Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I am doing clinical work at a hospital right now, and I'm on my feet half the time, and sitting for the other half. There's a lot of running up and down cold, hard stairs and walking up and down cold, hard hallways.

I have to dress professionally, but that evidently just means "not jeans" and a non-t-shirt under my lab coat. I can get away with fairly casual shoes (but not Vibrams). I was wearing a 1" heel, but my back, neck, and knees started to kill me...I think all of my time in Vibrams has made it impossible to stand/walk in heels very much anymore. I'll save them for events where I'm mostly sitting!

Anyway, I'm not sure which direction to go. I tried wearing totally flat, relatively thin-soled moccasin-style shoes, and they were ok, but my feet still hurt later. I am guessing it's because of the hard floor. I am not overweight at all if that is relevant to questions of foot/joint stress.

Do I stick with the flat-soled or do I get something cushier? Reasoning? Other solutions?

flag	asked Feb 28 2012 at 22:34 Blossom1 1,303●2●13

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I've tried everything and Dansko clogs, with the backs, save me every time. I love that I am "in" them, no slipping, and I can kick 'em off whenever I want. – jesuisjuba - paleorepublic.com Feb 29 2012 at 3:40

Melo · Answer 1 · 2012-02-28 23:59:40Z UTC

I live in Dansko's, Tom's, and Merrell's. Comfortable, casual, and great looking!

http://www.dansko.com/Womens/Footwear/View%20All/
More firm and minimalist-like with arch support. Great all day wear. I like these for a more casual/professional look. I've seen hospital pros in these.

http://www.toms.com/womens?view=all
Comfy and kinda squishy. Very minimalist and good for running around. A very light-weight and flexible shoe.

http://www.merrell.com/US/en/Women-Footwear-Shoes
Excellent shoe. Nice and firm, yet you can still feel the ground. My favorite for days that require more running around. They're also what I prefer for the gym, cycling, etc. Also a very light-weight and flexible shoe.

Good luck!

Dragonfly · Answer 2 · 2012-02-28 22:40:06Z UTC

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I have highish arches and find that shoes with no arch support are fine on trails and the beach, but not so great on hard, flat surfaces (for me!)

I love my Keens. Big toe box, decent arch support and spiffy designs.

answered Feb 28 2012 at 22:40

Dragonfly
31.2k●1●8●41

JHennessey19 · Answer 3 · 2012-02-28 22:57:05Z UTC

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I'm a Respiratory Therapist and work shift and I'm on my feet for a LONG time during the day. I wear INOV8's a very minimalist shoe any other shoe feels like a foot prison. In a firm believer in minimalist shoes for everyday wear

answered Feb 28 2012 at 22:57

JHennessey19
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Which style do you prefer? And how do they wear? I have heard that they aren't built so well, but I do love the way some of them look. Do you use them for anything outside of work? I'm not a runner, and I lift in VFFs. – Blossom1 Mar 9 2012 at 21:59

Andy Welch · Answer 4 · 2012-02-29 02:08:02Z UTC

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You will be inside, walking on a hard, artificial surface...so wear modern shoes. Nursemates or Burkenstocks are good choices.

Sure, cave dudes went barefoot. But not on concrete, asphalt, or hard floors. :)

We evolved, we got smarter, we invented shoes.

answered Feb 29 2012 at 2:08

Andy Welch
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I have to say... NurseMates are definitely comfortable, but I feel much safer in different shoes (the NurseMates "caught" on the floor frequently - I've read the same complaint from others). So far (several weeks of wear) I haven't had any additional aches and pains, though I suppose time will tell on that. – jess6 Feb 29 2012 at 16:38

jj · Answer 5 · 2012-02-28 23:15:04Z UTC

You might want to try Stem shoes. I've found them to be the most comfortable minimal shoes when I'm on my feet a lot. They are thin and have good feeling, but are somehow "cushier" and feel to me like a soft slipper.

However, I'm also fond of Sperry Top-siders for work. They're relatively flexible for a non-minimal shoe, they have only a little heel and they manage to look OK with my business-casual wear.

jess6 · Answer 6 · 2012-02-28 23:24:07Z UTC

I wear Asics Hyper-Rocketgirl XC and have no problems over a 12 hour shift.

Why those? Because I found them brand new, in my size (which is difficult in itself!) at a thrift store for $4 and figured it was worth a shot. Serendipity, since I'd been wanting to try a more minimalist shoe anyways. Well worth the $4. I previously had NurseMates, and, while quite comfortable, they were always catching on the floor and making me feel I was about to do a nosedive. No problems with that since switching shoes. They were also ugly as heck since I'd had to get them in all white for school.

Mazer · Answer 7 · 2012-02-29 00:38:32Z UTC

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I work retail, so I'm on my feet on a hard surface for 7 hours at a stretch. I haven't had any problems wearing my SoftStar Run Amocs. Occasional foot soreness, but nothing that's not to be expected when on your feet for extended periods of time.

answered Feb 29 2012 at 0:38

Mazer
1,218●2●10

Those look great, and aren't terribly expensive. My problem is that I keep coming back to wanting the Red!Pink!Blue! colors and I really need to just suck it up and get a black pair that won't look silly with black or khaki pants. – Blossom1 Mar 9 2012 at 22:05

JayJay · Answer 8 · 2012-02-29 02:16:23Z UTC

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My wife is giving it a go at her hospital this week. We shall see how she fares.

answered Feb 29 2012 at 2:16

JayJay
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	She is trying out her skeletoes FIFA.... – JayJay Feb 29 2012 at 2:20
	Cool, let me know how it goes - I floated the VFFs idea by my supervisor, and it's a no-go...but I am interested in seeing how wearing super minimalist shoes works out. – Blossom1 Mar 9 2012 at 22:06
	It was a no go in her case :(. Hazards of the job....needles and such prohibit it. Ah well. – JayJay Mar 10 2012 at 0:12

Candice · Answer 9 · 2012-02-29 03:42:14Z UTC

Try Feiyues - I wear them all the time and stand at my desk most of the day. At $20 on Amazon including delivery it isn't a huge expense so low risk to try them out. They are also my sprinting and workout shoe of choice. I have both black and white. Also easy to clean - jus throw them in the washing machine and leave in the sun to dry.

kashperanto · Answer 10 · 2012-02-29 04:26:39Z UTC

I would try to stay minimalist at all costs.

I have been wearing my 5 finger KSOs to classes lately (perk of being a university student) and I was initially surprised how I was not bothered by the hard concrete and tile at all. I usually walk quite a ways from my car to class, and every other day for the last two weeks I've been running one mile on a hard-surfaced track. The only soreness I've had is related to muscles I've never used before. I think that it is easier on my feet because it forces me to walk differently.

When I intern over breaks I work on a bare concrete floor and spend about 60%-70% of my time standing, so I will certainly be testing this hypothesis during spring break next week. I actually ordered a pair of Vivobarefoot Ras today, since Vibrams aren't exactly business casual attire. Didn't exactly want to spend so much, but they are environmentally friendly and well-made.

Hospital work: to minimalist shoe or not?

10 Answers