It’s no secret that people in the care industry tend to be on the go for extended periods of time and go home with achy and tired feet. With some shifts extending beyond 8 hours and with often quite physical requirements foot and ankle pain can easily arise as well as pain in the calves, knees, thighs, hips and lower back.
Here are a few tips to help keep the feeling in your feet when you are required to keep going:
The right fit
Get your shoes fitted when your feet are naturally at their biggest at the end of a long shift. This will allow room in your shoes for the day to day swelling. Choose high quality, comfortable shoes preferably with laces rather than velcro so you can adjust them to accommodate for swelling. Good footwear doesn’t only help your feet, it helps your lower back, knees and ankles.
Help yourself
A quick and effective way to reduce swelling in your feet is to put your legs up against a wall. 10 minutes is sometimes enough to relieve some of the pressure.
Get support
Achy feet could be the result of lack of support. Try to get insoles designed for people who are on their feet all day. They help maintain the arch and stop your feet going flat over time.
Treat the feet
When your feet are tired, sore or stiff try soaking them in Epsom salts to relieve swelling and inflammation. Fill a basin with warm water and sprinkle a generous amount of Epsom salts in the water, stirring until dissolved. You can also add essential oils to the water too.
Keep clean
Your feet get warm and sweat during the day which creates the perfect environment for bacteria and fungal infections. Wash your feet every day to remove bacteria and if possible alternate between two pairs of shoes so each pair gets a good airing out before being worn again.
Stay healthy
If you are healthy and have a healthy weight you are preventing your feet from having to carry around extra weight. Drinking water and consuming potassium rich foods like bananas, avocado, pomegranate and spinach gives your body basic fluids and electrolytes it needs for metabolism to avoid dehydration that can manifest in foot pain. Take care of your feet and they will take care of you. Use the above tips to keep your feet from getting tired and to keep you going on those tough days on the job.
