Taking Care of Your Feet
Staying on your feet all day can be a trial, especially if your career demands it day after day. Whether you work in a kitchen as a chef, line cook, dishwasher, whether you're a teacher or work in healthcare as a doctor, nurse or medical assistant, you're no stranger to foot pain. Foot pain can spread throughout the body as well, causing problems in your back.
Here's a few tips to help keep you on your feet and pain free:
Stay Hydrated
To say your body requires water to operate would be an understatement. Dehydration can cause painful muscle cramps, so make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Stretching and Exercise for Your Feet
A few stretches at the beginning of the day can go a long way towards loosening up the muscles in your feet, legs, and back. Staying active will strengthen these muscles as well, giving you the stamina you need to make it through the day.
Stretches for Your Feet (that can be done while at work)
While Sitting
- Lift your foot and rotate clockwise 20 times, then counter-clockwise 20 times. Repeat for your other foot
- Barefoot, spread your toes by pushing your fingers between them. Oh, and wash your hands afterwards (heh, heh).
While Standing
- Barefoot (or in sock-feet), push your toes towards the bottom of your feet by pressing them against the floor. Repeat for the other foot.
- Barefoot (or in sock-feet), push your toes towards the top of your feet by pressing them against the floor.
Take a Break
Taking time out in the middle of the day to take a load off and stretch out those tired muscles might just help you find that second wind. It's easy to forget to take care of yourself when you're busy, but a short break can help ensure you're prepared for the dinner rush, afternoon classroom activities, or the next leg of your shift. This would be a good time to run through some of the sitting foot stretches mentioned above, and just giving yourself a foot massage.
Get Better Footwear - Orthotic Shoes
This is one of the simplest ways to help your feet stay happy and pain free. Find yourself a pair of shoes, clogs, or sandals designed with high mileage in mind. Sometimes busy professionals can get by with a good pair of inserts, however, there are some great orthotic / orthopedic shoes on the market which will last longer and help your feet much more.
Shoes for Nurses and Doctors: To Croc or Not
Clogs, such as the popular Crocs, have become more popular among healthcare professionals. Despite their popularity, they are not true orthotic shoes. Their recent CrocsRX line is also severely limited in options and styles (only three at this writing of this article).
"Because the shoe is considered medical, it gets overused by people who need more support than they can get from the shoe," Baravarian tells WebMD. "It's not as good as an orthotic or a medical type shoe; it's made out to be better than it is." (SOURCE:WebMD )
The clogs sold by Dansko and Oo Foot Relief offer some better looking options than industry leaders Orthofeet and Dr. Comfort. Dankso's clogs for nurses and doctors start at $115, with Oo Foot Relief's starting at $50.
Chef Shoes
If you are working in a kitchen, you'll need a shoe that is:
- Orthotic
- Waterproof
- Protective (from falling utensils, hot grease, and toe-stubbing traps).
- Non-Slip Soles
Chefs have shopped for their shoes at suppliers of nurses shoes for years now (Source: New York Times ), and any of the shoes recommended for healthcare professionals would likely be a good fit - assuming they are close toes. Crocs have 'ventilation' vents that are just screaming for a grease burn.
If you are looking for the Hummer-equivalent of a chef shoe, then a take a look at Blundstone's work boots.
Teacher Shoes
Another job that requires a ton of time on the feet, is teaching, specifically elementary school. The difficulty with this shoe is regular rubber clogs just won't cut it. Drew Shoe carries some good alternatives not already listed above that will work in a professional setting.
Recap
If you stand all day long, rest, hydrate, stretch, and invest in a good pair of orthotic shoes.
Your feet will thank you.
Get great looking Orthotic Shoes at http://www.GetOoFootRelief.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_R_Wright
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