Originally Posted by halfspeed
If you're using SPDs and cheap "look like sneakers" shoes, then it may just be a combination of a small cleat and a flexy sole. A stiff-soled shoe can spread the load and reduce pressure on any particular point on your foot.
It's also possible the shoes have broken down and that's causing the flex.
All the foot pain I had went away when I switched from spds and old shoes to SPD-SL and new carbon-soled shoes.