Top 10 Best Shoes for Nurses: What to Look for and Where to Find Them
What footwear is ideal for nurses and other healthcare workers? The proper footwear is essential whether your job requires you to run beside a gurney or stand for hours during long shifts in the ER or operating room.
Your lower extremities, from your hips to your toes, are put under a lot of strain if you’re always on your feet. Therefore, if you wear unsupportive shoes frequently, you risk developing aches, joint discomfort, and other uncomfortable issues.
Fortunately for those who stand all day, there are many footwear options available; you just need to know what to look for. When rushing between patients, it’s critical to find shoes with good non-slip grip and sufficient padding to support nurses who spend hours on their feet.
However, not all shoes are created equal. Fortunately, we did our homework and discovered the best shoes for nurses.
5 Common Foot Conditions Nurses Encounter
An Ohio State University study found that throughout a shift, nurses and other medical professionals can walk more than 9,000 steps and 6 kilometers. Because of this, nurses are more likely than those in other professions to have foot issues.
Nurses must be aware of some of these common foot issues so they can take action to treat and prevent them:
Blisters
Blisters are a typical foot condition that develops when there is friction between the foot’s surface and the surface of one’s footwear, which leads to a buildup of fluid under the skin’s outer layer.
Sores may develop when the affected areas come into contact with the ground or shoes.
Corns And Calluses
Calluses and corns are patches of skin that have hardened as a result of repetitive friction or irritation of the foot.
Compared to corns, calluses are more evenly distributed across the foot. The soles of your feet or the tips of your toes, which are the areas that typically suffer the most friction, are where corns and calluses commonly form.
Most corns and calluses are not severe issues, despite being unsightly and occasionally uncomfortable.
If pain is severe and accompanied by signs of infection, such as the appearance of blood or pus, or if you have risk factors like diabetes or heart disease, you should consult a physician.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) refers to a blood clot in the leg that occurs when one’s legs are immobile for a long period of time.
Symptoms may include sudden leg pain, edema, and heated and darkened skin. Deep vein thrombosis is potentially lethal and needs proper care.
Stasis Leg Ulceration
Wearing the wrong shoes for a longer period of time can cause skin deterioration, stasis, and leg ulcers. The result is inflammation and lesions that may take a long time to heal.
While foot ulcers are usually uncommon and infrequent, if you have a history of deep vein thrombosis and must stand for long amounts of time frequently, you risk developing serious leg ulcerations.
Bunions
A bunion is a bony bump that can develop at the outside margin of the big toe. It is typically inherited, but it usually appears in adulthood as a result of wearing shoes with a small toe box.
Bunion pain can affect not only the big toe but also other toes. When joints in the foot move out of position, a bunion can worsen over time, making it difficult to walk and painful to wear shoes.
Due to the fact that bunions can contribute to the misalignment of other foot structures, they can also result in disorders like bursitis, in which the bursa, a fluid-filled sac near the heel, becomes inflamed.
Workplace Hazards for Nurses
Every profession carries some level of danger, and the nursing field presents a lot of danger. Every day, nurses encounter various professional risks, ranging from a simple scratch to a serious, fatal disaster.
In light of this, healthcare workers, particularly those in the nursing field, must develop plans for spotting and resolving significant occupational dangers.
Musculoskeletal Injuries: A workplace injury, such as musculoskeletal problems, is a possibility for nurses. This is primarily brought on by having to lift or handle patients when transporting them to different hospital floors, repositioning them in hospital beds, or moving them around. Injuries to the back or to other joints or body parts could result from doing this. As they help patients with daily tasks, nurses and healthcare professionals that work in home health care are also in danger of physical harm.
Importance Of High-Quality Shoes For Nurses
The following are some important reasons why wearing quality nurse shoes is important for nurses:
Accident And Injury Prevention: Good footwear protects the feet and reduces the risk of slips, trips and falls. A nurse who can move about freely is better able to help patients who need assistance moving around in bed or getting up and down.
Proper Posture: Since nurses need to stand for most of the workday, wearing supportive shoes aids in maintaining excellent posture, providing relief from tension in the feet and back.
Speed And Stamina: Comfortable shoes for nurses improve speed and endurance and are essential for performance in a physically demanding environment.
Efficiency: An effective level of performance is eventually achieved by avoiding weariness and leg and back pain with a decent pair of comfy shoes.
How To Choose The Right Shoe
Given that nurses spend most of the day standing, walking, or lifting patients, nurses must make prudent footwear selections. Consider the following when making a choice in buying premium quality shoes for nurses.
Light Weight: Naturally, people who are always on the go should choose lightweight shoes. Lighter ones are more convenient to use, encourage flexibility, and increase speed while lowering effort.
Sufficient Arch Support: Good arch support is a prerequisite for all nursing shoes. This arch support ensures that your foot’s arch is properly supported whether you’re walking or running in an emergency.
Protection For The Feet: Shoes for nurses must provide protection, shielding the socks and feet from liquids or spills.
Simple To Maintain And Clean: Cleaning on the go must be simple. It should be possible to clean it with a simple wipe or, in the case of the rubber one, by just running it under water. No one enjoys washing shoes when they could be attending to patients or taking a much-needed rest.
Durability: It should be resilient and strong enough to withstand walking because there will be a lot of walking. Nobody likes to constantly buy or switch out their shoes. It should be able to withstand the wear and tear caused by all the walking, time, dust, and liquids.
What To Look For When Buying Nursing Shoes
If you work as a nurse, you probably are on your feet most of the time. Long days without the right shoes can be detrimental, causing knee pain as well as pains in the feet and hips. With a decent nursing shoe, joint pain can be reduced and knee pains eliminated. While looking for a shoe that will provide you with good heel support as well as eliminate underlying leg problems, go for shoes that are very comfy to your feet.
The following elements are essential to helping you and your feet get through the day in the best condition possible:
The Shoes Must Fit Properly: A snug fit is ideal, yet your shoes should be neither too tight nor too loose. Slipping can happen when there is too much space at the toe or heel. However, rubbing can happen and blisters can occur when there is too much space at the toe or heel.
Anti-slip Sole: For nurses who are on their feet all day and need all-day wear, high-quality shoe matter. Slip-resistant shoes that can allow fast turns and motions are crucial. Look for footwear with rubber soles and excellent tread patterns.
Wide Toe Box: Make sure the shoe has a comfortable, roomy toe box so the toes won’t rub together. This is crucial for patients who already have conditions like bunions and hammertoes. Get footwear renowned for its bigger toe boxes, stability, and support. Additionally, bunions will feel less pressure when wearing a flexible or mesh fabric.
Shock And Impact Absorption: The shoe’s heart is its sole. Your feet will not last a full shift if the sole lacks stability. Shoes with thick soles and padding will absorb impact and can decrease hip, knee, and ankle pain.
Top 10 Best Shoes For Nurses
A decent pair of comfy shoes should be a top priority for someone who is always on the go and who is ready for any situation. The fact that shoes are made exclusively for nursing career individuals is a good thing. Choosing the appropriate shoe can significantly improve a nurse’s day, making a long shift bearable.
KURU ATOM For Women
Best Arch Support Shoes
Price: $160
Product Overview
The KURU ATOM shoe is one of the best shoes for nurses. It combines the proven benefits of orthotics with a flared KURUCLOUD midsole to dynamically embrace your heels and relieve your feet of several conditions, including plantar fasciitis.
The insoles of this shoe use your body heat to adapt to your feet, providing the perfect blend of heel and arch support. The B+ width allows for some natural foot movement.
You can walk for miles because of its revolutionary comfort, breathability, and athletic fit design.
Pros
- Very supportive sneakers
- Extra cushioning insoles
Cons
- It might be overpriced for some individuals
KURU QUANTUM For Men
Best Shoes For Walking Long Distances
Price: $160
Product Overview
The QUANTUM is designed to adapt to your feet, providing you with a comfortable fit that enables you to achieve a whole new degree of mobility. This is is the perfect tennis shoe, walking shoe, or gym shoe, made from light, breathable knit materials that provide maximum comfort and superb shock absorption.
This QUANTUM shoe is 100% vegan, comes in medium and wide widths (D+ and E+), and comes in US sizes ranging from 6.5 to 14. In addition, the QUANTUM can withstand whatever circumstance you subject it to because it is breathable and shock-absorbing.
Pros
- Effective shock absorption
Cons
- It might be uncomfortable for some users the first time it is worn
KURU STRIDE For Women
Best Slip-On Sneakers
Price: $135
Product Overview
The STRIDE is definitely an ideal nurse shoe. It is the first shoe to use the brand-new NOVAKNIT from KURU. This sneakers has a seamless, one-piece upper sole that hugs your heels. It also has the coziness of your favorite socks.
Hot spots are a thing of the past, thanks to NOVAKNIT’s distinctive knitting technique and one-layer design.
Stretch zones strategically positioned provide you with the ideal fit, and this gives a wonderful airy feeling to the feet. As a result, the STRIDE is suitable for even the most difficult feet, including those with flat feet, bunions, hammertoes, and more.
Knitted ribbing reinforcements allow you to benefit from the assurance of a secure fit for extended periods of time on your feet.
Pros
- Comfortable extra padding
- Breathable knit material
- Perfect for plantar fasciitis relief
Cons
- Expensive
KURU KINETIC for Men
Best Shoes For Foot Pain
Price: $175
Product Overview
The KINETIC by KURU is the way to go when it comes to making sure you aren’t in any foot pain while on the job.
The leather uppers, roomy toe box, and KURUCLOUD insole of the KINETIC shoe, among other characteristics, ensure optimal comfort and support. A snug fit is sure due to the three-hole molded eyelet in the upper and traction of the anti-slip rubber, which is fluid-resistant to grease, oil, and other liquids. Additionally, these contain reflective logos on the side, toe area, and heel to make you more visible in low-light conditions.
Pros
- Fluid resistant anti-slip
- Custom orthotics design
- Custom insoles
Cons
- Available in limited colors
KURU ROAM For Women
Best Tennis Shoes
Price: $125
Product Overview
ROAM combines casual shoe style with KURU’s well-known extra cushioning. It can also be worn seamlessly for any occasion and used for more than one activity in various locations, such as at work, on the tennis court, or when exploring the city.
ROAM is an advanced timeless masterpiece. It can improve your foot health, even if you have foot discomfort, unlike other tennis shoes.
ROAM shoes are new-age tennis shoes that suit twenty-first-century fashion. KURU Footwear uses the most recent biomechanical and scientific research to ensure feet are secured.
Thanks to the dynamic combination of the KURUSOLE and KURUCLOUD, the ROAM undergoes flexible traction, and it cups your heels with each step you take.
Pros
- Relieves knee ache
- Supportive insoles
Cons
- Limited inventory
New Balance Cross Trainers For Women
Best Shoes For Long Hours
Price: $70
Product Overview
Classic cushioned shoes like these time-tested New Balance sneakers are simply the best nurses’ shoes. These sneakers’ aim is to specifically keep you on your feet all day long thanks to its super cushioned foundation, comfortable foam near the ankle, and flexible outsole. In addition, their leather uppers are stain-resistant, so they will continue to look good even after you have broken them in.
If your job needs you to be continuously on your feet, these shoes are perfect for you. They fit perfectly and are regarded as a great remedy for plantar fasciitis.
Pros
- Adaptable sole
- Lightweight
Cons
- Some users find the heel uncomfortable
Sticky Non-Slip Shoes
Best Shoes For Nurses
Price: $59.90
Product Overview
The last thing you want to worry about during a long shift is whether your shoes will hold up to walking through spills and handling various substances. Thankfully, this pair of super grip shoes are made for those situations; simply wipe them clean and resume your movement. Even better, employees gush about how these shoes need no break-in period, which is a blessing for the initial weeks of wearing a new pair.
Pros
- Water-repellent insole
- Great shoe grip and heel support
Cons
- Weak arch support
Brooks Ghost 13 Running Shoe
Best Running Sneakers
Price: $189.99
Product Overview
You need a sneaker that can survive the rigors of a marathon when you’re handling all of the duties of being a nurse.
The Brooks Ghost is no different from the other high-quality Brooks shoes. They are noted as being plush and having a smooth feel. You’ll stay comfortable during your shift thanks to plenty of padding and a snug and supportive fit.
Pros
- APMA certified
- Excellent running shoe
- Memory foam padding
- Great shoe for flat feet
Cons
- Some users say the shoe doesn’t provide proper arch support
ASICS Gel-Venture 7 Sneakers
Best Gel Sneakers
Price: $69. 95
Product Overview
The gel technology in the heel area and the EVA midsole provide simple comfort if you frequently have sore arches, or experience heel pain after working long shifts. These ASICS shoes are accompanied by an Ortholite sock liner, which adds another layer of comfort underfoot and is perfect for nurses with flat feet.
Pros
- It has gel bolstering technology
- The sock liner is made from Ortholite
- Great fit with compression socks
Cons
- The shoe is small in size
Dansko Professional Clogs
Best Shoe For Flat Feet
Price: $129.95
Product Overview
Being on your feet all day is difficult. To get through the day without hurting your feet, legs, or back, you must have shoes that can keep you cozy, secure, dry, and cool. The Dansko clogs are great shoes designed to offer comfort and safety in every circumstance.
Dansko offers more lateral stability, breathability, and comfort throughout a prolonged shift in hot weather.
The Dansko brand has evolved from just working shoes to a fashion statement, as they produce flexible shoes with new leather options and styles. Therefore, they have a place on our list of best nursing shoes.
Pros
- Great slip-resistant design
- Stain resistant
- Antibacterial lining
- Memory foam that absorbs shock
Cons
- Unsuitable for supination
Conclusion
When choosing the right pair of nurse’s shoes, you must take into account your own demands, which may include your clinical environment, your foot anatomy, and personal preferences. Although selecting the best shoes for nurses may seem like a minor concern, it is actually highly crucial; you have to get one that ticks all the boxes.
The body suffers from exerting itself physically for lengthy periods of time. However, using the same pair of shoes often would lead to wear and tear. Therefore, it may be good to choose multiple pairs of shoes with excellent support and stability. Hopefully, this list of best shoes for nurses gives you a place to start your journey to better foot health!
