People who work in healthcare face some of the most extreme physical and mental demands of any profession. Long shifts spent mostly on their feet can lead to all kinds of issues and injuries from plantar fasciitis to Achilles tendonitis to bunions to lower back pain and beyond.
If you work in healthcare, you know that not just any old pair of sneakers will get you through a 12-hour shift. Most healthcare professionals expect a lot from their shoes—the shoes should be comfortable, supportive, slip resistant, easy to clean, lightweight, durable, and so on. That can be a tall order!
Fortunately, there are plenty of comfortable shoes for healthcare professionals on the market that can relieve pain and fatigue as well as reduce the risk of injury to doctors, nurses, techs, and anyone else who spends endless hours on their feet.
If you work in healthcare and you're looking for your next pair of shoes, we've made some recommendations below based on four common concerns of those in healthcare: comfort, support, slip resistance, and cleanability. When selecting a pair, be sure there’s plenty of room—especially in the toe box—to accommodate the foot swelling that naturally occurs when spending hours on your feet.
Many experts also advise that you have two pairs of shoes and switch them out mid-shift, if possible, because most shoe midsoles aren’t built to withstand constant compression for more than six hours at a time.