I was in my 20's when I started nursing and my body could handle a lot more abuse. I would work all day on my feet wearing cheap (but cute!) shoes from Payless Shoe Stores, which is now extinct, or VANS, NIKEs, Crocs, Heelys, Converse, whatever, and I was fine...
About 10 years in, I started wearing Dansko clogs, tried Allegria (still wear those), and now at 20+ years in, I am wearing more expensive shoes that are better for my feet and must be comfortable. The only time I deviated was during the Covid-19 Pandemic when I gave up comfort and wore shoes that could be wiped down and sanitized - Crocs and Cloves.
After wear Crocs for 2 years, my feet really started to hurt and I thought it was all those long hours and overtime I had been working. I also thought I was starting to get bunions, so I went to see a podiatrist. Turns out that wearing shoes that do not support your feet properly is bad for your health. My arches were not being supported and that was causing my feet pain. My podiatrist recommended shoe inserts made by Powerstep which I use religiously now and my feet are back to great!
On some shoes you can plainly insert the insoles. On others, I had to take the original one out and replace with the Powerstep insoles. I have tried various insoles from the store and these are by far, superior!
As of recent, my favorite running shoe brands are Brooks, Hoka, and OnCloud. They seem to go the distance and my feet are still good after 12 hours. Another thing that has been helpful has been compression socks. When I am breaking in a new pair, I will tuck a seasoned pair in my locker in case the new ones start to hurt. I tend to keep an extra pair in my car anyway, just in case I get some unsuspecting body fluid on my shoes...
Below are some links to amazon for my favorite brands. I am a busy girl, so amazon works for me. With Amazon prime, I get shipping included to my doorstep and many of the shoes are try before you buy, so it's a win-win.
Hokas are very comfortable. There are various models that fit differently. For me, I tend to find that in general, Hokas are a bit on the wide side for my feet (I have narrow to regular width, small feet). The one model I do really like is the Hoka ONE ONE though; that is a good fit for me. Hoka soles are tall so I feel a bit taller too! I have co-workers who have bunions or wide or blocky feet and HOKA seems to be the shoe of choice for them. Hokas come in the most variety of colors of these 3 brands that I have seen and you can go as bright as you want.
Check out this link for more Hoka running shoes: https://amzn.to/45faZKW
Brooks: These are currently my 2nd favorite shoes. All models I have tried so far are light and have good arch support. I have about 8 pairs of these in different colors and have found all models to be equally comfortable for me. Many colors available.
Check out this link for more Brooks running shoes: https://amzn.to/3DQOH6J
OnCloud is a recent find for me. I saw a few of my co-workers wearing them and based on their gleaming reviews, I decided to try them. I have been wearing these on and off for about 4 months now and now these shoes are my go-to work shoe. They are light and comfortable and after 12-16 hours on my feet, my feet are not sore at all. Available colors are more on the conservative side. I found that in the beginning, I still preferred my Brooks, but once these guys were broken in and molded to my feet, these are now my favorites! A bit more spendy, but comfort is worth it!
[Note: there are other brands that have 'cloud' in the name. if you want these shoes, make sure the brand is OnCloud on it has the 'oc' logo on the shoe!]
Check out this link for other OnCloud running shoes: https://amzn.to/47o2T4A
Shoes are a personal choice, so what fits great for me might not be great for you.
As of 2023, these are the shoes that me and my friends choose most. Given 'em a try and feel free to comment on your experience!
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