Stews and their shoes. It’s an ongoing debacle that Cinderella can’t even compete with. They’re either too small, too wide, too narrow or too tight. And there’s the smell, should one be game enough to mention it? Let’s just say the term “smells like roses” doesn’t exactly spring to mind. Just ask your fellow crew members about it - no doubt they’d be more than happy to share their thoughts on the aromas of the ‘Stew Shoe’, that is if they haven’t already.
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Whilst uniform footwear isn’t usually something that everyone has a choice in, there are a few things that can be done to both eliminate foot pain and to help preserve those precious feet of yours! Obviously in our line of work, it’s often difficult to access and consult medical professionals, so we need to try and prevent and/or treat certain ailments on our own. Here are a few at-home tips from podiatrists to help your aching feet:
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It’s no easy task to source foot wear that is both aesthetically pleasing, matches the uniform, is practical, comfortable, and going to please everyone. The heart often rules the brain and cute shoes are bought regardless of whether they are comfortable or not. Those deceptive cute, little shoes look great at first sight, but the first time you actually wear them you realise you were gravely mistaken. The season ahead could be a long and painful one...
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Serving guests with a smile comes part-in-parcel with our jobs, and it is quite a challenge to look elegant, poised and at ease when your shoes are making you look something far from that. Abiding by the laws of evolution and survival of the fittest, you alter the walk of the human being. This usually comes at a price, usually at the cost of your dignity. But your feet sure do feel a little better, even if you are imitating the swagger of a chimp. If David Attenborough ever witnessed the interior team on charter, he would not be able to contain his excitement at this new human sub-species evolving before his very eyes.
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Comfort is a common problem with stew shoes. The problem being that there generally isn’t any. The backs of our heels- scarred for life, thanks to our footwear. Blisters, sore heels, problematic arches and toenails that have gone M.I.A - never to be recovered again (and you’re just praying they’re not loitering in any guest areas).The list of complaints about Stew Shoes could potentially go on forever.
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1. Wear Shoes That Fit 2. Try an Over-the-Counter Arch Support Feet can increase in size as you get older. Your feet There are many problems in the feet that can first are not really growing, but the tendons and ligabe treated with an OTC (over-the-counter) arch ments tend to get stretched out and this leads to support. Problems such as plantar fasciitis (*see a larger foot size. Make sure before the start of definition below) and flat feet are just two exam4. Trim Callouses and Corns each season, or before your next batch of uniform ples. Trimming callouses can decrease the shoes are ordered that you are certain about your pressure on the bottom of your feet. current foot size. 3. Exercise Your Feet First you should soak your feet in warm Various exercises for your ankles, feet and toes water to soften callouses and corns. will help stretch, strengthen and relax them. Try Then, use a pumice stone or emery board toe curls by picking up objects with your toes and to trim the corns and callouses. After moving them from one pile to another. Also try trimming, apply a lotion and massage your standing and then rising up on your toes by liftfeet. Then put on socks to help the lotion ing your heels off the ground. Do ankle pumps by absorb better. Hard dry skin can lead moving your foot up and down. Making circles with to cracks which may bleed or become your ankles is also good. Stretch your calf muscle infected. However, if you feel your calby doing the runner’s stretch or wall stretch. Roll lousses and/or corns are beyond selfthe bottom of your foot on a frozen water bottle, help and you have access to a podiatrist tennis ball or golf ball. or a doctor, it’s advisable to see them for advice and treatment.
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*Plantar Fasciitus - When there is increased stress on the arch, microscopic tears can occur within the plantar fascia, usually at its attachment on the heel. This results in inflammation and pain with standing and walking and sometimes at rest. It usually causes pain 5.Trim Your Nails and stiffness on the bottom of Caring for your nails will your heel. go a long way in helping to alleviate foot problems. Long, jagged, and thickened toenails can catch on socks or pantyhose, dig into adjacent toes, or suffer injury by pressing against the inside of our shoes. When trimming your toenails, follow the contour of the toe and avoid cutting into the corners. Smooth any rough edges with a nail file.
Hopefully some of these tips may help us with our sore feet...and prevent us from succumbing to the ghastly chimp swagger, which is really not a hot look for a Stew!
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