Unlike other surfaces, concrete has no give. This inflexibility affects the body. Standing or walking on concrete flooring every day can result in backaches, knee pain, swollen legs and sore feet. Left untreated, you may experience injuries and chronic pain.
Concrete floors are hard and they can take a toll on the body because of their inflexible surface. Standing, walking, or running for a long time on concrete can initiate or cause knee pain.
In every case, running on concrete will stress the joints the most and should be minimized in those with aggravated joint issues." Roberto Mandje, an Olympic runner and New York Road Runners head coach, agrees that when you have joint issues, it's important to run on softer surfaces when possible.
According to experts, concrete floor systems can cause everything from bunions and ingrown toenails to shin splints, lumbar strain, and achilles tendonitis. It can also lead to lower back pain, stress fractures, knee pain, and worsening of arthritis symptoms.
Walking. Walking is a low-impact activity that doesn't put too much stress on your knees and can help strengthen the muscles in that area. Start slow and try to work up to a half-hour walk three to five times a week.
1. You sit for long periods of time. If your knee hurts, you might want to stay off of it. But resting too much makes your muscles weaken and often makes knee pain worse.
Unlike other surfaces, concrete has no give. This inflexibility affects the body. Standing or walking on concrete flooring every day can result in backaches, knee pain, swollen legs and sore feet. Left untreated, you may experience injuries and chronic pain.
Concrete typically takes 24 to 48 hours to dry enough for you to walk or drive on it. However, concrete drying is a continuous and fluid event, and usually reaches its full effective strength after about 28 days.
If you drive, walk, or park on your new concrete any sooner than the recommended time, here's what may happen: It may crack. You may leave tire tracks or footprints in the concrete, which could also ruin your shoes. The joints may break.
Depending on the level of exposure, effects may range from redness to chemical burns and blindness. Inhaling high levels of dust may occur when workers empty bags of cement. In the short term, such exposure irritates the nose and throat and causes choking and difficult breathing.
What are the risks? In the short term, exposure to high levels of cement dust irritates the nose and throat. Longer term exposure could lead to occupational asthma. Mortar can also contain respirable crystalline silica (RCS).
A cemented knee replacement requires the use of fast-drying cement for the prosthetic components to adhere to the natural bone. Since this kind of cement dries quickly, the surgeon can be confident that the prosthetic was properly implanted.
If you have fallen and hurt your knee, the first course of treatment should be RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. For the best shot at a full recovery, it's extremely important to seek professional medical care as soon as you can.
These include shifting your weight from foot to foot, standing with one foot in front of the other instead of side by side, or placing one foot on a small stool while standing. Rubber mats can also help if you can install them. Proper fitting, supportive shoes and moisture-wicking socks are also extremely important.
Health effects
Hard concrete floors are about the worst possible surface to stand on for most or all of a work day. Two hours of standing on the job is not associated with problems, but a longer period is likely to have detrimental effects, according to a Swiss researcher.
Persons with insensate feet should avoid walking barefoot on hard surfaces to avoid excessive plantar pressures. Wearing shoes and covering hard floors with nonslip, padded rugs may decrease plantar pressures and the risk of ulceration.
If you run, hard surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt, force you to absorb a lot of impact. This compresses the vertebrae in your spine, which might cause irritation of the sciatic nerve.
While it may seem normal to have leg fatigue, swelling, and discomfort after standing all day, your body could be alerting you to the risk of venous disease. This can lead to lymphedema (chronic leg swelling), bulging varicose veins, and even blood clots.
The most common cause of knee pain can hit you in your 30s as easily as it can in your 60s and 70s. Orthopaedic surgeon Robert Nickodem Jr., MD says osteoarthritis, or “wear-and-tear arthritis,” is the most common cause of knee pain – and the most common form of arthritis.
Have marked knee swelling. Are unable to fully extend or flex your knee. See an obvious deformity in your leg or knee. Have a fever, in addition to redness, pain and swelling in your knee.