heel pain

Nurses Career Support

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Hello everyone,

I should be in the nursing field in a few years. Just waiting on responses from the local colleges. I've been dealing with heel pain for a over a year. It is not excrutiating but I can only tolerate standing a few hours at the most. I've been to the doctor and have been following his advice as to how to alleviate the symptoms. I know this is a silly question to ask, but what particular field of clinical nursing requires the least amount of standing? I really don't mind being on my feet especially in a fast paced enviroment and like the physical aspect of what the nursing field would offer. However, I am now concerned as to my ability to endure standing on a long shift. I hope to somehow work around this or that the syptoms of plantar faciitis will eventually subside or just go away entirely. As to considering a different career that would entail sitting as a desk, I rule that option out because nursing is my second career and something that I've wanted to pursue 12 years ago but allowed my mother to talk me out of it. She wanted to me to lean towards business (family tradition), and I've regretted not taking a stand back then. But now that I live by my convictions, I don't want to deviate from pursuing my passion, even if means having to limp around to get there. :sniff: Thank you for reading this and any advice would be appreciated.

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When I had plantar faciitis I made ice cubes in Dixie cups with a popcicle stick in them and would give myself an ice massage. I also did regular gastrocnemius and soleus stretching exercises.

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Thank you jim for the advice. I do my stretching throughout the day but haven't tried the ice trick. I will try it tonight. After I thought about my question about the nursing job with the least amount of standing, I felt kinda silly. :bugeyes: I'm sure the only time I won't be standing as a nurse is when I'm giving in to a screaming bladder.

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Specializes in Med-Surge, PACU, now Hospice.

Bright Moon - good luck finding a nursing position that doesn't require standing. My advice would be to wear the most comfortable shoes. For me it was the Birkenstocks - only ones that helped with my plantar facitiis. Also, I was treated by an "orthopedic massage therapist". That man cured my pain in one visit. Yes, I did my "homework" and did my exercises and stretches that he recommended. I belive you can find a massage therapist that specializes in this form of treatment by looking at orthomassage.net.

Good luck

Alison

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Hi Alison,

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I will look into them. Hopefully soon I'll be able to get back into moving and grooving.

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I hope to somehow work around this or that the syptoms of plantar faciitis will eventually subside or just go away entirely.>>>

I had this and boy it hurt. I found out it didnt' hurt if I wore my Birkenstocks. So I have sandles and what I would have called clogs that are

Birks now. It lasted for a year. If I wore a pair of heels in a couple of hours my foot hurt. I know other people it has gone away when they have lost some weight also. Mine just went away.

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I hope to somehow work around this or that the syptoms of plantar faciitis will eventually subside or just go away entirely.>>>

I had this and boy it hurt. I found out it didnt' hurt if I wore my Birkenstocks. So I have sandles and what I would have called clogs that are

Birks now. It lasted for a year. If I wore a pair of heels in a couple of hours my foot hurt. I know other people it has gone away when they have lost some weight also. Mine just went away.

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I had this problem for a few years. Have you read up on it? It can come and go, and can switch from one foot to the other. Mine stayed in one foot for a year, then moved to the other foot for a few months. It FINALLY went away but has started to flare up again just in the last month. I stretch my hamstrings and calves a lot. Take some ibuprofen too. What works great if you have time is to take some ibuprofen then sit for about 20 mins with your heel on ice. I got to the point I tried to do this at work, it hurt that bad. I work 12-hour nights, makes it easier to know when there will be a lull in your shift.

Good luck and hang in there!!

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