Thread: Foot Numbness
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Old 09-15-09, 10:36 PM
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mcgreivey
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I have the same trouble--also the right foot (coincidentally, I would say).

I attribute it to a quirk of how that right shoe fits my foot, and perhaps differences between my right and left feet and legs. My wife noticed once when we were walking that my two calves are different, for example. This is (I think) because of years I driving a stick shift (pushing the clutch, actually) in city traffic. I probably also have likewise developed differences between my feet. But no one's left and right feet are identical in any case, to begin with.

Solution? Try different shoes? Different socks (cheaper to try that first)? pay attention to your pedal stroke? Change your seat position?

I don't to spend $$ on new shoes. Changing socks didn't help. Adjustments didn't help. The only thing that's helped me is vary my pedaling "attack" a bit. If I always pedal with a consistent cadence, with a more-or-less consistent force, that's when I start getting numbness. When I vary these factors more, I delay the numbness (or get rid of it if it sets in).

This is still better than my alternative--my old clips-and-straps, with slotted road shoes. Those gave me horrible knee pain on a long ride, but no numbness.

I can shake out numbness in a few seconds; knee pain might keep me off my bike for a few days.

Curious to see what others say...
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