I love being a healthcare professional making a difference in improving patient’s lives and health. As a peri-operative nurse standing for long periods in the operating room, foot pain is the bane of every nurse’s existence. Even if you start your day with an infectious smile and positive attitude, being on your feet the entire 12-hour shift can turn even the most cheerful nurse into a grumpy one.

As I grow older, I constantly struggle with the physical demands of static posture, from continually standing in one position during lengthy surgical procedures and or awkward postures from tilting the head downwards for long periods of time.

Other workplace challenges range from carrying heavy instrument trays, bending down to reach the sterile field while scrubbed, assisting surgeons or the worst part of standing on hard work surfaces such as concrete, creating repetitive strain and pain in the feet from lack of arch support.

All surgical personnel are at risk for work-related musculoskeletal injuries. Simple foot and ankle pain can lead to disability and puts our careers at risk. But as we in the medical profession know, prevention is better than the cure.

The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) recently published a position statement outlining ergonomically healthy workplace practices. It outlined strategies to reduce the risk of repetitive injuries and provides guidelines for developing a preventative plan for an ergonomically healthy perioperative environment. Proper arch support was listed as one of the most important preventative health factors.

A COMMON PROBLEM

Imagine walking through the physical therapy (PT) department and seeing your coworker, a peri-operative nurse of 25 years, as the patient. Unfortunately, this scenario is more common than you think. Thirty-eight percent of nurses suffer from back pain so severe they must take time off from work and to 12% of nurses have such severe back pain that they must leave nursing altogether.

Past surveys have shown up to 54% of workplace injuries among nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides were musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The U.S. Department of Labor defines MSDs as injuries or disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, or spinal discs.

A recent study of 636 Japanese University nurses found foot and ankle pain was prevalent in 24% to 51% of staff. Respectively, the study also showed the prevalence of pain that prevented the nurses from performing daily living and work-related activities at 4% and 17%.

SOME GREAT NEWS

According to Nurse.com, 45% of women, 65% of men nurses wear running shoes to work. If you use this type of shoe, you can add a supportive insole that provides the kind of arch support you need to help reduce pain.

For me, having better arch support was the best way I found to prevent tired, painful feet, legs, and lower back at the end of a long shift. When my arches are properly supported, my whole body, and especially lower back, are aligned. I even noticed less neck pain. The best part was that without all this pain I felt like I had more energy at the end of the day.

There are a lot of shoe inserts out there that promise to provide arch support, but not all of them deliver. When I came across SelectFlex and saw it was customizable, I gave it a try. It’s PowerLift Arch dynamically lifts your foot arch with each step and corrects the foot’s tendency to roll inwardly or pronate. Up to 80% of the population’s feet tend to pronate, which throws off the body’s alignment. This gives you painful feet at the end of the day from misalignment. Plus, it’s adjustable so you can choose the level of support that works best for your feet.

Other inserts also fail to address the impacts of walking on a hard surface all day. I found SelectFlex stabilized my ankle as I walked, absorbing the impact throughout the day. For healthcare professionals who are constantly walking on hard hospital floors, this is a great product.

If you’ve ever looked into medical orthotics, you know how expensive they can be. What sealed the deal for me was when I learned SelectFlex costs one quarter of what medical orthotics cost. If you want to feel better, be more active and more productive, take a look at SelectFlex online at www.selectflex.com.

Construction is hard on your body and most especially your feet and joints. I am really proud of my job being a productive member of society fabricating infrastructure and buildings but have found in my later years my feet have begun to hurt at the end for the day.

Humans have walked on the planet for thousands of years, but over the past 200 years, our environment has changed significantly. Our feet are designed for a softer terrain, but today, we walk on mostly hard, flat concrete surfaces. This forces our feet to flatten and twist with every step, especially wearing heavy boots without the proper insoles.

FOOT PAIN ON THE JOB AND AT HOME

Even when I’m not at the construction site, my foot issues are made worse by our modern lifestyles. We are more sedentary in our daily lives than ever before, spending much of our time sitting in front of a computer screen, desk, or TV. Our feet are less accustomed to the same level of activity, so when we physically challenge ourselves, the joints, muscles and tendons are put under strain they are not used to.

Most boots come fitted with generic insoles that provide slight relief for a few days. I’ve found these cushioned inserts lack structure and offer minimal arch support. This leaves my feet and arches exposed to repetitive injury and pain due to lack of corrective support, especially as I age.

It took me years on the job before I figured out I can stay on my feet longer with the right kind of foot support, such as orthotic insoles for construction workers. Proper boot insoles that provide arch support help distribute your weight across your foot. Flat-footed people especially need foot support and should use a footwear insole with a deep heel cup to stabilize the back of the foot while distributing weight across the base uniformly.

FINDING THE BEST INSOLES FOR BOOTS

After trying quite a few insoles that never seemed to get the job done, I discovered SelectFlex, the first arch adjustable insole that conforms to your arch, repeatedly lifting and supporting with every step throughout the day. As the best insoles for construction workers, SelectFlex allows you to adjust your arch support specifically to your foot with its PowerLifting Arch insoles, and the heel cup relieves the stress being on your feet can have on the rest of your body with a heel cup that provides up to 50% greater joint alignment and stability.

If you’re ready for a day on your feet with less pain, SelectFlex makes it easy with a money back guarantee! The only thing you have to lose is pain!

WITH YOUR PURCHASE SELECTFLEX™ YOU WILL ENJOY FIVE UNIQUE FEATURE BENEFITS NO OTHER INSOLE PROVIDES.

PowerLift Arch-Patented dynamic arch remains in constant contact with the arch of the foot to provide dynamic support on every down step and uplifting energy into every up step. Competitors provide down step support only.

PowerBeam-Provides dynamic arch support, absorbs energy on every down step and smoothly releases energy into the PowerLift Arch when you step off to help propel you forward.

PowerController- Adjusts amount of dynamic energy stored and smoothly released into the PowerLift Arch in perfect cadence to support your every step.

PowerCup-Optimally contoured heel cup delivers exceptional shock absorption, up to 50% greater ankle stability, safety and skeletal alignment for less stress on knees, hips and back.

Being on your feet all day takes a toll on your feet, joints, and back. Why wait any longer to do something about it. Get SelectFlex.

Teachers, nurses, construction workers, cashiers, servers, mothers, runners, and anyone else who has spent a great deal of time on their feet, know the toll standing for long periods of time can take on your body. If your job requires you to stand for lengthy periods without rest, it can lead to a wide variety of issues, especially if you have poor posture or your shoes provide inadequate support. These issues, over time, go far beyond foot soreness and can develop into chronic foot pain and other ailments like plantar fasciitis. People on their feet all day want relief and a way to prevent future problems. Getting a quality insole can help, and this post will show you the best insole for foot pain to meet your specific needs.

UNDERSTANDING FOOT PAIN

When you stand, the same muscles in your feet strain repeatedly, as the pressure on them remains constant. However, when you walk about, the pressure shifts to and from different areas of your foot because the same muscles aren’t working all the time. Tired, achy feet are normal after standing all day but if your feet hurt in one particular area after a long shift on your feet, you may have a more specific support need for your feet.

Often people who have localized foot pain require softer insoles to ease pressure on their feet. Having a high-quality insole footbed is key to reducing pressure and discomfort. A good pair of insoles can make a world of difference in how your feet feel after a long day of work. The simple act of replacing your shoe insoles with a good pair of premium insoles can yield increased comfort and even decrease your chance of injury.

The best insoles for foot pain provide both cushioning as your feet bear down into your shoes and support to lift your arches and ensure proper alignment of feet, ankles, knees, hips, and back. Look for cushioned arch support insoles that will help to keep the foot gently supported throughout the long day and release pressure off your feet.

Here are few of the best types of performance insoles to help relieve sore feet for people who stand for extended periods of time:

AIR GEL INSOLE

This insole type provides motion control and support, making it ideal for buyers with low to neutral arches. It aims to increase your comfort by reducing and absorbing the impact of your feet while walking, running or standing for long periods. A brand like SofSole features an encapsulated air chamber in the rear foot and polymeric gel in the forefoot for optimum shock absorption.

While these are a fairly common solution for people who stand all day, they might not be right for everyone.

RIGID AND SEMI-RIGID ARCH SUPPORT INSOLES

Semi-rigid orthotic arch support insoles feature a flexible footbed platform. It is ideal for providing excellent support for the whole foot without the arch support feeling too stiff. Rigid orthotic arch support insoles have a footbed platform that is almost entirely stiff, which make these a good option for people who require more solid arch support.

Super Feet Green is one brand of semi-rigid insoles and are good for providing comfort, stability, and support to your feet. They are also ideal for keeping your feet in check and avoid overburdening them with a shock absorption foam bed. However these types of insoles are not adjustable, and it may take purchasing a few different pairs before finding the fit that works best for you.

ADJUSTABLE LIFTING ARCH SUPPORT

People who are looking for arch support, cushioning, and relief from joint pain can benefit from an adjustable lifting arch support insole. SelectFlex is unique because it’s the first truly adjustable arch that molds to your individual arch shape. The result is an insole that constantly lifts your arch upwards all day long with every step.

No two feet are alike, but over-the-counter insoles are often designed for one foot type. The benefit of choosing SelectFlex is that it provides three adjustable arch height and comfort settings to dynamically realign the foot arch, ankle joint, knees, hips, and lower back into optimal position for maximum comfort and support all day long.

Proper foot alignment can be the key to relieving foot pain and preventing further issues for many people who are on their feet all day. SelectFlex ensures proper alignment with a deep cradling heel cup that provides 50% greater ankle stability with a soft cushioning heel cup for impact absorption that mimics walking on air.

For some people with certain medical conditions, SelectFlex still may not provide the support needed, in which case a visit with a podiatrist and a custom orthotic may be the right option. However, an adjustable lifting arch support does offer more long-term relief and lasts longer than other over-the-counter options.

Learn more about SelectFlex and how it helps relive foot pain for workers on their feet all day here.