Sore Feet

[EH75]

Anyone else get really sore feet standing on the bridge for 8 hours every day? I'm not talking "aw my feet are a bit sore", I'm talking I've needed to take painkillers on a couple of occasions. I signed off ship a week ago after 8 months on board and they are still a bit sore. I have tried several different pairs of shoes but it doesn't seem to make much difference. I remember being pretty surprised back when I joined my first ship to discover that there were no seats on the bridge and I still don't really understand the reasoning behind it. I have heard people say its so you don't fall asleep but then surely that's what a deadman alarm is for?

I was just wondering how prevelant this lack of seats is throughout the industry? Being able to get a seat on watch is fast becoming one of my top priorities for when I am looking for a job as a 3/O in a few months. Not because I'm lazy, but because I have genuine concerns over the long term health implications of standing for at least 8 hours a day, every day, for several months.

[GuinnessMan]

Hmm, strange. Have you tried using Gel insoles in your shoes?

Tis a bit worrying that you're in that much pain from standing up.

Anywho, all the ship's I've been on, bar one, have had a seat of some description on the bridge. Even if they didn't have a seat, one was made...

[Lewis]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sorbothane-Single-Strike-Insoles-Grey/dp/B00178VOQS/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1358883502&sr=8-14

[Polaris]

I too was in bit of bother when I was wearing converse trainers, switched to running shoes and problem went away.

[EH75]

Was running shoes I was wearing. Ones properly fitted for my feet as well! Tried several others to no avail...

[size4riggerboots]

I've always found I get sore feet for the first week or so, but then get used to it. You really shouldn't be finding yourself in that much pain after 8 months. My sister used to suffer from very sore feet until she had a pair of insoles custom made for her. I'd suggest you go and see a specialist and get some insoles made for you.

[EH75]

Yeah, might be a good idea to see someone about it, although hopefully I can just get a job with a company that has a seat on the bridge (not an unreasonable demand I don't think), and I won't have to worry about it. Been googling some of the problems you can get from prolonged standing...don't particularly fancy any of them tbh!

[HolyNougat]

Get a job on a big cruise ship and delight in being able to sit down for 8 hours straight... You will also be able to tell people like me (who used to enjoy standing around) that the regulations support your repose.
But seriously, most modern ships are designed with an integrated bridge that has a seat as a central component.
I am sure older members of our community will recall stories of captains or senior officers hitting the roof if they found officers or cadets sitting around...

[mak]

Definitely don't get the soles of your feet tattooed then going skiing the next day, that was bad!

On both the ships I've been on chairs have been taken off and added to the bridge depending on who the old man was, but the consensus seemed to be no sitting down, especially at night.

[Ducki52]

My grandfather-in-law was a fishing skipper for about forty years, and he would be up on the bridge for 16 hours at a time, and he suffered with sore feet and bad knees and hips (which wasnt helped by the fact that the bridge deck plate sloped) for years until one of his friends suggested wearing trainers. He started wearing trainers and his problems disappeared virtually overnight.

[alistairuk]

Personally, I don't like sitting down, would rather stand up and walk around... Have you tried taking your shoes off and walking around with bare feet (well socks)?

[EH75]

Yeah I tried that but it didn't make a massive difference. To be honest if we did have seats I would probably spend quite a lot of time standing anyway, walking up and down the bridge etc but it would just be nice to have the option to have a seat every so often for 10 minutes or so.

[size4riggerboots]

Do you have flat feet?

[EH75]

Nah my feet are fairly normal. When I got fitted for my running shoes they said I had a slight overpronation but nothing particularly out of the ordinary.

[captainronburgundy]

Anyone else get really sore feet standing on the bridge for 8 hours every day? I'm not talking "aw my feet are a bit sore", I'm talking I've needed to take painkillers on a couple of occasions. I signed off ship a week ago after 8 months on board and they are still a bit sore. I have tried several different pairs of shoes but it doesn't seem to make much difference. I remember being pretty surprised back when I joined my first ship to discover that there were no seats on the bridge and I still don't really understand the reasoning behind it. I have heard people say its so you don't fall asleep but then surely that's what a deadman alarm is for?

I was just wondering how prevelant this lack of seats is throughout the industry? Being able to get a seat on watch is fast becoming one of my top priorities for when I am looking for a job as a 3/O in a few months. Not because I'm lazy, but because I have genuine concerns over the long term health implications of standing for at least 8 hours a day, every day, for several months.

Could be worth getting checked out... I suffer from the same problem and I've been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. worth doing some stretches to see if that helps.