Being a beauty professional has its ups and downs, and one of those downsides is sore feet after work. You spend all day on your feet serving your clients and your feet take the toll. Your feet swell up because blood pools in your arteries and veins, making your feet sore and swollen. We’ll share with you five tips that you can do so that your feet can hurt less from those long shifts, and how to get used to standing on your feet all day.
Comfortable Shoes
This one may seem obvious, but make sure that if your feet tend to hurt often, put comfort over fashion. The most stylish shoes are oftentimes not the most comfortable shoes, so make sure that you are wearing comfortable shoes. If you’d like, you can also put shoe insoles into your shoes so that they are extra comfortable. Invest in your shoes so that your feet can be taken care of.
Take note that not all feet are created equal. Make sure you are buying the right type of support for your specific feet type. There are cute dress shoes that provide the same comfort as a pair of trainers. Get to know your feet and buy the right type of shoes for you!
Cushioned Floor Mat
If you spend the majority of your day in one place, like if you’re cutting hair or doing makeup, we suggest that you lay down a cushioned pad in your space. These mats reduce the strain on your joints and muscles, and allow even and regular blood flow, which prevents circulation problems. Take a look at this website for a list of anti-fatigue cushioned floor mats to help your feet feel more comfortable at work.
Compression Socks
Compression socks, made of strong elastics that compress your ankles, feet, and legs, force blood flow to certain areas. Compression socks help your feet feel better during long shifts because they cause blood flow to the heart, and less to your feet. You can buy compression socks on Amazon and other websites.
Take Breaks Throughout the Day
If you have client after client, it’s hard to find time to let your feet rest. If you can, just take five minutes to sit down and give your feet a break. If you can, take your shoes off and give your feet a quick massage. This will increase blood flow and make all the difference so you can finish your shift comfortably. If you don’t have the opportunity to take breaks, make sure that you’re at least changing positions often so that your feet aren’t in the same position all day. You can do this by doing a couple of calf raises or other small stretches in between appointments.
Soak Your Feet
After a long day at work, make the extra effort to soak your feet in cold water to reduce inflammation and swelling. You can fill up a tub or basin with cold water, and add ice cubes to make the water extra cold. After you have soaked your feet for 5-10 minutes, you can lay down and elevate your feet on pillows, and massage your feet—which will also increase blood flow. All of these steps will help with your sore feet after work, feel better.
Take Care of Your Feet
Taking care of your feet isn’t your first priority while you’re in the salon helping your clients, but if you don’t take care of your feet during your shift, you’ll really feel the pain later. Make sure you have comfortable shoes and/or insoles, consider purchasing a cushioned mat, wear compression socks, take breaks throughout the day or change positions often, and soak your feet at night. All of these steps will help your feet feel better and not have sore feet after work every day.
If you’d like to learn more about insurance for beauty professionals, take a look at the Beauty and Bodywork website. BBI offers affordable insurance for beauty professionals like hairstylists, massage therapists, nail technicians, and more.
