General Cycling Discussion - Foot cramping and Capsulitis

I developed a case of capsulitis in my left foot around October of last year, just when I started riding a lot again. Capsulitis is an inflammation of the sac (capsule) around a joint in the foot. Kind of like bursitis in the shoulder. Anyway, it's painful, feels like my foot has a big squishy fluid balloon in it, and it just won't go away. The doctors I have seen have me stretching my foot and using ice water baths on it. I'm thinking that after several months of this treatment without significant benefit, next is probably a steroid shot.

Thing is, my feet also seem to cramp a lot. Mainly the muscles on the underside of the foot, (flexors?) not the ones on top. I ride with just regular cheap tennies. I rarely ride more than 16 miles in a day, and never more than 8 miles at a time. Now, thanks to the foot issue, it's even less. However, when it first began, I was also running on an eliptical and treadmill as well.

Has anyone else suffered from this problem, and if so, were you able to treat it successfully? Could my cheap shoes be playing a part?

TIA

I would think that your shoes well might play a part in this. Cycling shoes come with a stiffened plate in the sole which spreads the pressure as you press down on the pedal. Has to be worth changing.

I get foot cramps after cycling sometimes too, esp. right after I take my shoes off and stretch my feet (I've always had some minor foot issues). I found that cycling shoes do help alot, the stiff sole means my foot can't flex too much and I can't "grab" the pedal - that strained my feets.

It's worse when I am dehydrated. Make sure you drink lots of fluids and get enough potassium - this makes another big difference!

Do some gentle foot stretches every other day...http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/flexibilityexercises/a/footstretch.htm
The "can roll" can also be done with a tennis ball and feels fantastic.

Thanks for those suggestions. I have been doing some stretching, and, I roll a 2 liter bottle filled with ice with my feet. Feels pretty good. I'm just frustrated over how long it's taken and no progress.