Theatre nurses are at risk of tendinopathies and stress fractures if they don’t take proper care of their feet, warns physiotherapist Trisha Partabrai.

More serous conditions including plantar fasciitis, Morton’s Neuroma and complex regional pain syndrome, are also possible if neglect is ongoing.

“Risks of being on one’s feet all day with little to no rest include overuse and overload injuries to the tendons, muscles, or bones of the feet,” Ms Partabrai said.

“Other examples include overuse injuries of the peroneal tendons, extensor tendons, calcaneal bones, and metatarsal bones of the foot.”

Many of these conditions can lead to pain with walking and standing and eventually maladaptive adaptations to manage this pain.

“These could include improper walking techniques or adoption of an antalgic gait which puts more stress on structures of the lower limb.”

One of the biggest mistakes theatre nurses can make is failing to wear the right shoes, Ms Partabrai said.

“Common mistakes include wearing shoes that are not supportive enough for a full shift of weight bearing,” she said.

“Shoes that are very flat and offer little to no support to the natural arch of the foot are often worn which can affect appropriate weight bearing through the foot.

“Shoes that are too tight or rigid may also affect how weight is distributed through the lower leg and hinder the most appropriate weight bearing pattern.”

To avoid making the wrong choice, Ms Partabrai said nurses should attend regular physiotherapy check-ups at which their physiotherapist would identify the type of foot they had and thus, the most appropriate footwear for them to wear daily.

“The physiotherapist will also be able to identify any deficits in strength of the lower limb and how that may cause weight bearing patterns to be compromised,” she said.

“Therapeutic exercises can then be prescribed to address the issue and ensure proper foot care.”

Ms Partabrai  said if nurses experienced pain on walking, standing, or running, pain with the first few steps after waking in the morning, pins and needles, numbness, or a burning pain in the feet, they should seek assessment immediately.

“You should see a foot specialist if you have foot pain that lasts for over 24 hours or is severe enough to affect daily activity,”

When decided the type of specialist to visit in the first instance, it comes down to the type of pain you’re experiencing.

“For conditions related to bones and muscles, it is best to see a physiotherapist first who can then refer onto a podiatrist if necessary.

“For other issues, it is best to see a podiatrist who can then refer to physiotherapy if needed as well.

“However, it is most important to visit any health professional who is most accessible to the individual as it allows a starting point for the allied health team to address the issue as a multidisciplinary model of care is gold standard.”

As always, prevention is better than cure, so getting advice early is the key.

“Time taken to prevent injuries is often much less than time taken to address issues once they have already developed as initial stages of many conditions involve pain management and recovery before rehab exercises and long-term changes can be made."