Look at any Top 10 or Best Nursing Shoes list and chances are very likely that you’ll see at least one pair of Nike shoes with their iconic “swoosh” design.
It’s not hard to see why. Since the Blue Ribbon Sports company was renamed “Nike Inc.” in 1978, the company has been innovating and evolving the concept of the sports shoe.
Best Nike Shoes for Nurses: Our Top 3 Recommendation
Talking about innovation, what is the best Nike shoe for nurses?
Gone are the days of the simple canvas upper with a grippy rubber sole that was pretty much your only choice, no matter what sport you were playing.
Today, Nike has reimagined the “tennis” shoe into sleek, and often crazy, designs incorporating the latest in synthetic and natural materials with space-age cushioning and support.
You can go online and buy Nike shoes for almost any sport including basketball (of course), football, soccer, volleyball, golf, cycling, cheerleading, hiking, walking . . . and more.
Today, we’re looking at which Nike shoe nurses wear on the job whether it’s a busy hospital ER or a private clinic.
With all the different sports Nike makes shoes for – which type of shoe do you think are most popular with nurses?
Take a second (it’s pretty simple).
If you guessed running shoes – a cookie for you. Yes, Nike’s running shoe line has a wide variety of choices that meet all the needs of a busy nurse – mainly comfort, support, and good traction.
If you guessed walking shoes – the second prize goes to you.
We’re going to give you the 12 Best Nike Shoes For Nurses, but first, we’ll give you some valuable tips on making sure you find the Nike shoe with the best fit and is right for you.
Constantly changing, revising, and updating their line of shoes – if you’re lucky, you may get a re-release of a discontinued style that you really loved.
Sure, they’re expensive and have a ridiculous number of available styles, but Nike really has the athletic and running shoe design dialed in.
Alright, enough with the buildup – let’s get to the shoes. Here’s a list by category of the 10 Best Nike Shoes For Nurses.
(Click the links for buying options)
Best Nike Shoes For Nurses (Overall)
Downshifter (Women’s – Men’s)
Nike’s Downshifter running shoe is the best overall for its understated simplicity, comfort and durability. The full mesh upper is lightweight and breathable. The articulated midsole provides great support and the sole is cushiony.
Women’s
Men’s
- Synthetic, breathable mesh upper
- Articulated midsole
- Grippy outer sole
Pros: simple design, breathable, lightweight, cushiony
Cons: may not hold up to heavy use
Air Max Torch (Women’s – Men’s)
The Air Max Torch provides a versatile, beefier design while still remaining light and comfortable. The raised heel with the Air Max air cushion provides all the shock absorption and cushioning you need and helps promote a natural walking gait. The bumper toe gives you a little more protection.
Women’s
Men’s
- Synthetic, breathable mesh upper
- Cushioning Phylon midsole
- Grippy, multi-surface traction
Pros: comfortable, lightweight, good protection
Cons: durability
The Most Comfortable Nike Shoes For Nurses
Juvenate Runner (Women’s)
The Juvenate Runner’s fully-collapsible mesh upper feels like you’re wearing house shoes. And the phylon foam midsole contours to your feet while providing soft, cushiony comfort.
- Collapsible, breathable mesh upper
- Phylon foam midsole
- Very lightweight
Pros: super comfortable, lightweight collapsible upper, cushiony sole
Cons: may not be the best for hard use
Flex Experience Run (Men’s)
Why are the Flex Experience Run shoes so comfortable? The Flex sole – it moves dynamically with your foot providing the closing thing to being barefooted while having your feet cushioned in fluffy, shock-absorbing clouds. The mesh upper is light and breathable for an all-around de-luxe ride.
- Breathable mesh upper
- Flexible, grippy sole
- No-sew design
Pros: flex sole moves dynamically, lightweight and breathable
Cons: flexible sole can feel awkward for some people
Best Nike Shoes For Nurses On Their Feet All Day
Air Monarch IV Cross Trainer (Men’s)
The men’s Air Monarch IV Cross Trainer not only provides the utmost in comfort and support all day long, the leather and synthetic upper also gives you more toe protection. The foam phylon midsole forms to your foot giving you that support while the durable outsole is grippy and promotes natural foot motion.
- Leather/synthetic upper
- Phylon foam midsole
- Air heel cushion
Pros: classic design, supreme support and cushioning, natural walking motion’
Cons: may be hot for some people
Reax Run 5 (Women’s)
The Reax Run running shoe gives you that breathable mesh upper plus the Reax heel which returns energy to your stride while giving you maximum shock absorption. The grippy sole is good on all kinds of surfaces.
- Synthetic, breathable mesh upper
- Reax cushioning heel
- Grippy sole
Pros: Reax cushioning sole, lightweight and breathable, eases walking
Cons: Reax heel can feel awkward for some
Best Nike Shoes For Wide Feet
Air Zoom Structure (Women’s – Men’s)
The Air Zoom Structure is a quick and responsive runner that give you good all-around performance . . . plus it comes in wide sizes. They also provide outstanding support and cushioning. While not under the plantar fasciitis heading, they’ve been reported to be great for it.
Women’s
Men’s
- Synthetic, breathable mesh upper
- Specially designed midsole for support
- Grippy sole
Pros: excellent support, light and breathable, helps gait
Cons: can fit narrow, durability
Tanjun (Women’s – Men’s)
The Tanjun running shoe is a good, lightweight choice at a reasonable price. Which is what its Japanese name “Tanjun” means – simplicity. If you prefer a simple, straightforward shoe with a stiffer sole, the Tanjun is for you.
Women’s
Men’s
- Synthetic, breathable mesh upper
- Grippy sole
- No-sew design
Pros: price, comfort, support
Cons: durability, some don’t care for the stiff sole
Best Nike Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis
Air Zoom Pegasus (Women’s – Men’s)
The Air Zoom Pegasus’s Cushion ST foam sole paired with the full-length Zoom Air unit will cushion your feet, taking all that nasty shock to help keep your feet pain free. The sockliner adapts to your foot for snug support and the mesh is light and airy.
Women’s
Men’s
- Synthetic, breathable mesh upper
- Cushion ST foam sole
- Full-length Zoom Air unit
- Grippy sole
Pros: excellent cushioning and support, light and breathable, good quality
Cons: Might not fit every foot
Roshe Runner (Women’s – Men’s)
The Nike Roshe running shoe is another basic shoe that’s lightweight and comfortable yet delivers performance. The phylon midsole molds to your foot to give you support and help alleviate plantar fasciitis.
Women’s
Men’s
- Synthetic, breathable mesh upper
- Phylon midsole
- Casual design
- Grippy Waffle sole
Pros: lightweight and breathable, good support
Cons: durability
Best Nike Shoes For Sweaty Feet
Free RN Flyknit (Women’s – Men’s)
Nike’s Flyknit weave is the top of the line when it comes to breathability. If you’ve got sweaty dogs, the Free RN running shoe will help keep you dry all day long. Not only that, the sole is grippy, dynamic, and flexible – perfect if you’re really active on the job.
Women’s
Men’s
- Synthetic, breathable Flyknit upper
- Injection-molded EVA foam midsole
- Grippy, flexible sole
- Natural-feeling fit
Pros: lightweight, breathable, dynamic sole
Cons: durability
Epic React Flyknit (Women’s – Men’s)
In addition to having the breezy Flyknit mesh upper, the Epic React Flyknit running shoe has a custom sole that supports all 3 stages of the gait, so your foot rolls naturally as you walk. The reactive midsole gives you full support and cushions impacts.
Women’s
Men’s
- Synthetic, breathable Flyknit upper
- 3 stage custom sole
- Great air circulation
- Grippy sole
Pros: lightweight and breathable, custom reactive sole, comfortable
Cons: durability, can take a bit to break-in
How Do Nike Shoes Fit?
How do Nikes fit? Depends on who you ask but the two most popular replies online (included Nike’s own advice) say two things about how Nike shoes fit:
1. Nikes fit true to size
2. Nikes run a little bit smaller than other running shoes
Some people have reported that Nikes can be a bit narrow for their liking. So you may want to consider a half size up or a full size if you have wide feet.
For people with wide feet, Nike offers a few designs that come in wide sizes, which we’ll provide links to below.
As always, everyone’s feet are different. Your best bet is to just try them on and see how they fit with the above responses in mind.
What Nike Shoes Are Best For Nurses?
There’s no one Nike shoe I can point to and say “It’s the best!”. There are lots of choices that are going to give you the cushioning, shock-absorption, arch and ankle support, and style you want.
What you need to answer for yourself are these questions:
How Long Will I Be On My Feet?
If you’re going to be spending a lot of time on your feet – like a 16-hour shift – you need the most cushioning and all-day support. Designs like the Reax Run series or Air Monarch, are great for long days.
How Active Do I Need To Be?
If you’re on a code team or need to run around, you may want a pair of Nikes that are a bit sportier like the Free RN, which is light and has lots of flexibility for movement.
How Much Protection Do I Need?
If you’re more at risk of getting something dropped on your toe or a liquid spill, you may want something with a leather/synthetic upper like the Air Max LTD 3.
How Much Comfort Do I Need?
The comfort aspect has already come up with the time you’ll spend on your feet, but if you have special considerations like plantar fasciitis or wide feet, you may need to go with a pair like the Air Zoom Pegasus.
These four questions will help you narrow down the choices to find the right Nike shoe for the work you’ll be doing, activity level and any special foot considerations.
Does Nike Make Anti-Slip Work Shoes?
If you’re looking for a good Nike shoe to wear for work, the obvious question is – does Nike make a work shoe?
But before we can answer that question, you’ve got to define exactly what your “work shoe” is. What you have to answer is what kind of work are you doing? Are you working on a construction site or are you in a busy kitchen setting or are you in an office?
What kind of performance do you need from your work shoe? Do you need it to have a protective steel toe or a non-slip sole? What about cushioning and support because you’re going to be on your feet all day?
Since we’re talking about the best shoes for nurses, we can narrow down a nurse’s shoe requirements to about three things:
- A non-slip sole
- Arch and ankle support
- Shock-absorbent cushioning
Nike does in fact make several boot models that are considered work boots, but they’re not really geared for work in a hospital or clinic setting. While they are great for outdoor work and tactical settings, the rugged cleated outsoles and high tops may not be the best for a 14-hour shift at the hospital.
However, that doesn’t mean that Nike doesn’t make shoes that aren’t perfect for a busy nurse who’s running around on her feet all day. In fact, almost all of Nike’s running, walking, and tennis shoes are perfect for nurses because they all meet the three criteria above of a non-slip sole, good arch and ankle support with a shock-absorbent, cushioned sole.
So really the only thing you’ll have to figure out is which style you want, and if you look down below, you’ll see 12 Nike shoe styles that are excellent for both women and men in the nursing profession.
Now let’s see about making sure you get the perfect fit for the Nike shoe you choose.
What Is The Perfect Shoe Fit?
Since most nurses and healthcare professionals choose to wear Nike running shoes, we’re going to give you the general consensus on how running shoes should properly fit. Talking about the perfect fit, we also have listed the best shoes for surgeons since footwear discomfort during a hustle in the OR.
When your Nike running shoe fits properly, it’ll feel snug in the midfoot and heel while allowing wiggle room around you toes.
When you walk, the heel and midsole should stay in place without moving around – which can cause blisters.
There should be about a thumb’s width of space between your big toe and the end of the shoe. You need to measure this while standing.
How Do I Get The Perfect Fit?
So now you know what the perfect fit is for a running shoe – how do you get that perfect fit?
What? You just try them on right? Not necessarily. There are a couple of things that you need to do to make sure you’re getting the perfect fit.
Try On Your Shoes At The End Of The Day
Your feet swell as the day goes on. That foot in your Nikes after a 14-hour shift isn’t the foot you laced the shoe up on in the morning. You should try your shoes on at the end of the day when your foot is the biggest so your shoes don’t become too tight at the end.
Wear The Socks You Wear To Work
If you wear a certain type of socks to work – especially compression socks – you need to try the shoes on with the sock you’ll be wearing on shift.
Measure For Your Large Foot
Almost everyone has one foot that’s a bit larger than the other. Measure your shoe for that foot.
Stand And Walk
Sure, seems obvious, but you should stand in your shoes and walk around a bit to see how they feel in motion. Do they feel natural or awkward?
Don’t Forget Your Orthotics Or Inserts
If you wear inserts or orthotics for something like plantar fasciitis, don’t forget to pop them in when you’re trying your shoes on.
There you have 12 great choices from Nike that are great for nursing shoes. Whether you’re on the floor, running around or just on a stroll, these shoes will keep your feet comfortable and cool with plenty of support and cushioning.
Are you a fan of Nikes for nursing shoes? We’d love to hear from you.