When you’re on your feet all day at work, the last thing you want to deal with is painful arches or blisters.

Doctors, nurses, teachers, retail workers, hospitality workers - these are all professions which require you to be on your feet and active all day.

It’s well-known that non-supportive footwear can cause pain and discomfort - not to mention long-term joint damage and very painful feet. Your shoe choice for work is critical to your health and can prevent long term injury or pain.

Do they provide a comfortable fit?

The first step in finding your perfect work shoe is to find your perfect size. Feet come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important to make sure your shoes are fitted perfectly to you. Shoes that are too small can cause painful toenails and corns, but shoes that are too big could mean your foot is sliding around too much, causing blisters and sore spots.

Are they supportive in the right places?

A busy lifestyle means you need shoes that can keep up with you and support your feet all day, every day. Unsupportive shoes will cause your joints to overcompensate, taking on the full impact of hard, flat ground. Supportive shoes have cushioning and support on both the heel and ball of your foot, which also helps to create stability, reducing the chance of trips, slips or rolled ankles.

Are they orthotic friendly?

Shoes that are healthy for your feet will provide inbuilt arch support, as well as have the flexibility to remove or change footbeds to cater for custom orthotic inserts. Those of us who need extra support from orthotic inserts often have trouble finding a pair of shoes that can accommodate orthotics, but they are essential if you’re on your feet all day. Look for shoes with removable inserts, such as Ziera’s FF system or FRANKiE4’s Custom Fit Pack.

Our top tips for buying comfortable work shoes:

• Choose your shoes based on the way they feel, not the number on the shoe’s label; sizes and shapes can vary slightly between brands, and no two brands construct their shoes exactly the same.
• Great fitting shoes should feel snug but not too tight; there should be at least a centimetre at the end for your big toe to move around freely, but your heel shouldn’t be slipping up and down.
• Take a walk around the store to see how you feel in the shoes while you’re on your feet; do they rub or slip while you walk, or do they feel light and soft?
• Look for shoes made from soft materials and with durable, non-slip soles. Thick, rubber soles cushion your feet when walking on hard surfaces all day, and soft flexible materials mould to your feet and reduce the chance of skin irritation or overheating.
• Your feet will change in size or shape throughout your life. Make sure you regularly get fitted for your shoes; you might not see any noticeable changes in your feet, but you will definitely feel them if you wear ill-fitting shoes.

The Ian’s Shoes for Women team specialise in helping you to find the perfect fit.

Our expertise lies with wide or extra wide fitting shoes and hard-to-fit-feet, with sizes ranging from a US 4.5 and EU 34 all the way to US 13 and EU size 45. Our team are experts in helping you find the perfect comfortable shoes for work.

The most comfortable work shoes are supportive, soft, flexible and fitted perfectly.

Browse our range of comfortable work shoes online, or come in store to one of our five locations across Adelaide and speak to our friendly staff.

Shop our work shoes collection now