I love nursing but after a twelve hour shift my feet hurt. After night #2 my feet and ankles hurt and by night #3 I just want to cry by hour 5. First of all, does anyone else experience this? Second, can this be prevented? Third, what are some remedies I can do before bed to ensure that I will wake up with well rested feet.
Seriously, I have to stay off my feet when I'm home if I have to work 3-4 days per week.
They swell up too.
May 30, '02
I bought some Easy Spirit shoes and that really helped with my foot problems. I have flat feet, and they used to always hurt after I'd been on them all day. I always massage my feet with some foot lotion before I go to bed (even when I didn't work). Try not to stand in the same place or position for too long. Prop your feet up when you sit down (although you should do this discreetly so you don't look like a lazy @$$).
May 30, '02
You might want to see if you have arthritis. This might be whats causing the pain. If it is aleve amy help. If not then good shoes will help and when you get a chance elevate your feet,even if it is only for a minute or two. It helps me
May 30, '02
Good old pair of TED stockings......not attractive but who can see them and by golly you feel the difference at the end of a long hard day......
Works for this nurse anyway.......
May 30, '02
Swelling too??? Call your doc! Either you are wearing the totally wrong type of shoes, they don't fit right or you might have a medical problem you don't know about. I'd check it out to be on the safe side!
Good luck!
May 30, '02
I would check with a podiatrist to make sure there is nothing going on. When I changed jobs and was sitting more, my problem showed up. New shoes and wrapped feet while at home cured them.
May 30, '02
This is a little on the elementary side, but give it a try. It can't do any damage, and might help a great deal ...
Make sure you are drinking PLENTY of water. I know this isn't easy, given that most nurses working on a unit are trying to prevent bathroom breaks, but I've found this to help in some situations. 8-10 glasses of plain water on a work shift is what I'm talking about.
The other pieces of advice are good, too. Make sure your shoes fit well (it's may be worth paying more for some that do). A podiatric evaluation might be good, too, to ensure that there's no underlying problem.
Jim Huffman, RN
www.networkfornurses.com
May 30, '02
I appreciate your replies. I was thinking along the same lines but sometimes we tend to rationalize our own symptoms; The joint of the big toe is painful as well. I guess I just dont want to be told that I should go into another field. Especially since I'm going to have to pay for nursing school out of pocket. I love working in a hospital and a nursing home or school or doctors office would bore me to tears.
I took the summer off to work fulltime and get some experience. I'm waiting for a nursing school acceptance but I received a full
scholarship to become a teacher. My husband says its a sign (the ankles & feet and the scholarship for my bachelors.) The nursing degree would be an ASN degree and thats why I cant get financial aid because I already have an AA. So its very complex to me. To many its simple but I'm good at what I do. I and love being a blessing to people.
May 30, '02
You know, I used to be a beautician for 13 years before becoming an RN. We used to do this little trick that still works for me now.Sit down after a couple of hours of being on your feet. Doing one foot at a time, rotate your foot going clockwise for about 15 times. Then rotate counter-clockwise. Do it slow. Now do the other one. it's like a mini massage. Hope it works! Gilda
May 30, '02
Shantony--it kind of sounds like what I tend to get once in a while. It was diagnosed by a podiatrist as planter fasciaitis (
spelling???)--sometimes called a bone spur. It is actually due to overstimulation of nerves and tendons that connect front of foot to heel.
Try these simple things and see if they help. Add arch support to your shoes. make sure your shoes are proper fitting. Taping up the foot has made the difference between me walking or crawling. does the pain seem worse when you wake up??? This is a key symptom if this is reason. To tape up foot start from heel and tape towards toes and then across arch. This should show improvement almost immediately. I hope this helps. Good luck.
May 30, '02
I don't believe plantar fasciatis is the same thing as a bone spur. Correct me if I'm wrong, plantar is the inflamation of the fascia, right?
Brett
May 30, '02
Plantar Fasciatis causes bone spurs.
(That's what a podiatrist told me)
May 30, '02
Running for consecutive 12-hour shifts certainly makes my legs/feet ache. But I wear great-fitting sneakers and clogs -- I try to rotate my footwear. Find the style/brand that fits you best. I try to elevate my feet a bit when I come home (hence my love for my ugly/but oh-so-comfortable recliner.) Not a bad idea to have a podiatrist check out your tootsies -- elevate your legs when you can.
I've found that changing footwear has made a big difference in my comfort level. Nursemates killed my feet. Tried two different pairs of Easy Spirit -- same deal. Reeboks rule for me -- as do Dansko clogs.
May 30, '02I bought some Easy Spirit shoes and that really helped with my foot problems. I have flat feet, and they used to always hurt after I'd been on them all day. I always massage my feet with some foot lotion before I go to bed (even when I didn't work). Try not to stand in the same place or position for too long. Prop your feet up when you sit down (although you should do this discreetly so you don't look like a lazy @$$).
May 30, '02You might want to see if you have arthritis. This might be whats causing the pain. If it is aleve amy help. If not then good shoes will help and when you get a chance elevate your feet,even if it is only for a minute or two. It helps me
May 30, '02Shantony--it kind of sounds like what I tend to get once in a while. It was diagnosed by a podiatrist as planter fasciaitis (spelling???)--sometimes called a bone spur. It is actually due to overstimulation of nerves and tendons that connect front of foot to heel.
