Appropriate footwear is vital for success. The shoes worn by construction workers, professional football players, and ballerinas all differ drastically because the requirements of each activity is so different.
What makes a shoe great for running a marathon, does not make that shoe great for the operating room. Surgeons and other surgical specialties that spend a lot of time on their feet in the operating room need great shoes to withstand the rigors of the operating room.
After researching the options and speaking with multiple surgeons, my pick for the best shoe for male surgeons is the Merrell Men’s Encore Gust Slip-On Shoe
For the female surgeon, my pick is the Dansko Women’s Professional Mule
Keep reading to learn more about these shoes and to find out what to look for in a good operating room shoe.
Merrell Men's Encore Gust Slip-On Shoe, The Best Men's Shoe for the Operating Room
Dansko Women's Professional Mule, The Best Women's Shoe for the OR
Footwear is a highly personal choice, so make sure your find something that works for you. Here are essential factors to consider when choosing the best shoes for surgeons:
Comfort:
This is an obvious essential factor when looking for a shoe. When standing for hours at a time in the operating room the last thing you want to worry about is aching feet.
Support:
The appropriate support is needed when standing for long hours at a time. Wearing a supportive shoe can help prevent foot pain that can lead to leg stiffness and back pain.
Durability:
A pair of good shoes for the operating room should cost anywhere from $80 to $120. Anything less, and you should be concerned about an inferior product made of inferior materials that likely will not last very long.
Protection:
Surgical instruments, including needles and syringes are occasionally dropped and fluids may be spilled. Having a shoe that protects your feet from these falling hazards is important.
Look for a shoe made with a thick material that will resist spills and protect your overfoot (the dorsum of your feet) from falling needles. The holes found in some Crocs shoes and the super breathable fabrics found on many running shoes provides almost no protection from spills and falling instruments.
Traction:
Having an outsole (the bottom of your shoe that contacts the floor) is necessary in providing good traction for those times that the operating room floor gets wet and slippery.
Surgeons not only stand for hours at a time performing surgeries, they also may be called away to help in emergencies like codes in the hospital which may require them to move quickly. It is important that they have good shoes to help them hurry to the aid of their sick patients.
Cleanability:
Just because a surgery is considered “sterile” does not mean that things in the operating room do not get messy. Inevitably, there will be fluids dripping off the blue surgical drapes on to your shoes. Having a shoe that is easy to clean is important.
Stay away from shoes with fabrics that will readily absorb fluids or have textures and stitchings that will make it difficult to wipe away blood that may find its way onto your shoe.
Also, by eliminating shoe laces, there are fewer holes and crevices for fluid to find its way to your feet. You will also save some time by not having to tie and untie shoe laces.
Style:
If you don’t like the look of a shoe then you are far less likely to wear the shoe. When a shoe looks great, something about that gives your confidence a boost. Find a shoe that looks good to you and you will be more likely to wear it with confidence.
Return policies:
When buying online, the return policies and customer service are important considerations, especially with something like shoes. If the shoe is the incorrect size or if the fit is not right, you want the ability to return your shoes with without penalty fees or shipping fees and with as little hassle as possible and as quickly as possible.
Most Amazon items can be returned for free, but double check the return policy if you buy from a third party vendor on Amazon. Like most online sellers, Amazon’s policy states that “the item must be returned in new and unused condition.”
Because of this policy, you should always test your shoes as soon as you receive them. In order to test your new shoes while minimizing any wear and tear, I recommend trying to simulate the operating room experience at home.
How to Test Shoes:
Giving your shoes a trial run while keeping them new is important. If the shoes get dirty or show any type of wear and tear, your return may be voided.
The best way to test your shoes at home will take a little preparation. The first thing to do is to stop washing your dishes after you order your shoes online and let those dirty dishes accumulate in the sink over the few days it takes the shoes to ship.
When you receive your shoes and are ready to test them, put them on and get the dish soap and sponge ready to go, foregoing the dishwasher in favor of hand washing your dishes. Pay attention to your feet as you go to work on those dishes.
I recommend testing the shoes for at least 30 minutes to an hour at a time. It may take you less time to decide you don’t like the shoe, but minor fit issues may take a little longer testing before the problems manifest themselves.
By using this dishwashing method, you can test your new shoes in a “clean” environment without resulting in any wear or tear. Should you not like the shoe for any reason, they will still be new and unused condition, ready to be returned.
Merrell Men's Encore Gust Slip-On Shoe:
My pick for the best men's shoe for the operating room, the Merrell Men's Encore Gust Slip-On Shoe, comes highly recommened by many. Merrell is a brand you can trust and originated in 1981 in Vernal Utah when Randy Merrell, a custom boot maker, teamed with two two executives for the Rossignol ski company, Clark Matis and John Schweizer to make a killer hiking boot.
Constructing custom quality boots, their popularity and reputation spread. Merrell has become synonymous with great footwear for the outdoor community.
Now they are a company known for making a variety of clothing and footwear, including my favorite shoe for the operating room.
Here are some pros and cons from people that actually wear the Merrell Men's Encore Gust Slip-On Shoe.
PROS:
...an amazing shoe/clog that I use for wear when treating patients in the operating room. I'm 100% comfortable and can wear them hours on end.
...bought these shoes to wear them in the operating room. I can wear them the whole day and I feel much more comfortable than wearing any sport shoes. The smooth leather is easy to clean and if you are exposed to body fluids that is a great plus. I just need to wipe them with an antiseptic cloth to keep them clean.
...love this shoe for work in the operating room.
These are great on my feet while standing the whole time in the operating room.
I like how they are slip ons because i can easily take them in and out without having to worry about taking that extra minute to tie them.
CONS:
They are just a half size too small, but overall they are great.
Dansko Women's Professional Mule:
Dansko is a favorite amongst healthcare workers in the hospital and they are renowned for their quality clogs. This Pennsylvania based company was founded in 1990 by husband and wife, Peter Kjellerup and Mandy Cabot.
While on a trip to Denmark in the late 1980s, Mandy Cabot and Peter Kjellerup discovered clog type shoes that worked well for their equestrian needs as they operated a farm and trained horses. They brought back clogs from Denmark for their farm staff and in 1990 they established Dansko. Since that time, the company, which is 100% employee owned, added several shoe styles, including more types of clogs to fit every medical student, nurse, resident, and physician you find in the hospital.
Here are some pros and cons from people that wear the Dansko Women's Professional Mule:
PROS:
Love my Danskos... work long hours in the operating room and can go home without my feet or back hurting.
I spend long hours on my feet in a busy operating room and nothing had helped until I changed my work shoes.
Dansko Clogs would make a positive influence in my day. When you note most of the surgeons and operating room nurses wearing clogs, you realize that they are on to a good thing. On your feet from 10-12 hours, you need support and comfort.
I don't want to sacrifice style for comfort, and I choose these leather clogs that offer both. A padded insole and slip-on design makes it easy to throw these on when I am running out the door. The unique look sets them apart from the other shoes in my closet.
Padded insole, and textured outsole make these so comfortable. The heel is about 1 3/4 in high, just right. If someone steps in your toe that is fine, you won't feel a thing. They last a long time, and believe me I wear them every day.
This isn't my first pair of Danskos so I knew I was getting a comfy pair of shoes for my work in the operating room. Just about every person I work with has a pair and they are truly great for walking and being on your feet.
CONS:
Recently, the leather started to peel on the top edge of the upper, a purely cosmetic issue with few other obvious signs of wear.
Alternatives:
My brother is no stranger to the operating room. He swears by the Danskos. He has had his for over five years and they are still going strong. I consistently found that the people who wore Dansko clogs around the hospital and in the operating room had a very high opinion of them, my brother included. Here are my brother's 5 year old shoes, still looking good with minimal care. Check out Amazon to learn more about Dansko Men's Professional Oiled Leather Clog
Super Budget Alternatives:
Old running shoes with surgical bootie covers is my super budget pick and is a a great alternative for medical students not seriously considering surgery as a career and will just be rotating a few months through surgery.
Even with the surgical booties, your shoes are bound to get some bodily fluids on them so be prepared to dispose of them once they become a biohazard.
Conclusion:
There are many considerations when choosing footwear. Hopefully the outline above will give you a better understanding of what to look for in a good shoe for the operating room. Besides which shoe to buy, you also must consider where to buy your shoe from, either online or in a physical store.
Ordering shoes online can seem like a risky proposition. What if the shoes don't fit? What if I don't like them? What if I can't return the shoe? I know I was very hesitant when I purchased my first shoe online. But the process was so smooth and easy, since then I have purchased all my shoes online. One of the big benefits of buying your shoes from a reputable online store is that you have a whole community of reviews right at your finger tips to let you know the pros and cons of the shoe. Instead of taking a sales person's word at face value, see what real people like you and me have experienced with the shoe. In addition, there is a huge selection to choose from online, more so than any store you find in the mall would be able to carry.
Once you have selected the right shoe for you, make the purchase from the comfort of your home either on your phone or computer and then in a few days, your shoe will show up at your doorstep. Super easy.
I also got over my fear that buying online would be a hassle if I had to return the shoe for any reason. Online vendors like Amazon and Zappos make their money by making sure their customers are happy with their experience so they will tell their friends and shop again. With this in mind, online retailers like Amazon make it so easy to return shoes as long as they are in new condition. I actually find buying the right shoe easier online since I don't have a sales person pressuring me and I get a full month to try out the shoe (see "How to Test Shoes for the OR" above) instead of just the few minutes I get in the store.