More than most other aches and pains, back pain has a way of detracting from every aspect of our daily lives. For some people, it can be the result of an injury, for others age or even excess weight can be the culprit. However, another source of that mysterious pain in your back, knees and feet can be the flooring in your home.
Certain types of flooring are much more demanding on your body’s joints and bones, due to their overall hardness. When a floor is very hard it lacks give, causing the impact of every step and the wear of prolonged periods of standing be to be jarring to joints and bones. Harder flooring options like concrete, stone, and certain hardwoods can cause pain in some people when stood upon or walked across for a length of time.
Comfortable Flooring Alternatives
As beautiful as many of these harder floors may be, if they are reducing your comfort at home or even damaging your body, they simply aren’t worth the pain. If you or another family member are experiencing back pain or other pain due to the hardness of your floors, then it may be time to consider a softer alternative.
Here are a few different flooring types to consider:
Carpet
While carpeting has fallen sharply out of fashion with many homeowners, it still remains that most comfortable option for anyone who suffers from back, leg or foot pain. If you’re considering carpet, keep maintenance at a minimum by opting for a level loop carpet. This style offers fewer places for dirt to hide, making it much easier to clean than some others.
Laminate
Laminate flooring is softer under foot and resistant to moisture. This makes it a great option for use in finished basements
Cork
Sustainable, eco-friendly cork offers a beautifully, yet softer hardwood alternative. It is anti-microbial, sound-absorbing and requires little maintenance. However, beware that it tends not to be very resistant to staining.
Bamboo
Like cork, bamboo is a soft and sustainable alternative to hardwood flooring. Bamboo is durable enough to withstand high traffic and is more stain-resistant than cork.
Making Hard Floors Work
Pain or no pain, the truth is that many people love the look of these harder flooring options. To reduce back pain when standing in the kitchen or any other space where extended standing occurs frequently add strategically placed anti-fatigue mats to cushion that impact.
These mats are soft, cushioned and have been reported to reduce leg and back strain by as much as 55%.
To learn more about he different types of flooring that may work best for your back and your sense of style, be sure to connect with one of the flooring experts listed here on eieihome.com.
