For me, it's my feet. Gotta check into better sneaks.

Right now I'm using medium-priced New Balance cross-trainers. Maybe running shoes will give us more cushioning.

USA987, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 5, 2004

I'm using a pair of New Balance crosstrainers with a heel insert. Feel like I'm walking on air. My good friend is an aerobics instructor who insists that if you are on your feet a lot it is critical that you get new shoes q3-4 months....

zambezi, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2004

I used to have foot and leg pain (but not as bad a some...).

I tried:

birks (which made the pain the worst for me, ohh my aching calves),

danskos (which were ok at first but then my feet started hurting and I found my self twisting my ankles alot)

I don't really like tennies because if I get icky stuff on them it is hard to get off.

My absolute favorite shoes are the zcoils, despite how absolutely ugly they are and the fact that they are pretty spendy (but not really more than I was paying for the other shoes)...they are soooo comfy. You can have them "fitted" for you style of walking (ie: pronation, arches, etc)

I have the clog style. Honestly the most comfortable shoes that I have worn, and my feet (as ugly as they are) are worth it. When I first started wearing them, I was a little sore for the first week or so but now that they are broken in I almost never come home hurting.

globalRN · Apr 5, 2004

Support stockings make a difference on the days I wear them. You can try regular support stockings or even get the medical support stockings

.

Losing weight may help if weight is a problem.

Regular exercise may also help as well as stretching exercises.

If you have varicose veins...taking care of them may help.

I have gotten fitted for orthotics and will see if that helps.

I try not to stay standing for long periods and put my feet up when I get home.