Training & Nutrition - Feet - ever have any problems from cycling?

Curious, have any of you had any foot problems from using clipless shoes and cycling?

I haven't, but my girlfriend gets numb toes. She used to use Shimano SPD pedals, so I switched her to Look pedals for a bigger platform. Didn't help. She just has messed up feet. ;) She has special prescription inserts for her running shoes.

My left foot gets feeling "hot". It is the foot that stays clipped in and I think the lack of flexing and weight supporting gets to it after awhile. The feeling goes away very fast if I get off and walk around a bit. It also takes about 20-50 miles to develop.

I do sometimes after a while. I always have....but I think it has gotten slightly better since I went clipless.

Try Specialized road shoes if you have hot spots. They have a bump in the sole of the shoe that prevents hot spots. You can read about the technology on their website.

my feet start 'falling asleep' after about 20 miles. I've found that pulling back and up on the peddles to complete the rotation helps keep the blood flowing. This improves my form as well.

my feet start 'falling asleep' after about 20 miles. I've found that pulling back and up on the peddles to complete the rotation helps keep the blood flowing. This improves my form as well.

i'll second that. my feet (primarily left) go numb especially if i'm pushing hard. when i think about it i concentrate on moving through the whole motion (pulling back and up) instead of simply pounding and it helps. if my foot doesn't get better after a few minutes i'll unclip and ride that way until it feels better. i have a feeling that i need to reposition the cleat a bit on the shoe, but i'm lazy :rolleyes:

Curious, have any of you had any foot problems from using clipless shoes and cycling?


Such as??

(I could name quite a few, but all/most have solutions)

I wear somewhat big running shoes and don't seem to have any problems. You may not want to wear them though because they are quite bulkier than cycling shoes.

I have metatarsalgia - pain in the ball of the foot, which came on after I quit running a couple of years ago, for some odd reason. Now that I am riding more, I notice foot pain in clipless after 1.5 to 2 hrs. It is just a burning sensation, or tenderness, in the ball of the foot, especially after lots of climbing out of the saddle. I have tried some gel inserts and Superfeet insoles which help somewhat, and am also doing some PT and yoga to strengthen the feet. If I cycle in stiff-soled hiking shoes on platform pedals, I don't seem to have any problems, but they just won't do for fast workouts on the sporting machine.

Also, I recently discovered that after a couple hours my feet would swell and get pinched in the shoes I had, making matters worse, so using pain as reaonable excuse, I just sprung for some Sidi Dominator Megas (Wide) and they are unbelieveably comfortable. They are wide in the forefoot, really stiff-soled to spread the load of the pedal around, and the uppers are very comfortable. I have ridden 2 hrs in them a couple of times without any problems, but 3 hrs is pushing it, even in these, so I may try a gel insert. Any longer than 3 hrs and I am officially touring, which means hiking shoes for me, and plenty of stops for breaks and to walk around and look at stuff. That seems to help the most.

I read somewhere that adjusting your cleat so your foot is moved forward slightly might help.

My left foot gets 'hot' after 20 miles or so. The solution that works for me is using Shimano PD M- 324 SPD Clipless Mountain Pedals on my road bike with Shimano mtn bike shoes. When the foot gets 'hot' I unclip, flip the pedal and ride with my foot further forward. The pain goes away in a few minutes and I flip the pedal back and clip in.

I read somewhere that adjusting your cleat so your foot is moved forward slightly might help.

My left foot gets 'hot' after 20 miles or so. The solution that works for me is using Shimano PD M- 324 SPD Clipless Mountain Pedals on my road bike with Shimano mtn bike shoes. When the foot gets 'hot' I unclip, flip the pedal and ride with my foot further forward. The pain goes away in a few minutes and I flip the pedal back and clip in.
Thanks - good idea. I have those pedals on my hybrid but never go long enough on it to have the problem. On the roadbike I have also unclipped when it got bad a couple times, and ridden with the pedal further under the arch for awhile, but kinda awkward without the platform... Maybe I'll swap 'em. I may try moving the cleat also, as you suggest.