Looking for Comfy Shoes

brewerpaul · Apr 28, 2007

Let me start my answer with my creds: although I've been in nursing school for the past 2 years and will start an O.R. job in June, I've been a practicing Podiatrist for nearly 30 years, so I KNOW feet...

Not to give you a short answer, but the best shoe is the one that feels best. You won't really know until you try them out in the O.R.

Now, for a more helpful answer...

I've been really happy with Crocs during my nursing school clinicals which included 48 hr in the O.R. in 8 hr shifts. There are lots of cheap copies out there:some are really bad, others are pretty close to the real thing. I have one pair from PayLess Shoes which are terrific. For some odd reason, the real Crocs are not available in white-- closest thing is a sort of tannish.

A good pair of athletic shoes is a great investment. These can be jogging, walking, cross trainers etc. You don't have to buy top of the line for megabucks, but do go to an athletic store that carries a lot of brands and try on many different ones. I like New Balance and Asics mainly because they come in different widths. If you're a woman and have large feet, consider a corresponding men's size: they're often cut fuller.

Make sure the shoes have removable insoles (most of the brand name ones do) and add a pair of Spenco Polysorb Insoles. Check Spenco.com for dealers. These have a neoprene top cover and a nice arch for a near-custom fit.

If you have bad arch problems, an orthotic of some sort would be a big help. Custom ones are most effective, but also most expensive. Check out these: http://www.superfeet.com/default.aspx

I've dispensed the plain black $19.95 ones with great success. The new orange and berry ones are new to me, but they look terrific for nursing and a relative bargain at $40 (compared to $400ish for custom made).

sg6307 · Apr 28, 2007

Thanks for the info. I have high arches and I also have strange feet so the crocs don't fit. One size is too small, the other, floppin around on my foot. I have a pair of Easy Spirit sneakers that I like, but I don't know if they're gonna be able to hold up to 8-12 hours on my feet. Thanks again for your help.

Stacy

shelbywu · Apr 29, 2007

BREWERPAUL:

May I ask you a question? I think I may have a bone spur. (I have a large "bump" at the base of my great toe). This is preventing me from flexing my toe to any degree and is quite painful at certain times. Should I see a Podiatrist for this or an Orthopedic surgeon? How do you treat a bone spur? Is this something you just have to live with?

By the way, I have been orienting in the OR for the past four months and really enjoy it. I think you will be happy with your choice. Just remember, everyone has their own way of doing things. Just take a little bit from what everyone teaches you, and find what works best for you! Best of luck to you.

brewerpaul · Apr 29, 2007

BREWERPAUL:
May I ask you a question? I think I may have a bone spur. (I have a large "bump" at the base of my great toe). This is preventing me from flexing my toe to any degree and is quite painful at certain times. Should I see a Podiatrist for this or an Orthopedic surgeon? How do you treat a bone spur? Is this something you just have to live with?
.

This is a form of osteoarthritis known as hallux limitus ,or if it's more severe, hallux rigidus. There are a lot of treatments, depending on the severity. Steroid injections often help, but only temporarily. An orthotic (custom or OTC modified) can help by limiting motion at that joint. Ultimately, surgery is an option. Sometimes, just removing the spurs is enough to give you more motion. Other times, all or part of the joint is replaced. In some really severe cases, the joint is fused with the big toe in slight dorsiflexion-- this is actually not as bad as it sounds and people do quite well with it. After surgery, expect to be put into an orthotic.

I've suffered from this condition myself. About 10 years ago I had spurs removed on the right foot and got a lot of relief. Just before I started nursing school I had the joint on the left repaired with a hemi-implant(the phalangeal surface was replaced with a titanium implant). I still have some occasional pain in both toes, but they are both hugely better than they were before. I'm quite active in walking, hiking, skiing etc so this has been a big relief.

I'm naturally prejudiced, but I think that you're best off with a well trained podiatrist. Orthopods may do knees, hips and ankles as well as feet, but a podiatrist does ONLY feet, so there's often more experience involved. There are some orthopods who specialize in feet too. If you want to email me directly (paul"at"busmanwhistles.com) and tell me where you live, I may be able to give you recommendations for docs.

studentforlife · Apr 29, 2007

I recommend Danskos

scoobydoo32, RN · Apr 30, 2007

i also recommend danskos

brewerpaul · May 2, 2007

FWIW-- I got a pair of Dansko's from my sister in law (unisex shoes) and found them to be very heavy. I much prefer my Crocs at about 1/3 the cost and weight.

ewattsjt · May 8, 2007

i like rockport shoes. i scrub big spinal procedures on thursdays and fridays. lots of time, i only get a chance to sit during lunch. i have had 2 spinal fusions myself (l3-s1) and know that you usually get what you pay for in shoes. rockports or other shoes with good support tend to work well. you just need to try different shoes. just a personal note; crocs kill my back. within the same token, many women at my facility wear them and think there is nothing better.

i have also seen on other forums that z-coils are good but just ugly. they are very expensive but, the people who post on them say that they are worth that and even more.

suzanne4, RN · May 9, 2007

I only have used Super Birkies, they are wonderful if you have a high arch. And they have a removable innersole that can be changed out when it gets worn.

The other thing that is my favorite about them is that the toes are actually hard. I had 30 pounds of cervical weights come down on them in a spine case, and only suffered slight bruising across the toes. With gym shoes, or crocs, I would have been out of work for some length of time with broken toes or more.

Crocs are much too wide for my feet, so that has not been an option. Have used the Super Birkies for more than 13 years and would not even consider another shoe.

But first is to find what fits your foot and that you find it very comfortable.

cvrnfa · May 13, 2007

I wear croc's. I've been working in the O.R. for about 14 years and so far the croc's are the best shoes i have owned. They are easy to clean after a bad surgical case. A sale rep. recently told me that OSHA was banning the wearing of croc's in the O.R. does anyone know if this is true? I haven't done the research yet.

brewerpaul · May 14, 2007

Maybe that has to do with bodily fluids getting in through the holes? I certainly hope the ban is not real-- I love my Crocs.

There are some Croc clones out there without holes, so that might be an alternative.