Hi all, just wondering if I will always feel this way?!?! I've been working as a nurse since September and my feet are miserable, my legs cramp up and by the time I get home from work I have blisters and can barely walk for a day or so.
I know a big part of it is my weight, I am overweight. But aside from that there has to be something I can do to get used to this?! I was wearing athletic shoes, Nike's because I thought that was the best option but my coworkers agreed with me that actually they were not great - b/c I was having lots of pain from them too. So I got some croc wannabees from payless - airwalks and they are great! But this past weekend my feet/legs started acting up big time again. Soooo what to do?
I can't take motrin otherwise I would LOL and that would probably help but I can't take it and tylenol does not work for me. So any suggestions?
PS I don't have any spare money right now to buy pricey shoes either so surely there has to be another option right?!
Orthotics did it for me. My legs and feet no longer hurt. Also be careful to stay hydrated throughout your shift--that can be contributing to the cramping.
I can pretty much wear any shoe to work and be fine, however Danskos felt like torture! I would not suggest buying them until maybe you tried a friend's pair perhaps for a shift. They are very expensive to only wear a few times.
I try to swim. Found that helped a lot. I am not overweight yet my feet kills me at the end of the day too. compression socks are wonderful too. But, swimming made a big world of difference!
i was wearing nike's for a bit, and at the end of each shift i was so achy - when i had a chance, i switched to puma's and my feet have been thankful ever since. they were on sale too, which didn't hurt
Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
The Nurse Mate clogs w/ upper pillow are incredibly comfy. But beware!! they are slippery suckers and I'm embarrassed to admit I've fallen out of them because they are backless and kinda wrenced my back to catch myself.
Did I mention my embarrassment at this?:imbar DOH!! :selfbonk:
Hi all, just wondering if I will always feel this way?!?! I've been working as a nurse since September and my feet are miserable, my legs cramp up and by the time I get home from work I have blisters and can barely walk for a day or so.
I know a big part of it is my weight, I am overweight. But aside from that there has to be something I can do to get used to this?! I was wearing athletic shoes, Nike's because I thought that was the best option but my coworkers agreed with me that actually they were not great - b/c I was having lots of pain from them too. So I got some croc wannabees from payless - airwalks and they are great! But this past weekend my feet/legs started acting up big time again. Soooo what to do?
I can't take motrin otherwise I would LOL and that would probably help but I can't take it and tylenol does not work for me. So any suggestions?
PS I don't have any spare money right now to buy pricey shoes either so surely there has to be another option right?!
Ya know I too am overweight and need to lose some of it, however, I would invest in those pricey shoes as you call them. They are pricey because they work!! Sorry to say it, but I wear nursemates and they have saved my feet and legs. I would borrow the money or charge it to a credit card. Or have friends or family buy it for you as a gift. Your feet and legs will thank you and its an important investment, IMHO.
Also, the compression stockings are great! They help prevent those ugly vericose veins.
For the leg cramps make sure you are drinking enough. I find that on super busy days where I don't eat or drink enough I get cramps in my feet when trying to go to sleep. At one point I even started bringing a "Boost" drink with me so that I could sip on it while running around...it helped the leg/feet cramps. Hope this helps!
I agree. You have to get the shoe that works for you. Unfortunately, the only way is to try out several shoes and see what works. I have bad knees. After laying in bed crying with them one night, I said I would pay $200 to have them stop hurting. I went right out and invested in a good pair of shoes. I got some z-coil shoes that were recommended on another thread. I absolutely love mine. I have not had any knee, back, leg, or foot pain since I got them 6 months ago. I work 12 hours shifts on a very busy med/surg unit. Worth every penny. Pay me now, pay me later - either way you pay!
I am overweight, and have had a lot of pain in my legs, feet and back since becoming a nurse. A while back, I lost a large amount of weight dieting, and there was no improvement in my pain. I've since gained the weight back, and it has not made the pain worse.
I finally got my feet and legs x-rayed and learned I have a musculo-skeletal birth defect which was previously undiagnosed.
I've tried many kinds of shoes and support socks. I'll post links to the ones I've found that really do help with my pain.
These come with a removable foam insole, which is not shown in the pic.
Specializes in Cardiac stepdown Unit & Pediatrics.
Here's what I've learned:
1. Drink lots of water throughout the day. If you cant take a true break, then run off by the patient kitchen and chug down a small cup of water every other hour.
2. Compression socks rock. Nuff said. They are all I wear at work.
3. I alternate between my Danskos and Sketchers slip on's every other day. The key to wearing Danskos is this: You MUST break them in at home for a few days before wearing them on a 12 hour mostly standing shift!!!
4. As soon as you get home, the socks come off and the feet get propped up.
I am overweight, and have had a lot of pain in my legs, feet and back since becoming a nurse. A while back, I lost a large amount of weight dieting, and there was no improvement in my pain. I've since gained the weight back, and it has not made the pain worse.
I finally got my feet and legs x-rayed and learned I have a musculo-skeletal birth defect which was previously undiagnosed.
I've tried many kinds of shoes and support socks. I'll post links to the ones I've found that really do help with my pain.
These come with a removable foam insole, which is not shown in the pic.
I ordered a pair of rockers, and they look sooooo darned comfortable, but (at least for me) they were not true to size; they were much tighter and smaller than what I expected and I'd actually ordered a 1/2 size up from my usual size.
Maybe you could try a few different kinds of compression socks and see if they bother you? I went to compression socks about a month ago when my Danskos were leaving me crippled at the end of my shift. I have been wearing a pair of sketchers running shoes and compression socks, and my feet/legs feel great when I get home. I went back to the danskos this week and the compression socks seem to have done the trick.
:selfbonk:
JaneyW
640 Posts
Orthotics did it for me. My legs and feet no longer hurt. Also be careful to stay hydrated throughout your shift--that can be contributing to the cramping.