Does walking on concrete hurt your knees? It is the question that bothers many walkers. If the floor is concrete where you mostly walk, you have to be very careful about your feet and knees. To avoid joint pain and arthritis, it is a fact that the waking surface matters. While you typically do not have many options for what kind of surface to walk on, taking care of your feet, lower body, and knees is somewhat in your control.
Does walking on concrete hurt your knees?
Most people usually walk on concrete or hard in-door walking surfaces such as marble or wood flooring. Concrete is the hardest walking surface; it’s the toughest on your joints to walk on. But it is hard to avoid walking on surfaces made out of concrete or asphalt. Concrete is not bad for all your body parts; it can be good for the Achilles tendon. Most concrete surfaces have a good grip, so there is no fear of tripping over. Likewise, it does not provide a bounce to your body when your feet strike on them.
Precautions for Knees for Walking on the Concrete Floor
Walking regularizes your blood sugar level and helps to shed extra weight. It presses pressure points under your feet to stimulate circulation throughout the body. Walking is the most effective exercise for all body types but could be bad for your feet and knees if walking on the concrete floor.
If you do not wear supportive shoes, your foot’s ligaments can face a lot of wear and tear and can be severely damaged. It can also cause plantar fasciitis. Walking on hard surfaces like concrete floors can cause your soles and heels to pain because they do not harbor good shock absorbency. So, the bones become weak or fracture as they cannot hold the impact of hard floors.
Read More: Best Shoes for Walking on Concrete
How Concrete Floor Worsen the Joint Pain
Running or standing on a concrete floor can directly hurt your knees as it can cause further implications of osteoarthritis. Standing for a long time on a concrete floor can exacerbate knee pain due to its inflexibility. The concrete floor does not absorb the pressure and reflects energy into your body with every step.
Softer surfaces put a relatively lower impact on your knees, but they do not provide good footing. Harder surfaces contribute to injuries such as bunions, hammertoes, blisters on the toe, and arch pain, and their implications remain long-term. Roads of cement do not provide proper cushioning as they are hard surfaces. The least you can do for yourself is opt for better shoes with ergonomics.
Softer surfaces give proper cushioning to your feet and relax your joints. Most of the sidewalks are made up of concrete, and it does not provide any relief to your back. Walking on the concrete floor for a long period softens your calves, and it can get from mild to severe in the future.
You will most likely develop lower-leg pain while working on concrete floors every day. Your muscles will become sore with time, and your knee will not remain intact enough to endure any further impact because living on concrete can cause muscle strain, and the pain can become severe over time.
Read More: Best Shoes for walking on Concrete for Men
Concrete Can Cause Shin Splints Pain
does walking hurt your knee. When you walk too much on the concrete floor, a fracture can happen and impact your knees and feet. The concrete floor can worsen your shin splints pain, impacting your tendons, muscles, or bone tissue. Women are more likely to get influenced by such conditions due to working on concrete. So they need extra care while living on it.
Dirt And Grass Surfaces vs. Concrete Surfaces
Dirt surfaces are much better for your knees, back, and joints as they are softer than concrete. A dry grass surface is very comfortable for people with arthritis to walk on. Walking on a flat surface can boost your mind and mood, even for a long period. You can walk on it easily but must take care of yourself while going to dirt surfaces, especially when the grass is wet.
If you are injured and already have ankle sprained, you should not take the risk of walking on even surfaces such as grass surfaces, as they are mostly uneven and haphazard. There is more chance of tripping over haphazard places, but on the concrete floor, you can walk confidently. Concrete floors and dirt floors have pros and cons, but it is up to you how you take care of yourself when walking on them.
Conclusion
Does walking on concrete hurt your knee is a question that disturbs the people who walk on hard floors frequently. While waking on the softer surface can do a little good as they’re made with a relatively softer material than concrete, such surfaces are better for walking as they are suitable for the knees and feet. But walking on concrete is often an unwanted option for many people, so they have to take some preventive measures to avoid knee pain.