Foot Pain - how to minimise it.

[Bert2025]

I am on my feet for most of the working day and have horrible achy and slightly painful feet by the end of the day.

My summer shoes are not supportive enough and tend to rub as i have wide feet and they swell in warmer temperatures (attractive!) I use Margaret Dabbs foot hygiene cream which is great and soak in Epsom salts which helps but any advice very gratefully received. Especially shoe brands that are comfortable and supportive for summer but have to be formal for work.

Where do you feel the pain? In which part of the foot?

nothing looks as informal as an employee in pain.
it may take some trial and error which might be pricy but Clark’s has a wide range, as do Naturalizer. Hopefully other posters know of other brand.

It’s all over the feet really! Like a general tingling ache, sides of feet by big toe particularly but also up to ankles and calves. Think I will wear trainers on Monday and email HR. I will also book a podiatrist appointment for some advice when I can. Damn the cost - foot pain is really miserable. I like the nothing looks as informal as an employee in pain @GildedRage

Will have a look at some new shoes too. Will have to forget about high heels now,I think! (In my mid 40s, just can’t do it anymore and be happy).

If you can, go to a podiatrist.

Cheaper option: Try some plantar fasciitis insoles in your shoes, they cost about £8 online. You may have flat feet and need more arch support. You might be starting to get pf which can be excruciating.

Try doing yoga to strengthen your feet, and massage your feet at bedtime with a nice foot cream.

Also try stretching your calves, achilles and hamstrings generally.

I got pf in my mid 40s and at one point even walking barefoot across the bedroom was so painful. It was a combination of wearing very flat shoes (ballet flats were the worst), weight gain and having some trainers which were not supportive enough in a high impact exercise class.

It took about 12 months to get better but I haven't had a recurrence.

This is a gentle Achilles stretch that always seem to help straight away.

Also try sitting on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you, sitting up straight. Bend forward and grab your feet, or use a strap or belt, then try to gently bend forward, keeping your neck in line with your spine. Should be a gentle calf and hamstring stretch.

Will try those stretches, thank you. And have ordered the insoles! 🙏

The only thing I wear at work on my feet is crocs 🤦🏻‍♀️
my feet swell and ache so much in the heat

I would say theres no such thing as cheap options for bad feet. It's also a false economy to buy online for me unless inknow the model, I have to try them on.

I wear really good trainers at work (£100 Saucony Trinity ones that I bought for running but now have descended to being my daily shoes because they're so comfortable). I have very big wide feet and bunions, and these are in fact men's trainers because they had a toe box that was actually big enough. But just choosing men's trainers doesn't work, they can be completely the wrong shape, this is a specific model.

Otherwise I wear Hotter wide (very wide is too big for me). I like their Whisper zipped ankle boots and they have a nice type of adjustable sandal that i wear in the summer. I know a lot of their stuff screams 'on way to nursing home' but some of them are OK. Tbh not all their styles work for me either, some rub in the wrong places too.

Hoka recovery sliders to wear at home. I’ve got plantar fasciitis and was recommended them by my brother in law and they are brilliant. I try to never walk around barefoot.

Definitely a shoe or sandal with arch support. Leaving aside the shoe question, a couple of good exercises:

• stand up with a tennis ball on the floor. Place one foot (at a time) on the ball, press firmly and roll your foot around over the ball. Also lift your foot slightly and press down again with a different part of your foot, and repeat til youve done the whole foot. About a minute (or two) per foot. This is basically a massage and is really good for the backs of your legs as well as your foot

• sit down with both feet flat on the floor. Without moving your foot at all, try to scrunch your toes whilst not actually scrunching them. Hard to explain but you should feel it in your arches. Repeat 10 times per foot. This strengthens your arches

Just to update, I did most of the exercises suggested above and also wore my most comfortable arch support sandals all day and my feet are so much better this evening. Thank God. Will look for better shoes for work asap. Thanks to everyone who responded. 👣