There’s no denying that being a nurse is bodily demanding, particularly on the physique. In reality, a research by The Nationwide Library of Drugs discovered that, on common, nurses stroll a staggering three miles throughout a 10-hour shift, with some strolling as much as as many as 5 miles in that point. That’s not even accounting for the hours upon hours of standing they do all day, too. So it “stands” to cause that they want undeniably comfy footwear for the 5ks and marathons they’re strolling every week. As such, many nurses flip to Hoka—the favored footwear model authorised by the American Podiatric Medical Affiliation (APMA)—for footwear that may comfortably and reliably get them by way of each shift. Under are one of the best Hoka footwear for nurses, in keeping with precise nurses and podiatrists, too.
In This Article
Specialists In This Article
- Allison Willkom, DPM, AACFAS, foot and ankle surgeon primarily based in Coon Rapids, Minnesota
- Anne Sharkey, DPM, board-certified podiatrist primarily based in Austin, TX
- Howard E. Friedman, DPM, board-certified podiatrist primarily based in Suffern, NY
- Jason Spector, DPM, MS, AACFAS, board-certified podiatrist primarily based in Austin, Texas
- Jenny Kanelos, RN, registered nurse primarily based in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Jessica Websites, RN, BSN, registered nurse primarily based in Palm Harbor, Florida
- William D. Spielfogel, DPM, board-certified podiatrist and medical advisor to the Good Ft Retailer
What are an important options nurses ought to search for in a pair of Hokas?
Hokas trump different nursing footwear for a ton of various causes, but when it needed to be narrowed down, listed here are the highest three:
Consolation
Above all else, consolation is essential throughout a nursing shift. “I really like Hokas as a result of they’re simply probably the most comfy shoe ever,” says Jenny Kanelos, RN, a nurse primarily based at The Queen’s Medical Middle in Honolulu, HI. “I went by way of all the opposite manufacturers of trainers in search of one thing that will assist, however nothing labored till I discovered Hoka.”
Cushioning
The plush, shock-absorbing insole in Hoka sneakers helps to supply much-needed cushioning throughout lengthy shifts. “The aim of cushioning is to supply shock absorption, present consolation, scale back the affect and stress in your toes, and to assist defend your toes,” says Jason Spector, DPM, MS, AACFAS, a podiatrist primarily based in Bradenton, Florida.
Associated Tales
Traction
“Nurses don’t need to be slipping on one thing funky within the working room,” says Allison Willkom, DPM, AACFAS, a foot and ankle surgeon at Household Foot and Ankle Clinic in Anoka, Minnesota. “Hokas may be good because the outsoles—the layer that comes into contact with the bottom—are often comprised of a rubber compound with a patterned design, and this helps to supply grip on varied surfaces.”
What are one of the best Hokas for nurses with flat toes?
Individuals with flat toes ought to search for footwear with extra help and management. One Hoka fashion specifically, the Arahi 6 ($140), options the model’s patented J-Body™ building, which helps fight overpronation—when the arch collapses downward. “Arahi is an effective selection for nurses with flat toes because the shoe is light-weight and has good stability shoe that gives help,” says William D. Spielfogel, DPM, of Hamilton Foot and Ankle Associates in New York Metropolis. “It is also an important selection for standing all day.”
Now that you simply’re armed—or footed, because it had been— with some details about why Hoka sneakers are one of the best footwear for nurses, right here’s a take a look at the seven kinds to pair along with your scrubs.
The most effective Hoka footwear for nurses
Arahi 6 — $140.00
Obtainable ladies’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Obtainable males’s sizes: 7-15, in half sizes and large widths
“These with flat toes are sometimes people who want further arch help or stability,” says board-certified podiatrist, Anne Sharkey, DPM. The Arahi 6 is an overwhelmingly common selection in the case of one of the best Hoka nursing footwear. As talked about above, it’s a really perfect selection for nurses with flat toes who want further cushioning. It options the model’s trademark J-Body™ cushioning whereas remaining light-weight and versatile, whereas the mesh higher gives zones of breathability—good for strolling, operating, and standing throughout lengthy shifts.
Colours: 12
- Extraordinarily secure—nice for overpronation
- Balanced cushioning all through the midsole
- Nice for each strolling and operating
- Wide selection of colours and sizes
- Runs large—measurement down
- Not all colours can be found in each widths
Bondi 8 — $165.00
Obtainable ladies’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Obtainable males’s sizes: 7-16, in half sizes, large, and x-wide widths
For a bouncy, billowy really feel that lasts all through lengthy shifts, strive the Hoka Bondi. Kanelos, who has excessive arches and large toes, raves about this particular sneaker. “My toes don’t harm in any respect on the finish of my shift,” she says of sporting these throughout work. “It’s really actually unbelievable contemplating I can stroll 5-10 miles.” The Bondi options engineered mesh building for breathable consolation and a rear crash pad that retains the foot balanced from heel to toe.
Kanelos says she retains two to 3 pairs in her rotation always and buys new pairs each three to 4 months. “I actually have six pairs in packing containers in my closet able to go,” she says. “They’re my work shoe journey or die.”
Colours: 21
- Most coloration decisions obtainable for each common and large widths
- Beneficial by a number of podiatrists and nurses for his or her consolation stage
- Rear crash pad helps with stability whereas strolling
- Impartial stability might not work nicely for these with flat toes
Clifton 9 — $145.00
Obtainable ladies’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Obtainable males’s sizes: 7-15, in half sizes and large widths
If you happen to endure from foot ache, it may be time to search for a shoe with a forefoot rocker or toe spring. This can be a thicker or rounder heel, which helps make sure the wearer gained’t have a flat floor underfoot. “As a common rule, when you’ve got any heel ache or forefoot ache, search for the fashions with extra cushion in addition to a forefoot rocker,” Willkom recommends.
She likes the Hoka Clifton 9, which mixes its Meta-Rocker sole with a compression-molded EVA foam midsole and a breathable mesh higher. What does this imply for that 12-hour shift? Plain consolation and mobility, irrespective of how a lot standing and strolling you’re doing.
Colours: 14
- Balanced Meta-Rocker sole helps with ache from flat toes
- Light-weight and breathable
- Huge toe field is sweet for wider toes
Gaviota 5 — $175.00
Obtainable ladies’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Obtainable males’s sizes: 7-15, in half sizes and large widths
The Hoka Gaviota 5 is a favourite amongst a number of podiatrists for its consolation stage. It combines Meta-Rocker and H-Body™ Expertise to assist stabilize your stride. Willkom, Spector, and Sharkey all love this fashion and advocate it for nurses who’re in search of further help and management from their footwear. “I just like the Gaviota because it offers the very best diploma of stability and cushioning,” Spector says. He likes that it additionally has elevated shock absorption, offers consolation, and reduces the affect on the foot, which “might assist throughout lengthy durations of standing and strolling.”
Colours: 5
- Supplies most stability for each strolling and standing
- Cushioned EVA midsole
- Fewest coloration decisions obtainable, with just one impartial shade
- Pricier than different Hoka kinds
- Could require a break-in interval
Rincon 3 — $125.00
Obtainable ladies’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Obtainable males’s sizes: 7-16, in half sizes and two widths
“One among my favorites is the Rincon 3 as a result of it’s received probably the most support-to-weight ratio,” says Jessica Websites, a nurse primarily based in Palm Harbor, FL. “It actually absorbs the shock of strolling the hallways all day.”
This Hoka sneaker is extraordinarily light-weight, sturdy, and breathable, due to its vented mesh higher, compression-molded foam midsole, and treaded rubber outsole. It additionally options the model’s Early Stage Meta-Rocker geometry to assist scale back foot fatigue on the go. And with nearly 20 totally different colours obtainable, you’ll be hard-pressed to not discover at the least one (or two, or three) that make you instantly add them to your cart.
Colours: 19
- Obtainable in all kinds of colours
- Extraordinarily light-weight
- Vented mesh higher gives further breathability for lengthy shifts
- Cheaper than different Hoka kinds
- Not all colours obtainable in each widths
Speedgoat 5 GTX — $170.00
Obtainable ladies’s sizes: 5-11, in half sizes and one width
Obtainable males’s sizes: 7-14, in half sizes and one width
Whereas a path sneaker might not be the primary thought in the case of nursing footwear, that is really a substantial selection for these coming into contact with slippery surfaces and—let’s face it—lower than ideally suited substances. Dr. Howard E. Friedman of Suffern Podiatry recommends a path and mountaineering shoe like Hoka’s Speedgoat 5 GTX, which sports activities reasonable cushioning and a comparatively light-weight silhouette that may assist you slog by way of an extended, 12-hour shift.
“Whereas working within the ER just isn’t the identical as mountaineering the Appalachian Path, a path shoe is extra rugged and can possible last more and maintain up higher over longer, demanding days and nights,” he says. Plus, the GORE-Tex material helps hold moisture at bay, whereas the Vibram® Megagrip with Traction Lug outsole offers further traction on slippery surfaces.
Colours: 2
- Shoe building helps hold wetness and particles at bay
- Traction helps with slippery surfaces
- Solely is available in two colours
- Not obtainable in large widths
- Pricier than different Hoka kinds
Restore TC — $110.00
Obtainable sizes: M4/W5-M14/W15, in entire sizes and one width
For these nurses who need a extra distinctive Hoka shoe, flip to the Restore TC. “It’s extraordinarily comfy and gives nice help, making it nice for lengthy shifts,” says Websites. The slip-on silhouette just isn’t solely designed with a full-knit sock for what Hoka calls “barefoot-friendly breathability,” however options partially sugarcane-based EVA in each the insole and outsole. Whereas the impartial stability might not work for individuals who want a most stage of help, the plush stage of cushioning helps you are feeling such as you’re strolling on clouds, even on hours 11 and 12 of an extended in a single day shift. To notice: this explicit Hoka sneaker is obtainable in unisex sizing, with full sizes solely, so bear that in thoughts when procuring.
Colours: 4
- Unisex fashion and sizing
- Least dear fashion on this record
- Plush cushioning gives supreme consolation for lengthy shifts
- Restricted vary of colours
- Slip-on silhouette might not work for all nurse settings
- Impartial stability gives much less help than different Hoka kinds
Properly+Good articles reference scientific, dependable, latest, sturdy research to again up the knowledge we share. You possibly can belief us alongside your wellness journey.
- Hendrich, Ann et al. “A 36-hospital time and movement research: how do medical-surgical nurses spend their time?.” The Permanente journal vol. 12,3 (2008): 25-34. doi:10.7812/tpp/08-021
Our editors independently choose these merchandise. Making a purchase order by way of our hyperlinks might earn Properly+Good a fee.
