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We have always worn shoes and sometimes not, but going shoeless on a concrete floor has never been our thing, right?
There are many fallacies related to walking barefoot on concrete — however, knowing the benefits and disadvantages can help you make a proper decision.
So keep scrolling, as we have mentioned, all the things you need to know before you take off your shoes and plunge outside barefoot.
What’s with the Hype of Going Shoeless?
As we all know, shoes are our partners for going from point A to B.
They provide all the necessary solace that you need to roam free without worrying.
In fact, they even provide confidence to walk in public and even show off a little bit (XD, just kidding).
Also, they protect our feet from bruises, accidents, germs, cuts, and parasites that hide in the concrete surfaces. Loom is a great pair of shoes if you are looking for Best Shoes Standing Concrete All Day. Made with vegan material, these are waterproof, lightweight and flexible to give enough support to your feet. You definitely want to check out to these out!
However, shoes are not all perfect, all good; they can sometimes limit your mobility, strength, and flexibility. In some cases, they can also cause hammertoes, flexible flat foot, bunions, and Morton’s neuroma.
That said, walking barefoot can improve your feet’s motion and natural gait. It can also lower the force of the collision between the ground and your lower leg. Moreover, it can quickly reduce the chances of heel strikes.
We don’t want you to have the wrong perception of shoes, but using them for prolonged periods — like 12 hours per day, is rather unhealthy.
Apart from walking on concrete is good or bad — you be the judge. However, if you don’t want to go shoeless, make sure you have good shoes for walking on concrete.
Merits of Walking Barefoot on Concrete
Now, this might seem counterintuitive but going shoeless on a concrete ground has certain advantages. For starters, it helps to improve your posture and natural gait. If you go shoeless on a concrete ground for 30 minutes every week, it can help enhance your gait and strengthen your natural walking experience.
Improves Blood Circulation
Since shoes restrict feet’ motion and the freedom to rotate, bend, or flex. Going shoeless on the concrete ground allows you to move your feet in three dimensions.
Resulting in a serious workout. So the more you walk barefoot, the stronger your feet get. And thus, your blood flow increases and improves. And we all know the benefits of improved blood flow.
Freedom of Walking
Now, this is not exactly a benefit, but you will actually feel less constrained and restricted. Walking barefoot on concrete will provide you all the real freedom of walking, and along the way, you will enjoy it.
Eventually, it will become a second habit, and naturally, you will pick up your walking style trail, and going shoeless will be natural. You also get to feel the fantastic texture of ground that you would not otherwise.
Enhances Your Nervous System
Seems implausible, right? However, when you walk barefoot on the concrete ground, you experience stimulation in your feet’ pressure point.
Not only is the feeling fulfilling and tremendous, but it also elicits your veins and nerves, in turn helping to improve your nervous system.
This explains why going shoeless reduces foot pain, prompted by varicose veins, especially in people with diabetes.
Reduces Chronic Pain
Every time you walk shoeless on the concrete ground, some electrons are absorbed by our body which can enrich our immune system. Also, it aids in increasing oxygen levels, which go a long way to reduce chronic and acute knee pain.
Demerits of Going Shoeless on Concrete
Enough of accentuating positives. We don’t want you to think that walking barefoot will benefit you every time. Knowing these drawbacks is imperative — especially if you are looking to go barefoot right away.
Discomfort
One of the prominent disadvantages of going shoeless on a concrete ground is the discomfort that comes with it, especially if it is your first time.
A concrete floor is around five times harder than asphalt, and it can put a lot of pressure on your knees. This can increase the risk of injuries.
Prone to Injuries
Unfortunately, our streets are not clean and clear, so it is not safe to walk without footwear.
You can easily spot nails, broken pieces, bottle tops, and so forth things along the way. These objects can cut through your skin and thus prove to be dangerous.
Embarrassment
It happens to people a ton of times, and when someone notices that you are without shoes on the street with decent attire, they might shout or sneer at you. It will make you feel embarrassed.
And in our view, the harassment can be very vexatious.
So What’s it going to be? Can we walk on concrete or not?
Well, there is anything but a right or wrong answer.
Rather, it depends on the nature of the ground you tend to walk and how well you can grasp the trail.
If the ground has more sharp objects or is simply untidy, going shoeless doesn’t make sense.
On the contrary, if you have a good idea of your trail and look out for where you step — going shoeless is not worrying.
However, we would like to mention a caveat — don’t make walking barefoot a habit.
We would instead have you go barefoot occasionally to reap the health benefits.
Cause if you ask us, the last thing you would want is to appear as some who lives in the stone age.
Wrapping Up
Going shoeless on concrete is like a double edge sword. It has its pros and cons, and now you are very well aware of both sides.
This is an exercise and requires some discipline to do it, and moderation is the key.
Walking 15 to 20 minutes daily can help you enjoy all the health benefits we have just discussed.
We will take our leave, if you have any doubts — you know what to do.