Our feet aren’t designed for constant standing, walking, and pressure. However, when you’re a nurse, attending to your patients means that you often have no choice but to be on your feet for several hours at a time. Following proper foot care for nurses is important for your overall health and well-being after a long day on your feet.
If, after every shift, you come home with sore, aching feet, or more painful problems like blisters, neuropathy, or heel spurs, you need to take better care of your feet. In this article, Nurse Yard provides you with 7 of the best foot care tips for nurses, so you can get back to comfortably taking care of your patients.
Nurse Yard compression socks were created specifically with nurses in mind. Our graduated compression, non-slip and breathable materials, and cushioned footbeds keep nurses comfortably on their feet for hours on end. Try our socks today and see why the nursing community considers them the ultimate compression socks.
Common Foot Problems in Nurses
Studies have shown that nurses can take more than 8,000 steps during a shift. Standing for prolonged periods can cause several issues, especially if you are wearing the wrong socks and shoes. Some of the common feet issues nurses experience include:
- Bunions and blisters
- Plantar fasciitis
- Heel pain and heel spurs
- Ingrown toenails
- Neuropathy or nerve pain
Routine foot care can help lessen or even prevent some of these issues.
7 Ways to Promote Feet Health & Reduce Foot Pain
As a nurse, foot problems are not only painful, but they can distract you from important duties throughout your shift. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent aches and pains and promote foot health so you can stand for long hours without discomfort.
Ways both men and women nurses can practice foot care to help alleviate discomfort include:
- Wear compression socks
- Wear supportive and comfortable shoes
- Stretch feet regularly
- Elevate your feet during breaks
- Moisturize your feet
- Soak your feet in a salt bath
- Trim your toenails often
1. Wear Compression Socks
Compression socks offer a number of benefits that allow you to stand for long periods without foot or heel pain. They increase circulation and blood flow to alleviate neuropathy and prevent clots, reduce swelling in legs and ankles, and support the arches to prevent aching.
However, not all compression socks are created equal. Nurse Yard compression socks were designed specifically for nurses and provide graduated pressure and cushioned, breathable material to target specific pain points, offer extra arch support, and help you leave your shift feeling pain-free.
2. Wear Supportive and Comfortable Shoes
Without supportive shoes, you’re bound to come up against foot pain after standing for hours on end. If your feet hurt, you may need to look into getting a more supportive pair of shoes. There are several shoes on the market targeted toward nurses, but we feel the best way to find the perfect fit is to visit your podiatrist.
Custom orthopedic shoes are admittedly more pricey than some other options, but they can be worth it if you want to avoid discomfort and find something created to specifically target your pain points. Orthopedic shoes provide better support, encourage blood flow, and the right pair can even reverse certain foot problems like hammer toe.
3. Stretch Feet Regularly
After a long day of work, one of the best methods of foot care is mild foot stretching exercises. Stretching can improve mobility and strength, increase blood flow, and prevent injuries.
Here are some easy foot stretches you can do:
- Using a tennis ball, sit on the edge of your bed or couch and gently roll the ball under your feet. This targets pressure points and can ease arch pain.
- While sitting down, lift one or both feet off the ground and draw circles with your foot in a clockwise motion. Do this ten times, and then switch to circles in a counterclockwise motion. This exercise can strengthen and increase flexibility in your ankles.
- Sit on the floor or your bed with your legs straight out in front of you. Place a towel folded lengthwise around the balls of your feet, and grab the towel on either side. Gently pull the towel, stretching the top of your feet toward you. You should feel this stretch in the back of your ankles and calves.
4. Elevate Your Feet During Breaks
Elevating your feet for 15 minutes at a time 3 to 4 times a day can improve circulation, reduce swelling and inflammation, and lower pressure in the veins in your legs, which can reduce the appearance of varicose veins or “spider veins.”
Ideally, you should keep your feet elevated above your heart, which can only be achieved while lying down. Place a pillow under your legs or put them up against a wall to lift your feet above your heart. If you can’t find a spot to lie down, placing your feet up on a sofa, chair, or ottoman for 15 minutes still has benefits.
5. Moisturize Your Feet
Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies. Using a gentle lotion to moisturize your feet regularly will prevent skin irritation and heel pain caused by cracking. As you moisturize, you can use this time to lightly massage and stretch your feet.
6. Soak Your Feet in a Salt Bath
Epsom salt baths are a great method of self-care that allows you to pamper yourself after a long, stressful shift. Fill a basin or tub with enough warm water to cover your ankles, and add half a cup of Epsom salt to the water. Epsom salt can reduce the risk of fungal infections like athlete's foot, exfoliate your skin, and ease muscle cramps or pain.
Try to soak your feet twice a week for at least 30 minutes, and be sure to properly dry and moisturize your feet after a salt bath.
7. Trim Your Toenails Often
Not only do long toenails look unappealing, but unkempt nails can cause severe foot problems. The longer your toenails are, the more likely they are to accumulate dirt and bacteria that can lead to fungal infections. Additionally, elongated nails can make your feet feel cramped and uncomfortable in your shoes and can eventually cause ingrown toenails and foot injuries.
Regularly trimming your toenails is a good foot care strategy that keeps your feet healthy, prevents infections, and decreases the chance of injuries.
Promote Healthy Feet and Legs With Compressions Socks From Nurse Yard
As a nurse, you know that preventing an injury will always be more effective than remedying or healing from one. While there are many tricks, you can use to make your feet feel better after a long shift, wearing the right socks and shoes throughout the day is the only real way to prevent foot pain.
Nurse Yard compression socks were created specifically to help nurses finally experience relief from foot and leg pain. With 20-30 mmHg of graduated compression, extra cushioning to target pain points and provide arch support, and specialized knit fabric to prevent your socks from slipping down during your shift, Nurse Yard socks will make you forget you ever had foot pain.
We’re headquartered in the U.S., meaning your Nurse Yard compression socks will ship quickly, and you can rely on our quality. With every pair of compression socks you order, you can receive a second pair for 70% off, plus free shipping. Order Nurse Yard compression socks today to experience the difference.