What is the subfloor like? Was it re-inforced to support the tile?

If the floor was rigid enough to support tile, it doesn't seem at all likely to me that the vinyl was providing enough cushion to make it any easier on your body.

A lot of posters here report foot/leg/back issues on tile floors, so it isn't impossible. But when I hear that half an inch of maple or an eighth of an inch of linoleum cleared up the whole issue, I'm a little dubious. I know some folks who can spend the whole day at the mall [cement slab, with various flooring on top] without issue, but can't spend an hour in the kitchen fixing dinner without discomfort...

I've never personally experienced leg pain from a tile floor [I'm your age, a skier and cyclist], but if I did, I'd sure seek out a couple of the Gel mats that have been mentioned by posters here, put them in front of the range, sink, etc.

do you go barefoot in the house - specifically on those floors? If so, that could be the cause. Try wearing whatever supportive shoes you have for a while in the house and see if things get better. I know a lot of people who have a "no shoes in house" policy yet keep flip-flops or something for just inside while walking on their tile.

Oh yes, barefoot most of the time. The house is built on a very thick concrete slab from the late 1940's and the tile was placed on top of the vinyl because it was almost impossible to remove it thanks to however the other owners installed it.

I'm dubious because you are right, the vinyl could not have been that cushioning.

I'll try good shoes and monitor the pain. A trip to the doctor couldn't hurt at this point/age.

Thanks.

While I doubt that they are causing your shin splints, tile floors can be hard to stand on at length. If you don't mind the looks of them, many cooks supply stores sell comfort mats that will give you a lot of cush. I don't care for their appearance, however, and have found another alternative. Homedecorators.com sells cotton chenille rugs that look nice and do a pretty good job of easing the stress. They stand up to many washings and puff up a good deal in the dryer, so they're supersoft and cushy when you take them out. The dyes in them do run a little, so you should wash them separately, and they shed a LOT of lint in the dryer, so you should empty the lint filter halfway through and then again when they're finished.

HTH!

Definitely find a something to wear on your feet in the house, it will make a difference on the tile......

There ARE a small number of people who will experience either leg or lower back pain as a result of standing on hard surfaced flooring, and that would include tile. Your best bet is before you decide what flooring you want to use, go to the mall. If it hurts your back or your legs to walk thru the mall for any length of time, it might be a good idea either to use a "softer" flooring, or maybe put down small throw rugs where you might stand for extended periods of time, such as in front of the sink, or stove.

Yes, throw rugs too. Dummy here bought two from Lowe's that were a rayon so I couldn't throw them in the washer so now I've removed them and am looking for replacements. Real smart huh? I'll try Homedecorators.com. Thanks!

Walking and shopping the mall never caused me problems, but then, I wore shoes.

Walking for days on end in Italy last Feb didn't cause me problems either. Up and down staircases, cobblestone streets. Maybe I should go back and strengthen those leg muscles again! On my way to the gelatto stand . . .

LOL, I'd much rather be anywhere in Italy than finishing this PITA kitchen!! LOL

Try wearing crocs around the kitchen. It's incredible, isn't it?

We live in the Northwest but bought a second home in the Phoenix area two years ago. New construction with a tile floor. We are only there a couple times a year, but the first time we spent a few weeks there, my legs ached like I couldn't believe. My husband said his did too. I wondered if it could be the tile floor, as that's all I could think of. Finally I asked the neighbor behind us, who also had tile floors and who had recently moved there from Iowa. He said "For the first three months my legs ached SO bad, then I finally decided to wear flipflops in the house and that solved that problem." (He is mid-fifties and a retired UPS delivery man, in great shape and used to running up and down stairs and always on the go. So I bought some really comfortable sort of wool clog things and I have had no more trouble.

It may not bother everyone but it certainly bothered us, which is one reason I didn't choose to have it put in our Seattle house with this remodel. I do love the look of it though...and for all I know, we may just be big weenies! :)

My tile floor has been installed for two weeks and I've noticed leg pain as well. Like you, I am a very active person--running & walking every day for decades. I've noticed that the cement floors at Costco bother me as well if I'm only wearing flip-flops which is what I've been wearing at home. I'm going to have to break down and get some new ones--the kind with the arch built in. Mine are a couple of years old and pretty broken down. If that doesn't help, I'm thinking about earth shoes for around the house because my pain is in my calf. I bought latex-backed throw rugs today and am going to order a gel mat for the sink area.

I'm sorry to say this abmatt, but I was a runner for 20 years and started getting injuries right before I turned 50 and we have wood floors throughout the house. I haven't been able to run for almost 2 years and I really miss it. Though tile is harder on the feet and back than wood or vinyl, I really don't think that's what is causing your injuries. I know several other runners who have had similar experiences as they've aged. It just comes with the territory, I guess.

FWIW, flipflops are not the answer. You need a shoe with some support in it. Flipflops alone can cause leg trouble, quite aside from tile. Ask any orthopedist.

In FL where I am, tile is pretty prevalent, and it seems that while it definitely exacerbates existing problems, I know very few people who develop trouble from it who don't already have something going on.

My friend told me this very thing happened to her when she went from hardwood to tile. She went back to hardwood again and no leg pain. She was the main reason I didn't do tile in my kitchen even though I really wanted it for that old world look against dark cabinets. So I'd say, yes, there's something to the hardness of tile and leg/back pain.

Cheril27 I have a strong suspicion that you've hit the nail on the head. While I think a good supportive shoe indoors is a good next step, I'm going to seek a doctor's advice to make sure I avoid further injury. My less than athletic older sister has peripheal (sp) artery disease with leg pain being one symptom. I shouldn't be smug and complacent, I should check this out.

Thanks everyone!

My SIL put in tile about 4 yrs. ago and would rip them out in a heart beat because of the leg pain she has. She has a closet full of flipflops, tennis shoes and slippers that just didn't help. Recently she bought a pair of Crocs (the real thing) and those help, but she hates that she now has to wear shoes in the house. Also, my sister put tile in her new house even though I told her many times that her leg pain would be worse. Now she is going to the doctor for pain in her feet and legs. I asked her when this pain started and she said about 6 months ago... they moved in before Christmas. She spent so much time agonizing about the tile (color, size, price etc...) that I don't think she will admit it could be the tile.

Speaking as someone who has both knee and back problems, and thus a lot of trouble with concrete and tile flooring, I find that WALKING in stores is noticeably easier than STANDING on such flooring. For me at least, I very seldom go to a store and stand in one spot for 20-40 minutes at a time. But I do this in the kitchen quite often! So I put in a flooring that is doubly-cushioned and also very quiet, as our kitchen is right above our master bedroom.

It's a good idea to get checked out if you have a family medical history that indicates a potential problem, but I can recommend the gel mats if you go that route. They're very comfortable. I got one for my husband because he does his hobby work in the garage, and he really likes it.

I second your thought of getting a thorough check-up. "Shin splints" are an overuse syndrome of the muscles that help you pull your toes/forefoot up as your leg swings forward in a step. "Overuse" varies person to person, depending on age, flexibility, not warming up before exercise, walking on hilly terrain or an angled treadmill when you've mainly walked/ran on flat terrain, etc. Peripheral artery disease often causes symptoms of "heavy" legs or cramps in the calves from walking. So, take those achy legs of yours to the doctor. PS: Echoing an above comment, orthopedic MDs and podiatrists both frown upon flip-flops and high heels. Good luck and feel better!

It's probably the tile. Wear supporative shoes (NOT FLIP Flops OR SLIPPERS!) in the house all the time for a couple of weeks, if you see improvement it's the tile. Yes we do have problems as we get older, and runners are known to exceed their limits, it dosen't sound like that's the case with you. Another problem we see with people that put in tile floors is plantar fascitis, which is heel and arch pain, especially when getting out of bed in the morning or up from a chair after sitting a bit. Try wearing your good running shoes in the house, if you see improvement it's the floors. Either replace the floors with a more forgiving material or get gel mats in areas where you stand and always continue to wear good shoes in the house.

Hard floors like concrete or tile are definitely harder on the legs and back. I know this from working on my feet for years. Agree with those who recommended shoes with great support. While they're expensive, I've found custom orthotics to be a great help. It's absolutely a great idea to see the doctor and I have a further suggestion: before you go to see the doctor, pay attention to your posture and how you are standing and working. Especially if this is due partly to early injuries or wear and tear, ask the doctor how good (efficient and easy on your joints) your posture is if there are ways of standing and working that would be easier on your legs. If they don't know, get advice from a from a specialist who does. Sometimes, small changes in everyday physical mechanics can make a huge difference - it did for me. Best wishes!

Boy, I dunno... I'd have to respectfully disagree on the 'supportive shoes' thing: its the equivalent of putting your feet in plaster casts, which leads to all sorts of problems, like muscle atrophy and neuropathy.

I'd definetly start with good mats in the standing zones, and go from there if need be.

I just hate my tile floor and always try to warn people away from them. I am older than you and my knees and hips start to ache when I am cooking for any length of time. My legs just feel generally tired after standing for awhile on that friggin' floor.

I always wear shoes with thick bouncy soles when cooking. I have some slip-on sneaks as well as some sandals with cushy soles.

I hate the floors for even more reasons than pain in my legs. I hate the grout that has cracked and looks crummy. I hate that anything I drop shatters to smithereens. I hate that the tips of my knives have broken off from being dropped. I hate that the floors are freezing cold in winter.

Mats are ugly and carpets get so dirty so quickly. After spending many thousands of dollars on a kitchen, I wish I did not have to resort to that.

With so many wonderful flooring choices out there, it boggles my mind that anyone gets tile.

Sorry I couldn't find this in time to include it in my above post, but its worth reading for those experiencing knee pain.

In a nut shell, everything we *think* we know about caring for our joints may be wrong. As a horseman, I'm not in the least surprised. We've known for years that a track or showring where the footing is too 'deep' tends to break horses down much faster than somewhat firmer surfaces. Looks like the same may apply to humans...

Here is a link that might be useful: Shock-Absorbing Shoes: Bad For Knees?

Yes, I found this thread searching answers for my foot pain, I too have Tile everywhere but the living room, carpet there.

When I walk on the tile now, it feels like I'm walking on broken marbles. I should note, I am recovering from Kidney failure.

i have rubber sandals with arch support that helps, but am used to walking sock-footed around the house, where I spend most of my time.

As a teacher, I've been standing on a tile floor for 24 years. In the last two years I've begun having rather serious foot problems, and I've been experimenting with a variety of footwear and insoles. The single most important thing for me is that I must have a shoe with a strong arch support. Seriously, my arch support makes more difference to me than all the therapy exercises from my podiatrist. As long as I have that, I come home at the end of the day FINE -- I don't even remember that I have foot problems. Let me wear the same pair of shoes without my $15 insoles, and the pain begins by the end of first period -- and by the end of the school day I want nothing but to sit on the sofa for the rest of the day. No, no, make that I can do nothing but sit on the sofa for the rest of the day, and it seems that once I reach a certain point of no return, I'm "done for the day"; I'm just not going to get better that day.

So, yes, that little 3/4 -1" of arch support makes all the difference in my day. It's not about cushioning, and it doesn't even cover the entirety of my foot bed.

But I'm talking about work days when I'm standing on tile all day.

When I'm home during the summer or on a weekend, I am usually barefoot (or occasionally in socks). On those days, my foot pain ranges from 0 - 1. Practically nothing. On days when I'm home but on my feet all day -- say, a day when I have a couple bushels of apples, and I'm making /canning applesauce -- my pain might reach a 2. After a long day of shopping and walking on tile/concrete floors, I am usually a 1-2 on the pain scale by the end of the day, which I deem acceptable. On the other hand, I can hike outside all day without any pain.

Key point: Except for my bathrooms, I have no tile floors in my house.

Though I would prefer tile floors in my kitchen, I currently have linoleum ... and in my future house I will have either linoleum or LVT. So, yes, I really do believe that that thin bit of vinyl makes a difference.

As for flip-flops, details matter. The single BEST pair of shoes I have -- best in terms of my going through the day pain-free -- are a pair of Sketchers flip-flops. Obviously, this will vary depending from person to person, but that pair of sandals works well for me because the footbed "cradles" my foot, they have wide substantial straps, and they have a great arch support. (I only wish they weren't so very ugly.) You can find several brands of shoes specifically made for people with foot problems (I love my new red leather Jambu slip-ons), and you can find plenty of flip-flops or sandals -- though they're $90-120 a pair, and they're not as cute as the ones at the mall.

No tile, but walking on cement floors is also bad. Every time I go to a big box store, it's sore feet the next day.

I walk all over the farm, but dirt and grass are much softer :)

Yes, yes, yes armatt! Tile floors are dangerous to feet, legs, back. I have had severe problems with tile floors. Went from carpet to tile and had nothing but problems. Went to carpet with no problems. Stayed there for over 10 years. Now, just moved into a new house with all tile floors and finding out that I have to put in carpet. Also, have balance problems and so afraid of a fall. Tile would be tragic!

Hi, I recently went to a mall that I visit quite often but this time it was different. Out of nowhere I started to feel my calf muscles ache so bad that I just got myself out of there.

My husband and I think they've replaced or polished em recently. I never get tired like this and to my surprise I was in such pain that I slept the whole next day had fever and aching calves.

So yes, I believe it's the tiles that are making your legs hurt. I suggest you replace em cuz I'm not going back to that mall either.

Guess the culprit is the tiles.

Hope this helps and All the best.

It's the hard surface tile....makes my legs ache....polished travertine...have it 5 years now...have to wear rubber sole shoes.....the new vinyl planks that look like fake wood....have rubber on the back....my friend has ...big difference..but looks fake...LUXURY vinyl planks hugs♡