Importance of Comfort Shoes
Calluses, ingrown toenails, tired feet. Standing on your feet all day often leads to a whole range of foot problems. Even if you're on your feet for a couple of hours a day, foot comfort is often an overlooked aspect in getting through the day. When your feet hurt, you hurt all over.

With that being said, it is no wonder why your choice of work shoes should be an important decision. Foot pain due to lack of a good quality shoe made for long periods of standing is preventable! Foot troubles are a trivial matter, and are very common among doctors, nurses, chefs, shopping attendents, and other professionals who spend a large portion of the day on their feet. Fatigue from poorly designed shoes can set up the workers for possible injures affecting the muscles and joints. A tired worker suffering from pain due to inadequate shoes will more likely act unsafely and an accident of any kind may occur.

Poorly fitting shoes and shoes needing repair (i.e. new soles, arch support) contrbutes to a large part of foot discomfort. Ironically enough, pointed toes and high heels are particularly inappropriate for working footwear but are a popular choice for casual to formal attire. Combine these uncomfortable shoes with prolonged standing, hard flooring and you have a major foot problem. Not understanding the factors that cuase foot problems can play a role in the onset of foot problems.

Choosing Footwear for Work

When considering a pair of shoes to purchase, make sure that:

The inner side of the shoe is straight from the heel to the end of the big toe. The shoe grips the heel firmly. The forepart allows freedom of movement for the toes. The shoe has a fastening across the instep to prevent the foot from slipping when walking. The shoe has a low, wide-based heel. Flat shoes are recommended.

Also keep the following in mind when purchasing shoes for work:

Do not expect that footwear which is too tight will stretch with wear. Buy shoes to fit the bigger foot. Buy shoes late in the afternoon—feet swell throughout the day, are likely to be at their largest later in the day. Consider using shock-absorbing insoles where the job requires walking or standing on hard floors. When selecting footwear, one should remember that tight socks or stockings can cramp the toes as much as poorly-fitted shoes. Wrinkled socks, or socks that are too large or too small, can cause blisters. Consider wearing white woollen or cotton socks with work shoes—the dyes in coloured socks cause skin allergies in some people.