It can be a tough search when finding the best shoes for walking on concrete, especially if you have arthritis too. Concrete can be harsh on the joints. If you are standing for most of the day whether its for work or other activities, taking care of your feet is very important. If you find the right shoes, your joints will love you for it. They may even reward you with arthritis pain relief!
If you are walking on concrete, according to ResinDEK..
“Essentially, working on concrete is the equivalent of adding an extra 12 pounds to your body, while working on bar grate adds an extra 18 pounds to your body.“
That is crazy! One of the ways to negate these negative effects is to find a good pair of shoes to help absorb some of the shock.
If you have osteoarthritis, your joints may already be irritated so adding walking on concrete to the mix can lead to more irritation. Concrete can actually lead to increased stiffness as well especially if you are standing for longer periods of time without rest breaks.
Along with the best shoes for walking on concrete, you can also decrease inflammation in other ways to decrease the level of irritation in your joints. Here are 15 simple ways you can reduce inflammation related to arthritis pain.
✨What are the best shoes for walking on concrete?✨
If you spend lots of time on concrete whether its walking in the neighborhood for pleasure, working, or living with hard concrete floors in your home, you need a great pair of shoes. Not only do you need a great pair of shoes but you also need to make sure you replace your shoes at least every 6-12 months depending on your mileage.
Luckily there is one brand of shoes that have become superior to other brands when it comes to showing your feet some love. Not only do they use technology that helps to improve absorption of forces starting at providing optimal support for your heel!
These shoes can help to reduce foot arthritis pain as well as plantar fasciitis and other foot conditions. Along with the right type of shoes, if you have ankle or foot osteoarthritis, you should absolutely try these exercises here for more relief!
Are you ready for these shoes?! 😱
I have two pairs and I love them. After trying the Atom and the Chicane, I highly recommend KURU Footwear to take care of your feet. Starting with healthy heels, you can experience more cushion and more support while walking on concrete.
Concrete and osteoarthritis paired together, require the highest quality of shoes in order to make sure your joints don’t continue to become irritated.
As a physical therapist, I have met many clients, especially those who are teachers who spend lots of time on their feet during the day who also have arthritis. Standing on hard surfaces can flare up knee, hip, and spine osteoarthritis, making it harder to get through the day.
Kuru Footwear is a shoe that I recommend to many of my clients to try in order to take care of their arthritic joints.
How to tackle walking on concrete
If you are looking for the best shoes for walking on concrete, odds are you are having difficulty right now. You are not alone!
Shoes can be a great start but it’s not the only way. Building strength and improving your balance are two secret weapons you can use when it comes to improving confidence when walking on hard surfaces. Your arthritic joints will love you for it too!
So, where should you start? Glad you asked! 😁
You can begin to focus on two things:
1. Add variety to your movement. When standing or walking on concrete, you are typically stressing the same parts of your joints in your lower body-commonly knees and hips affected by arthritis. If you continue to walk for exercise, you could be actually contributing to the irritation! Watch this video below to learn more.
2. Improving your balance. The better you are with your balance, the more efficient your muscles are. They are working together as a team to keep you upright. When balance feels off, that means that some muscles are working harder than others. They may be overworked which can lead to more pain and irritation. Improving your balance helps to bring the team back together!
If you would like to know the 5 best exercises to get started with, check out this post here.
Conclusion
If you want to know the best ways to walk on concrete while being nice to your joints, investing in a pair of shoes is one of your number one priorities. While you’re waiting for them to come in, adding variety to your routine and improving your balance can help you to tackle concrete without more joint pain!
If you have osteoarthritis and want to have hope to regain adventures like hiking, running, biking, and more, come join our free private facebook community! Head here to join a community of like minded people who are motivated and encouraged to adventure despite osteoarthritis. Join HERE.
Alyssa Kuhn
Disclaimer: This post is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prescription or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Kuhn and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Move Well Age Well, LLC and Dr. Alyssa Kuhn, PT, DPT are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any conclusions drawn, services or product you obtain through this video or site.
If you are looking to regain your active life but are unsure where to start, join the revolutionary membership, Adventurers for Life. This is a step-by-step path that not only will help you find pain relief but will help you unlock adventure. You’ll get workouts, tests to pass to make sure you are on the right track, community events and MORE.
