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Introduction
In most careers and businesses, people can perform their jobs without continued physical discomfort. This fact doesn’t hold for professors and teachers. While people are at their places of work comfortably seated under air-conditioned rooms and quietly doing their work, teachers are standing to address students almost throughout the day. If your college professor sits down to teach you, then he must be very old, or you will view him as lazy. Standing throughout the day is bound to take a toll on the legs and feet of teachers, and that is why they have to put everything in place to make sure that the physical pressure is bearable. While you might advise professors and teachers to engage in more leg exercises and take care of their feet, there is one important factor that will determine how far the standing will affect the feet. This factor is footwear. Shoes are important for comfort and even more so when you are standing throughout the day. As a teacher, you need the right set of footwear for the job. This article has been compiled to show you the features that a teacher’s shoe should have. Enjoy!
What Shoes Should teachers wear?
- Shoes with comfortable interior
If you are a professor, then standing all day in shoes that have rough or unfavourable interior will leave you very uncomfortable. It would be best if you bought shoes that have a soft, comfortable interior. You might want to wear a pair of stockings with your shoe if the inside is not comfortable enough for you, but that is not the best approach. Always buy shoes with a soft, comfortable interior and wear them. Sport shoes and sneakers are the best choices in this regard, but your school might not allow staff to wear sneakers if they are not in the P.E department. Since these shoes are going to be housing your feet all day, you should take the time to find the appropriate one.
- Shoes designed to support the heels and ankles
Most professors and teachers are known to have multiple feet and leg problems after their teaching career. This medical issues mostly have to do with the heels and ankles. If you wear shoes that are designed to support the ankles, then you have a greater chance of avoiding these medical costs. Most shoes are not built for ankle support, and they end up stressing the ankles. This becomes worse when you are standing in the shoes all day. It is better to buy shoes with a proper arch design so that they can support your ankles.
- Shoes that can be easily worn and removed
As a teacher, you will not be standing all the time. You would have to sit down at some point to prepare your lecture notes, grade papers or attend to a student. At this point, you are already relaxed at your desk, and you have a great opportunity to take care of your feet. You can easily pull off your shoe and massage your feet a little before wearing it back. You could even have a pair of slippers ready to wear when you are doing all the non-teaching activities. Once you are ready to teach, you can easily put on your shoe and head to class. This is not possible if you are wearing laced shoes or other tight corporate shoes that are uncomfortable to remove and wear. Always buy shoes that allow you to easily slip out of them and wear them again in a moment’s notice.
- Shoes with perfect fit and sufficient space
Have you ever worn a shoe where you had to constantly adjust your big toe so that the shoe can fit? This can be one of the most uncomfortable experiences, and it gets even worse when you are standing for extended periods. You have to make sure that as a professor, you wear shoes that are designed to accommodate all of your feet. The shoe must not be too tight. Similarly, if the shoe is too loose, it will feel like though you are dragging it about with you and this will result in another kind of pain. It would be best if you bought shoes that are perfectly sized for you.
- Shoes with a lightweight design
If you are a professor and you are wearing heavy shoes, you are inviting blisters and other kinds of feet issues. Heavy shoes are generally uncomfortable, and if you have to stand and walk in them all day, that will not be good for your feet. Always aim to buy shoes with a lightweight design. Buying lightweight shoes allows you to stand without being able to tell the difference between your feet and your shoes.
- Shoes with a flat sole
This point should be a given, but we will still talk about it anyway. Wearing any form or high soles or high heels for extended periods will inevitably hurt your feet. It gets even worse when you are wearing it to stand and teach. As a teacher or professor, your job requires you to be mobile, and you cannot do that walking on shoes with high soles. Pick out shoes with flat soles, and you will be happy you did.
Types of shoes appropriate for teachers
Suppose you are looking for shoes to buy. In that case, you can try Dansko Flats, Sketchers, Sanuk Slip-on, Clarks Loafer-Pumps, Oka B flats, Dr Martens, Born Flats, Earthies shoes, Anhu Comfort, Rockport Men’s shoes, Ollio Oxford, The Merell Clog, Timberland Anti-fatigue and so much more. Many shoes are appropriate for teachers. You need to find the one that suits you perfectly.
Conclusion
Teaching is one of the noblest professions on the planet, and teachers are highly appreciated by the students they train. It would be painful if a teacher has to spend money on multiple feet problems after their career. This is why you must take proactive steps to take care of your feet and body. Buying the right kind of shoes is one of these steps and reading this article has shown the features that the right shoe should possess. We hope that you buy your next pair of shoes in line with this advice and we wish you a very successful teaching career. Cheers!