postman with very sore feet

bhatti3000

hi
my huby is a full time postman, he has very sore heels as he walks miles everyday. he need sometime to cushion his heels, like a shock absorber.
we tried the gel cushions you put into shoes, but they move too much and my huby doesn't like them.
does anyone have any suggestions on products that can help and where to buy them?
thank you
bhatti x

HalfPint

Hi,

when you say sore....is it skin sore as in blisters, rubbing etc? Soaking feet in surgical spirits will help this (though don't use if skin is in any way broken!)

If its aching, or pain in the heel, i'd recommend seeing the doc. there is a condition which can affect heels (sorry I can't remember the name) causing a lot of pain. The doc is the best one to advise on this.

HP x

(I sympathise, Mr H is a postie too)

SueMaggie

I don't know about anything to put in his shoes but he could try one of these when he gets home.

You put it in the floor and roll it back and forward under your foot. I find it really works and helps with my heel pain.

I keep mine in the freezer which makes it feel even better when you do it.

sweetme

If it's sore heels from the shoe rubbing his ankle rub a candle or some vaseline along the bit of the shoe that rubs. If that makes sense?

McKneff

Dont just put heel pads in, put gel soles in, see the chemist, they will advise, full soles wont move about as long as they are cut to fit the foot.

Cut around the shape of the foot, dont guess around the inside to the shoe..

McKneff

Also, if his foot is even slightly moving around his shoes it means they are just a tiny bit big for him. Try two pairs of socks or thicker socks.

moromir

Again this depends as to whether he is sore or is getting blisters - I have the worst feet in the word for blistering - the following helps -

- When feet are totally dry - dust with talcum powder.

- Pure cotton socks

- Zinc Oxide tape - you can buy this in the chemist but I've found the best stuff to be athletic tape because it sticks better, you can get it on ebay, used for gymnastics, mma etc. place it over the usual sore spots - it absorbs some of the friction.

- 'Bag Balm' - supposed to be for infected cow's udders but its like vaseline on crack, definitely recommend for keeping skin supple and soothing sore bits.

- Spenco 2nd Skin Squares - over here they are about £30-35 for 200 1inch squares - I got a tub shipping from the US via ebay for about £25. They are basically 'water gel' squares - none sticky so you'll need to secure with a bit of your zinc oxide tape - they are super comforting if you've already got the blister - very cooling and I've found they are quite preventative on areas where I know I'm likely to get them - they are almost spongy in texture.

- keep toenails short - you'd be suprised how easily a slightly too long toenail alters how your foot sits in a shoe causing rubbing etc and pressure in odd places.

Finally is he absolutely sure he is wearing the right size shoe?

Racheldevon

I would suggest you see a good private physio that has an interest in this area (if it's more foot pain than sore skin), or see the GP and ask for a orthotics referral to assess gait, and how this changes on walking - it might be that custom made orthotics will correct any pronation for example, which will make a significant difference to pain, and reduce the impact of any structural issues on the other joints.

ali-t

You can buy memory foam insoles, they would provide a bit more cushioning for him.

Abbafan1972

Hi there.

I just want to post my own experience of sore feet.

I find I have to keep my heels free of hard skin, as it can have an effect and make my feet really painful to walk on. I also get hard skin on the side of my big toes which I have to file down.

Going to the chiropodist is expensive, so I file them down myself at home every couple of weeks, I soak my feet regularly and also have to apply cream morning and night (I use cracked heel cream and then moisturiser on top).

Hope your hubby manages to get his feet sorted. As the other poster said, I would recommend going to the docs for advice.

Spirit_2

Try a podiatrist - they are clinical specialists for feet.

Has he talked to his Occupational Health Team at work?