Oh Rae - that sounds painful and downright awful! I'm one of those people whose feet have indeed changed - going from a size 6 to a 6.5, sometimes 7. Don't know why or when that happened.

Anyway, I swear by Dr. Scholl's gel insoles in the shoes that I walk alot in and yes, compression socks will help in the meantime.

Good luck!

Sounds like what you need is earplugs.

One of my instructors recommended this brand

http://www.jobst-usa.com/en/pr...../page.html

Ha, Rae! Your mother is hilarious. Probably because she isn't saying those things to ME.

I'm just gonna keep repeating... my feet TOTALLY did not change after pregnancy. They swelled up DURING pregnancy, but then so did my face and everything else, and at the end I had a baby, so it was all OK.

This is not to encourage you towards motherhood. Just to tell you that your mothers's/friends' experiences are not always the norm.

I'm still wearing shoes I had before Mazie was born.

LOL Una!

Rae, I hope this proves to just be a period of temporary adjustment.

I worried a little about foot size changing because when I started running, a few people told me, "Ah, look out, now your feet will get bigger!" Nope, not in the least. I must admit I'm more than a little relieved about that.

everyone has pretty much covered all the bases, but just wanted to add that i've older co-workers who spent decades on the retail floor wearing stiletto heels (back in the days before cushioned insoles) and it damaged their feet permanently. so baby those feet on the days you work, so your preciouses can get play time on days off!

and elevating your feet is good, especially yoga shoulder stands, though when i'm bloated it's kinda like lifting 50 pound cement blocks over my head.

I worked at a major department store one holiday season & it is not the same as the other walking or standing we do. You are not allowed to sit at all. The floor is hard, even with those fatigue mats the pain happens. I sympathize & my answer is not to sell your precious yet but do find the shoes that work best for you, for me they were Frye Veronica, not perfect but best of all. If you have another pair that are great but cause a different part of the body to hurt (back instead of toes) then alternate to give that body part a break. Don't sell your pretties because you may not be on the floor forever right? This is a stepping stone job for you. Also I didn't stay in the job long enough to see if it gets better. I was told it does, that your body & feet get used to it.

Also buying obviously too big isn't a good idea but I bought a half size bigger in the Frye Veronica because I have a toe rubbing together causing corns issue. The length in my true size was correct, with the thumb width at the end but I still went up half a size.

I don't mean to scare you but I do have friends who worked department stores for years & one has plantar fascitis & the other has extreme pain behind her knees to the point of taking days off. Varicose veins are another issue so try to sit for your entire break when you get one. I sometimes went to Brookstone & sat in the massage chair with the leg foot massager on my breaks.

I'll have to read all replis later, but this past summer my feet mutinied on me and I am SO sorry you're experiencing some of the same

Quite a while ago, Angie (I think) menioned these as her new favorite trouser socks. I put them in my saved section and have been thinking abou them ever since

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/no.....sultback=0

I DO know wearing hosiery of any sort inside my shoes makes a huge difference in how my feet hold out during a day.

I'm beginning to be VERY grateful I sit on my behind all day at work.

Sitting down all day has its complications too, IK. One might grow horizontally because of it.

Rae, give the compression hose a try. The pain IS worth it. I cannot think of a better way to jump start the career you REALLY want. Nordies is a great employer!

Rae@I worked for number of years in retail and used to wear fashionable high heels and other pretty shoes that didnt have much support for 10-12 hour work shifts(all on your feet). I am paying for it now with all kinds of feet problems and according to my doctor, lot of it came from wearing "bad" shoes while being on your feet all day. So do your feet a favor and find some nice flats with lot of support, you won't regret it later like I did:((

I agree with what the other ladies have so wisely pointed out already, Rae. No need to get rid of all your fantastic footwear, but it definitely is important to get a few pairs of supportive shoes to wear to your new job. Even if you were used to walking around all day before this, standing on your feet for hours on end is just a different ball game. I worked parttime at a bakery for a while, and even though I did get used to the standing after a while, I still needed shoes that were more cushioned and offered more support (your knees and back will thank you too - says Old Auntie Inge;-)

It's definitely an adjustment phase. Your skin (literally) will become thicker and your feet will get used to your new routine... it'll just take some time. Retail is hard on your feet but your body will adjust.

What Marianna said. Your feet need to harden - years of shopping professionally, and leading an urban walking life has hardened my feet. You also need body glide, cushioning insoles and comfortable 1.5 inch heeled shoes.

Trust me! I get it

And ice your feet at night to take away the swelling.

Don't worry! It will sort itself out sweet Rae.

I think I mentioned this in one of your other posts rae but it's worth checking out Epsom Salts

http://www.saltworks.us/salt_i.....nefits.asp

It has the ability to remove toxins from the body but it is also really soothing in the short term.

Listen to Annagybe re. Sanitas v. Danskos!

hehe. I mean that.

Listen to the ladies who have had jobs where you spend a great deal of time STANDING. That is entirely different than walking, just like walking in the country is different than walking in an urban environment.

As a professor, I spend hours standing behind a lectern or in front of a group and supportive shoes are an absolute necessity. My working pumps have a low stacked heel and tend to be wider and sometimes even a bit longer than my dress shoes. If you find flats comfortable make sure they have good arch support. If you want a heel, make sure it is low enough so your back does not arch, otherwise you'll find yourself immobilized with back pains as well as swollen feet. And a lower heel will help stave off knee problems. I wrecked my knees wearing heels that I swore were comfortable; my stubbornness created the problems that I have today. Your 60th birthday may seem like a long way off, but what you do today will affect your life in another couple of decades so be smart so you can wear your precious shoes for a long, long time.

No advice, but I very much enjoyed reading the responses. Very educational to this desk-worker. I am sure this will improve for you soon Rae!

(EDIT: My foot size has also changed throughout my 20s, starting around 6.5 and now I'm at 7.5-8. Strangely, my arches haven't gotten any lower. If anything, they feel higher now -_-)

Oh your poor, poor tootsies! I feel for you. And like there's any room in your current shoes for an insole, lol! Here's hoping the Crocs give you some relief; you know what works for your feet when they swell up like this. You WILL get through this. Don't sell your boots! I swear by epsom salts too. The 99 Cents Only stores sell a good sized carton for (duh) 99 cents. <<<hugs>>>

I've found feetures very threaputic. Give that a try, and get some superfeet inserts. Good luck! Oh, and I've heard - change shoes halfway thru the shift and don't wear the same pair back to back days.

I am sorry to hear about your foot problems and I believe it will get better. But I must tell you, Your feet naturally change as your get older. They develop bumps and other abnomolies that I never imagined would happen. And I always wore/wear good footwear. Then a toe gets broken and that pretty little foot is never quite the same.

Hmm.... Are your wearing tight pants? I think I remember reading something about tight pants and leg and foot issues. I will research.

Rae, it did take my feet a while to adjust to a standing/walking job. A few months I think. Your feet will not be swollen after they adjust. Also the aching pain at the end of the day, and feeling tired, will go away.

Don't waste your time on squishy athletic shoes. I felt much more tired wearing those. Sanita clogs. $114, they last forever. Listen to Anna and me, we know we work on our feet. They are also slip resistant. They take a little time to break in, but once the leather molds to your foot, you won't want to take them off. They are not fashionable, but they are not as ugly as athletic shoes either.

Rae, I forgot to mention that my college job was as a waitress/ captain/ banquet manager for a catering hall- I'm giving you the line of promotions here lol- I was on my feet for at least 10 hours at the time, sometimes in or around the same spot. That's brutal. I am still endorsing the compression tights. They do help with circulation and with preventing future problems. You get lots of unsigthly stuff on your legs from standing up: Varicose veins, spider veins etc. Also, not to say this will happen to you, but in my case, my feet never adjusted. They got stronger but I would still come home with very tired and swollen feet. Epsom salts baths do help with swelling. How are the footsies doing?

Rae, I hope your feet get better soon. I am amazed at all the wonderful suggetions you have got here.

Oh, Rae - so sorry you are in pain! I know this pain; I worked retail for a while. I am with those who say that standing all day is 100% different than walking all day; I have also waited tables and it was nowhere near as tough on my feet as the standing job.

In addition to the suggestions you've already received (comfortable, supportive footwear for work, elevating your feet, hydrating, watching your salt intake at first, etc.) I would also try to sneak in exercise breaks whenever and wherever you can. Walk, squat, do anything to MOVE; you need to ensure your circulation is working.

Do not sell your lovely footwear. My solution was to wear a very low heel (but not an absolute flat, which does not give me enough arch support) while at work, to alternate shoes (not the same pair every day), and to wear my other shoes in my off-duty hours.

I'm echoing Zap on the compression socks/hose and Epsom salt soaks. For the record my feet did not change during or after pregnancies (after being broken - another story). Alternate shoes and don't sell just yet.

Rae, here's a story to cheer you - the NY Times says that sitting too much will shorten your life. So while your tootsies are hurting, you can find comfort in how many more years you will have to wear fab footwear!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/.....-dont-sit/

I used to work 12 hour shifts in a hospital. Anna and Cocolion and Zap are right. Sanita clogs and Jobst compression stockings. Clogs are the favored footwear of healthcare workers in my part of the world. Nothing comes close.