When you have a job like I do where you stand or walk on hard concrete floors for long hours, you will most definitely need extra help from your footwear.
Standing or walking for extended periods of time, in general, can take its toll on your feet, but standing or walking on concrete floors for many hours can be excruciating.
Walking on concrete all day can inadvertently cause harm to your feet and lower limbs if you do not wear the right footwear.
Dangers of Walking on Concrete and Hard Surfaces
Concrete is an unyielding surface that is very uncomfortable to walk on. Walking on concrete floors for lengthy periods of time can cause serious foot problems that may lead to injuries and chronic conditions affecting your feet. Lower limbs, hips, and back.
When you wear the wrong shoes on concrete floors, especially hard shoes the plantar fascia or band of tissue running from your heel bone to the ball of your foot can tear and stiffen, causing foot pain and a condition called Plantar Fascitis.
Walking especially on hard floor surfaces can further injury and cause pain to an already injured back as well as overwork the ligaments around the spine causing pain and discomfort.
Excessive walking on hard and uneven surfaces can overwork your shins causing pain and damage to the tissue and muscles.
Every time your foot strikes the ground there is an impact on your knees, on a hard concrete floor this impact is much worse. With the constant impact on your knees, your kneecap may start to rub against the bone connecting your knee to your hip causing cartilage damage and eventually tendinitis.
What to look for in a Shoe for Walking on Concrete
Walking on concrete for long periods of time, or any other hard floor surface, can take its toll on your feet, ankles, knees, and back. This is because of the impact on your feet and joints which eventually causes pain and damage.
A good shoe with ample cushioning and excellent shock absorbency or impact resistant features is what you should be looking at with this regard. Many work shoes and boots with orthopedic features, Orthopedic shoes, and Athletic walking or running shoes, will provide you with the best impact protection and cushioning.
Therefore I would personally recommend that you consider either an Orthopedic Work Shoe or Athletic Shoe, for walking on a hard floor surface all day.
Features of a Good Shoe for Walking on Concrete
These are the best features in a shoe for walking or standing on concrete or hard floor surfaces;
- Supportive arch system.
- Shock absorbency is vital to reduce the impact on your knees, feet and ankles.
- Spreading shocks evenly and distribute weight impact.
- Midsole need to be well cushioned.
- Opt for a shoe with a slightly rounded outsole.
- Front part of the shoe need to be more rigid.
- Good ankle support and stability.
Reviews: The Best Walking Shoes for Concrete Floors
Here are a few of the best options for walking shoes specially designed for hard and concrete floor surfaces;
The Asics Gel Cumulus 20 is an excellent running and walking shoe that will protect you from shock on hard and concrete floor surfaces.
Top Features:
- Synthetic uppers that are lightweight and breathable.
- A shock absorbing rubber outsole that ensures a good grip.
- An impact guide system which aids in improving the foot’s natural gait cycle during heel strike and toe-off.
- Fluid Ride technology that enhances bounce back, adds cushioning and shock-absorbing.
- Rearfoot and Forefoot gel that cushions and eliminates shock allowing for better movement on multiple planes.
- A vertical flex groove enhances gait efficiency.
1 Athletic Walking Shoes
The New Balance 1540V3 is available in wider widths for more toe room and provides lateral and medial rearfoot stability for better motion control suitable for those who have flat feet.
Top Features:
- Flexible and lightweight synthetic uppers with breathable mesh panels.
- Dual-density foam collar ensuring the most comfortable fit.
- A 10mm heel to toe drop for improved stability and motion giving you better traction and fewer injuries.
- The ROLLBAR technology provides excellent motion control and lateral and medial stability.
- No-Sew application means less irritation and chafing and more comfort.
- Available in wider widths and larger sizes to accommodate any foot type.
- A durable synthetic sole that offers exceptional traction on hard floor surfaces.
2 Athletic Walking Shoes for Flat Feet
The Asics Gel Contend is a great walking shoe with all the characteristics and support features that you may require for excessive walking on hard and concrete floor surfaces.
Top Features:
- A foam padded tongue and collar for a comfortable and snug fit.
- Breathable mesh lining to keep your feet dry and fresh.
- Rearfoot and front foot Gel cushioning to attenuate shock during the impact and toe-off phases allowing movement on multiple plains.
- High Abrasion Rubber Outsole and high-wear areas for durability on rougher concrete.
- The uppers are made from high-quality synthetic materials.
- Available in different color designs.surfaces.
3 Athletic Shoes for Concrete Floors
The Dansko Patti and Dansko Wynn are a good looking and comfortable shoe that is perfect for the outdoors and any activities or outings on hard concrete floors.
Top Features:
- Manufactured from seam sealed, stain resistant and waterproof leather.
- An added waterproof membrane for added breathability and protection against all weather conditions.
- Double goring and a contoured footbed that provides full support.
- A Vibram rubber outsole for enhanced durability and performance.
- Excellent arch support and great all-day comfort.
- A comfortable removable insole.
4 Slip On Walking Shoes
If you are working in a professional environment or just simply require a fancy pair of dress shoes that can withstand walking on a hardened concrete floor for many hours, then the Allegria Emma and Allegria Liam is the right shoe for you. Both an attractive and comfortable shoe that is slip resistant and durable.
Top Features:
- A removable contoured cork and polyurethane memory foam footbed, for superior comfort and support as well as shock absorption.
- The rigid mini rocker sole will help to protect your feet from injuries by distributing pressure away from the metatarsal bones.
- Excellent Arch support.
- Cushioning that will aid in preventing foot, ankle, and hip joint pain.
- The footbed is removable so that you can use your own orthotics.
- A slip resistant, durable outsole.
5 Dress Walking Shoes
Clarks are well known for their comfortable and supportive footwear. The Clarks Concert Jazz and Clarks Cotrell Step are an elegant and stylish pair of shoes that can be worn on any hard or concrete surface.
Top Features:
- Sturdy and flexible non-marking rubber outsole for optimal stability and better traction on all surface types.
- Ortholite and memory foam insole provides shock absorption, which is an added advantage if your work on concrete floors.
- Extra arch and heel support decrease muscle stress, eliminating foot and Achilles pain.
- Breathable leather lining provides proper ventilation and maximum moisture control.
- This is an extra light shoe that will reduce foot fatigue.
6 Dress Shoes for Walking on Concrete
FitFlops are biomechanically engineered to be superbly comfortable and to provide the best-cushioned support, in order to reduce stress and strain on your feet and lower limbs.
Top Features:
- Soft and comfortable leather uppers that are padded in the Freeway model.
- The key technology is the microwobbleboard in the midsole that is Super cushioned and pressure diffusing.
- A thick, treaded rubber outsole also enhances shock absorption and ensures excellent traction and slip resistance.
- Proudly sports the APMA seal of acceptance.
7 Slide Sandals for Hard Floor Surfaces
Clarks manufacture some of the best quality and most comfortable shoes. These chosen dress shoes are ideal for walking on hard concrete floors as they offer good cushioning and support to soften the blow.
Top Features:
- Soft and comfortable Orthalite footbed that provides good shock absorption.
- The leather uppers are soft, breathable and flexible.
- The outsole is durable and non-marking.
- Lined with soft textile material.
- Comfortable fit in a high-quality shoe.
8 Ortholite Footbed Dress Shoes
Wolverine is one of the top brands when it comes to work boots, these two models are ideal for working on hard floor surfaces, they also do not have a steel toe, so they are much more lightweight.
Top Features:
- Soft and comfortable leather uppers that are tough and durable enough for hard working environments.
- The insole is well cushioned and provides ample support reducing foot fatigue.
- A durable and hard wearing rubber outsole that is slip resistant, and thick enough to absorb shock on impact.
- Easy lacing system with durable hardware.
- The tongue and collar are also padded for a snug and comfortable fit.
9 Work Boot for Hard Floor Surfaces
The Orthofeet Sandy and Sprint are athletic Walking shoes, in a comfortable and sleek sneaker style which will provide you all the support and cushioning for Walking on hard concrete floors.
Top Features:
- Ideal for Heel Pain and Plantar Fasciitis symptom relief.
- Anatomical arch support and a premium orthotic insole.
- A Lightweight sole with Air Cushioning for shock absorbency and support.
- Bio-mechanical engineering to alleviate stress on ankle and knee joints automatically.
- High traction thick and durable outsole.
- Lightweight breathable mesh uppers to keep your feet cool and comfortable.
10 Cushioned Sneakers for Hard Floors
These comfortable Athletic Shoes will ensure you the best Gel cushioned support, and a perfect fit for all foot shapes and sizes.
Top Features:
- Leather and mesh uppers for lightweight breathability, with a Bungee Lacing system.
- A Dr.Comfort GEL insert that ensures excellent cushioning and shock absorbency.
- Lightweight with a thick rubber sole that is durable and offers good traction.
- Available in wider widths and larger sizes for all feet.
11 Therapeutic Hard Floor Athletic Shoes
Training and Running Shoes for Walking and Standing on Concrete
The best shoe types that I like to use to stand or walk on hard floor surfaces or concrete for long periods of time are training and running shoes.
Training and running shoes are designed with unique features to accommodate and correct over, under and neutral pronation as well as consider all different types of arch shapes and patterns.
Running and training shoes are designed with the specific aim to absorb the impact that is repeated through walking or running cycle.
Because walking on concrete transfers more energy back to the feet than other softer surfaces a shoe that properly supports my unique foot shape, as well as walking style, will help to reduce foot fatigue and prevent injuries.
By looking at the wear pattern on my shoe, I established my typical walking pattern, wear concentrated on the outer edges signifies an under pronation while wearing on the heel and forefoot overpronation, in my case.
Underpronators need protection against knee injuries while us overpronators need freedom from heel spurs and stress fractures. When there is even wear on the tread of a shoe, it implies a neutral pronator that just needs a stable shoe to maintain normal arches.
I find that an athletic shoe has the ability to fit a walkers stride and foot shape with individualized cushion patterns to reduce the risk of knee and foot pain as well as other health conditions when walking or standing on concrete.
Some athletic shoes also feature an anatomical footbed and cushioning that helps to align the feet into a neutral position reducing stress on the joints. Cushioning in running and training shoe pads the foot when it strikes the ground to absorb impact.
Thus to me, running and training shoes provide the best comfort and protection against the harm and pain caused by standing and walking on concrete.
Index Table: Best Shoes for Walking on Concrete
| No. | Shoe | Men | Women | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asics - Athletic Walking Shoes |
|
|
Asics | 90 |
| 2 | New Balance - Athletic Walking Shoes for Flat Feet |
|
|
New Balance | 90 |
| 3 | Asics - Athletic Shoes for Concrete Floors |
|
|
Asics | 90 |
| 4 | Dansko - Slip On Walking Shoes |
|
|
Dansko | 90 |
| 5 | Allegria - Dress Walking Shoes |
|
|
Allegria | 90 |
| 6 | Clarks - Dress Shoes for Walking on Concrete |
|
|
Clarks | 72 |
| 7 | FitFlop - Slide Sandals for Hard Floor Surfaces |
|
|
FitFlop | 90 |
| 8 | Clarks - Ortholite Footbed Dress Shoes |
|
|
Clarks | 90 |
| 9 | Wolverine - Work Boot for Hard Floor Surfaces |
|
|
Wolverine | 72 |
| 10 | Orthofeet - Cushioned Sneakers for Hard Floors |
|
|
Orthofeet | 82 |
| 11 | Dr. Comfort - Therapeutic Hard Floor Athletic Shoes |
|
|
Dr. Comfort | 88 |
1 Comment
by tiwilightshoes
Yes I need a suggestion for best ever shoes for Walking on Concrete.