There’s no denying that being a nurse is bodily demanding, particularly on the physique. Actually, a research by The National Library of Medicine 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 snug sneakers for the 5ks and marathons they’re strolling every week. As such, many nurses flip to Hoka—the favored footwear model permitted by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)—for sneakers that may comfortably and reliably get them via each shift. Under are the perfect Hoka sneakers for nurses, based on precise nurses and podiatrists, too.
In This Article
Specialists In This Article
- Allison Willkom, DPM, AACFAS, foot and ankle surgeon based mostly in Coon Rapids, Minnesota
- Anne Sharkey, DPM, board-certified podiatrist based mostly in Austin, TX
- Howard E. Friedman, DPM, board-certified podiatrist based mostly in Suffern, NY
- Jason Spector, DPM, MS, AACFAS, board-certified podiatrist based mostly in Austin, Texas
- Jenny Kanelos, RN, registered nurse based mostly in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Jessica Sites, RN, BSN, registered nurse based mostly in Palm Harbor, Florida
- William D. Spielfogel, DPM, board-certified podiatrist and medical advisor to the Good Toes Retailer
What are a very powerful options nurses ought to search for in a pair of Hokas?
Hokas trump different nursing sneakers 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 snug shoe ever,” says Jenny Kanelos, RN, a nurse based mostly at The Queen’s Medical Heart in Honolulu, HI. “I went via all the opposite manufacturers of trainers on the lookout for one thing that may assist, however nothing labored till I discovered Hoka.”
Cushioning
The plush, shock-absorbing insole in Hoka sneakers helps to offer much-needed cushioning throughout lengthy shifts. “The objective of cushioning is to offer shock absorption, present consolation, scale back the influence and stress in your ft, and to assist defend your ft,” says Jason Spector, DPM, MS, AACFAS, a podiatrist based mostly in Bradenton, Florida.
Traction
“Nurses don’t wish 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 could be good because the outsoles—the layer that comes into contact with the bottom—are normally constructed from a rubber compound with a patterned design, and this helps to supply grip on varied surfaces.”
What are the perfect Hokas for nurses with flat ft?
Folks with flat ft ought to search for sneakers with extra help and management. One Hoka type 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 efficient selection for nurses with flat ft 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 a terrific selection for standing all day.”
Now that you simply’re armed—or footed, because it have been— with some details about why Hoka sneakers are the perfect sneakers for nurses, right here’s a take a look at the seven types to pair together with your scrubs.
The most effective Hoka sneakers for nurses
Arahi 6 — $140.00
Out there girls’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Out there males’s sizes: 7-15, in half sizes and broad widths
“These with flat ft are usually people who want additional arch help or stability,” says board-certified podiatrist, Anne Sharkey, DPM. The Arahi 6 is an overwhelmingly common selection with regards to the perfect Hoka nursing sneakers. As talked about above, it’s a great selection for nurses with flat ft who want additional 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, working, and standing throughout lengthy shifts.
Colours: 12
- Extraordinarily secure—nice for overpronation
- Balanced cushioning all through the midsole
- Nice for each strolling and working
- Wide selection of colours and sizes
- Runs huge—dimension down
- Not all colours can be found in each widths
Bondi 8 — $165.00
Out there girls’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Out there males’s sizes: 7-16, in half sizes, broad, and x-wide widths
For a bouncy, billowy really feel that lasts all through lengthy shifts, attempt the Hoka Bondi. Kanelos, who has excessive arches and broad ft, raves about this particular sneaker. “My ft don’t damage 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 experience or die.”
Colours: 21
- Most shade decisions accessible for each common and broad widths
- Beneficial by a number of podiatrists and nurses for his or her consolation degree
- Rear crash pad helps with stability whereas strolling
- Impartial stability could not work properly for these with flat ft
Clifton 9 — $145.00
Out there girls’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Out there males’s sizes: 7-15, in half sizes and broad widths
If you happen to undergo from foot ache, it may be time to search for a shoe with a forefoot rocker or toe spring. It is a thicker or rounder heel, which helps make sure the wearer gained’t have a flat floor underfoot. “As a common rule, you probably have 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? Simple consolation and mobility, regardless of how a lot standing and strolling you’re doing.
Colours: 14
- Balanced Meta-Rocker sole helps with ache from flat ft
- Light-weight and breathable
- Huge toe field is sweet for wider ft
Gaviota 5 — $175.00
Out there girls’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Out there males’s sizes: 7-15, in half sizes and broad widths
The Hoka Gaviota 5 is a favourite amongst a number of podiatrists for its consolation degree. It combines Meta-Rocker and H-Body™ Know-how to assist stabilize your stride. Willkom, Spector, and Sharkey all love this type and suggest it for nurses who’re on the lookout for additional help and management from their sneakers. “I just like the Gaviota because it supplies the best diploma of stability and cushioning,” Spector says. He likes that it additionally has elevated shock absorption, supplies consolation, and reduces the influence on the foot, which “could assist throughout lengthy durations of standing and strolling.”
Colours: 5
- Gives most stability for each strolling and standing
- Cushioned EVA midsole
- Fewest shade decisions accessible, with just one impartial shade
- Pricier than different Hoka types
- Might require a break-in interval
Rincon 3 — $125.00
Out there girls’s sizes: 5-12, in half sizes and two widths
Out there males’s sizes: 7-16, in half sizes and two widths
“Considered one of my favorites is the Rincon 3 as a result of it’s bought probably the most support-to-weight ratio,” says Jessica Sites, a nurse based mostly 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 accessible, you’ll be hard-pressed to not discover at the very least one (or two, or three) that make you instantly add them to your cart.
Colours: 19
- Out there in all kinds of colours
- Extraordinarily light-weight
- Vented mesh higher gives additional breathability for lengthy shifts
- Cheaper than different Hoka types
- Not all colours accessible in each widths
Speedgoat 5 GTX — $170.00
Out there girls’s sizes: 5-11, in half sizes and one width
Out there males’s sizes: 7-14, in half sizes and one width
Whereas a path sneaker is probably not the primary thought with regards to nursing sneakers, that is really a substantial selection for these coming into contact with slippery surfaces and—let’s face it—lower than perfect substances. Dr. Howard E. Friedman of Suffern Podiatry recommends a path and climbing shoe like Hoka’s Speedgoat 5 GTX, which sports activities average cushioning and a comparatively light-weight silhouette that may allow you to slog via an extended, 12-hour shift.
“Whereas working within the ER is just not the identical as climbing the Appalachian Path, a path shoe is extra rugged and can probably last more and maintain up higher over longer, demanding days and nights,” he says. Plus, the GORE-Tex material helps maintain moisture at bay, whereas the Vibram® Megagrip with Traction Lug outsole supplies additional traction on slippery surfaces.
Colours: 2
- Shoe building helps maintain wetness and particles at bay
- Traction helps with slippery surfaces
- Solely is available in two colours
- Not accessible in broad widths
- Pricier than different Hoka types
Restore TC — $110.00
Out there sizes: M4/W5-M14/W15, in complete sizes and one width
For these nurses who desire a extra distinctive Hoka shoe, flip to the Restore TC. “It’s extraordinarily snug and gives nice help, making it nice for lengthy shifts,” says Websites. The slip-on silhouette is just not 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 could not work for individuals who want a most degree of help, the plush degree of cushioning helps you’re 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 buying.
Colours: 4
- Unisex type and sizing
- Least expensive type on this listing
- Plush cushioning gives supreme consolation for lengthy shifts
- Restricted vary of colours
- Slip-on silhouette could not work for all nurse settings
- Impartial stability gives much less help than different Hoka types
Nicely+Good articles reference scientific, dependable, latest, sturdy research to again up the data 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
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