All teachers know that it is essential to have comfortable, practical shoes that can cushion your feet when standing all day on concrete. In addition, it is necessary to have good arch support and complete cushioning to avoid not only foot pain but also pain in the legs, hips, and back. By wearing proper shoes throughout your young teaching career, you can count on having healthy feet, legs, and about as you mature. In this article, we will discuss some good choices in comfortable shoes for teachers. Read on to learn more.
The days of teachers wearing a dress, pumps, and pearls are long gone. Today’s teachers must be comfortable and free of wardrobe malfunction to meet the challenges of active school days. The vast majority of teachers wear slacks to school, and most schools require business dress casual attire, so very casual shoes such as sneakers probably won’t do. At the same time, it is unwise to wear shoes with a heel much higher than two inches for a day on your feet. Luckily, there are many choices in stylish, comfortable flat and low heeled shoes available today.
Most Comfortable Shoes For Teachers Male & Female
1. Naturalizer Women’s Michelle Pump Shoes For Lady Teachers With Wide feet
Teachers with high arches, wide feet, or other fitting challenges often have good luck with the affordable Naturalizer brand. This is a high-quality brand of shoe that makes nice-looking lace-up and slip-on shoes in many different styles to go with slacks and skirts. You may remember their ad a few years ago that featured female basketball players playing in Naturalizer pumps. These are adorable and very comfortable shoes that are appropriate for any setting.
2. Altra Men’s Instinct Everyday Fashion Sneaker for Men Teachers with Bunions and Plantar fasciitis
The Altra Instinct Zero Drop Everyday Fashion Sneaker is perfect for Bunions and Plantar fasciitis. They are highly comfortable and lightweight. Those types of shoes offer a wide toe box to accommodate bunions. They are barefoot kind of shoes for plantar fasciitis.
3. Clarks Women’s Wave.Cruise Mary Jane
There are a couple of old-fashioned and very reasonably priced brands that every teacher should try. Both Clarks and Dr. Scholl’s have been around for ages, and there’s a good reason for that. Both companies make high-quality, comfortable, reliable shoes at affordable prices. Easy to find in most department stores and discount shoe stores, and, of course, online. In addition, both feature a wide variety of shoe styles, materials, and colors.
4. Crocs 14391 Walu Canvas Loafer
Another popular shoe that is well known as a nursing shoe is Crocs Bistro. They were pretty funky when they first came out, but they have come a long way since the original rubber clogs. Now Crocs makes some nice flat shoes that are not so clunky and can fit nicely into a school’s business dress casual atmosphere. About everyone who has tried Crocs says they are the most comfortable shoes around and maybe just the answer for you for standing all day on concrete.
3. Shoes for teachers with Back Pain and Knee Joint Pain
Teachers who want a bit of an edge may enjoy Sketchers or Dansko Brands. These brands feature chunky, hip styles that are highly comfortable shoes for teachers. For lace-up shoes and boots, loafers, clogs, and sandals, you can’t go wrong with either brand. They are a bit pricey; however, they are exceptionally well built and can be cleaned and polished to stay friendly for a very long time. The Dansko brand, with its highly comfortable footbed, is especially tried and true and is very popular in white as a shoe for nurses.
Choosing the Most Comfortable Shoes For Teachers
No matter what brand of comfortable shoes for teachers you choose, remember to personalize the fit by augmenting it with orthotics. You can purchase some excellent arch supports, toe separators, heel pads, and the like off the rack at almost any drug store or variety store. These days, these items are favorably comparable in quality to the extraordinarily overpriced custom-made orthotics you would get from a podiatrist. You’ll be amazed at the difference proper cushioning, and support can make in your comfort level.
One of the essential points to keep in mind when selecting the best shoes for teachers is safety. Be sure to choose shoes with a reasonable heel level. High heels are not only dangerous to the future of your feet, legs, and back; they are also destructive on a day-to-day basis. These days, more than ever, teachers may be required to move quickly and think on their feet. You don’t want to slip, trip or sprain your ankle when you are rushing to help a student in distress, break up a fight, or lockout an intruder.
Final Verdict
Another thing to remember when you must spend all day standing on concrete is that you can give yourself a break. Invest in a few rubber anti-fatigue mats to place strategically around your classroom. Having a stool, you can perch on while lecturing is also very helpful. You have time to select a high-quality supportive pair of shoes, make good use of orthotics, and arrange your classroom in a way that gives you opportunities for natural breaks. You can conserve your energy and enjoy your teaching career without worrying about your feet.