The good news is that it's never too late to start looking after your feet, and there is a lot you can do to help yourself.

Tips for working feet

• Wear shoes that are appropriate for your job and suitable for your work conditions.
  • Different occupations have different footwear requirements. Caterers and nurses, for example, may simply need a good-fitting, supportive shoe with an enclosed toe for protection, but a builder will require safety footwear with a steel toecap.
• Wear safety footwear if the job requires or recommends it.
• Wear shoes that fit properly, allowing your toes wiggle room (about 1cm gap between longest toe and end of shoe). This also applies to footwear with steel toecaps – toes are vulnerable if they’re being squashed against steel!
• For women who want to wear heels, stick to a heel height of around 4cm for everyday footwear, and do daily calf stretching exercises to keep calf and heel muscles supple. If you’re on your feet constantly, reduce heel height to 2cm.
• Vary heel height from day to day.
• Wear shoes with a strap or lace over the instep rather than slip-ons. This will stop your foot sliding forward, a bit like a seatbelt does in a car.
• Always have two pairs of shoes on the go, alternating on a daily basis so that sweat can dry out properly. Damp shoes each morning are the perfect environments for athlete’s foot and the bacteria that causes smelly feet.
• Safety footwear such as protective toecaps can prevent toes being crushed. They’re not all ugly; some high profile brands now make good-looking safety boots.
• Where slips can occur – wear slip resistant soles.
• If there is a danger from nails or sharp objects – wear puncture resistant soles.
• Adopt a regular foot care regime to keep your feet in tip-top condition.

Tips for healthy feet

• To keep your feet fit and flexible and exercise them:
  • circle your feet 10 times in each direction, keeping your leg as still as possible.
  • Try circling the alphabet with your feet.
  • Pick up pencils or marbles and put them down next to your other foot – ready to do the same thing again with that one.
• At home, walk about bare-footed on safe flooring to exercise them. (Please do a foot check afterwards if you have diabetes, or another systemic condition that may affecthealing).
• If standing all day, try to move about or flex the feet up and down to help move the circulation. Once at home, elevate the feet and legs above the head and heart for 15 minutes or so.

Don’t ignore foot pain

Resolve foot problems by seeking specialist help from a podiatrist*. See a member of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists who can help to keep your feet comfortable and functioning well. The podiatrist can advise and treat foot problems that may affect your well-being at work, and also advise on footwear style and fit. [See pages 14-15 for more information.]