A relatively common problem that occurs during exercise is a
sensation of the feet falling asleep. If your feet or toes fall asleep,
become numb, burn or start tingling while you work out,
call today for an appointment so we
can help you get back to exercising in comfort. We are experts in
helping patients eliminate this frustrating problem.
What Activities Cause Feet to Go Numb?
Almost any exercise activity can lead to the feet and toes falling
asleep, but he most common activities causing feet and toes to go numb
are bicycling, elliptical machine and stairmaster. We will also
sometimes see the feet go numb or start to burn while using a treadmill.
What Causes Foot Numbness and Burning Feet during Workouts?
Most of the time the cause is pressure or compression of the nerves that
go from the foot into the toes. In particular, too much pressure on the
nerves that run under the ball of the foot will lead to toe tingling and
numb feet while biking and exercising. Sometimes a
neuroma is present
and contributes to the problem. If you do have a neuroma, treatment
might be a little more involved. Usually, however, it is simply too much
pressure on the nerves that causes the problem. We can use
ultrasound
imaging to determine whether you do actually have a neuroma in your
foot.
How Do We Stop Feet and Toes From Falling Asleep during Workouts?
Our primary goal is to decrease pressure on the ball of the foot and to
stop any sort of compression of the feet. We do this first by utilizing
a very specific type of orthotic device in your workout shoes or your
biking shoes. To eliminate the problem of numb toes and feet, the
orthotic must very aggressively act to reduce pressure on the bottom of
the foot. To accomplish this, the orthotic must conform extremely close
to the arch of the foot – these are called
“total contact orthotics”.
Total contact orthotics are far more effective than standard orthotics
at transferring pressure off of the ball of the foot (1-3).
We will also evaluate your shoe fit. If your shoe is even a little bit
too tight it can compress the foot and contribute to numb feet and toes.
Numb Feet While Cycling
Bicyclists, in particular, often have trouble with their toes and feet
going numb. This occurs because the axis of the pedal tends to run
directly under the ball of the foot and puts extreme pressure on the
nerves in this area. In addition, biking shoes tend to run small and
during a long bike ride, feet tend to swell.
To stop your feet from falling asleep while you are biking, we use a
very thin orthotic (made of lightweight carbon graphite material) in
your biking shoe. This acts to transfer force off of the ball of the
foot and onto the arch, eliminating pressure on the nerves. Be sure to
bring your bike shoes in with you. We will want to evaluate the fit. If
the shoe is too small, it won’t matter how good our orthotic is, your
feet will still go numb when you bike. We’ll let you know if you will
need new bike shoes to help eliminate the problem.
Don’t let your workout be ruined by numb feet and tingling toes.
Call us
today for an appointment in our Seattle foot and ankle clinic.
Self Treatment for Numb Feet and Tingling Feet During Exercise
Your goal is to reduce pressure on the ball of the foot without taking
up any room in the toebox of the shoe that could increase pressure on
your foot and irritate the nerves. So you want to use an arch support
that is somewhat rigid, conforms to the arch of your foot closely and
does not extend out under the toes. We recommend the
Powerstep ProTech 3/4 Length Orthotics – Medical Grade
Orthotics. This orthotic is a unique podiatric insole with a high level
of support that is designed to transfer pressure off of the ball of the
foot in order to relieve numbness and tingling. The 3/4 length allows
for toe room even in tighter fitting shoes – even bicycle and soccer
shoes.
Powerstep ProTech 3/4 Length Orthotics
References:
*Mueller MJ, Lott DJ, Hastings M. Phys Ther. 2006 Jun;86(6):833-42.
Efficacy and mechanism of orthotic devices to unload metatarsal heads in
people with diabetes and a history of plantar ulcers.
*Leslie C. Trotter and Michael Raymond Pierrynowski Changes in Gait
Economy Between Full-Contact Custom-made Foot Orthoses and Prefabricated
Inserts in Patients with Musculoskeletal Pain: A Randomized Clinical
Trial J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 2008 98: 429-435
*Chalmers AC, Busby C. J Rheumatol. 2000 Jul;27(7):1643-7. Metatarsalgia
and rheumatoid arthritis--a randomized, single blind, sequential trial
comparing 2 types of foot orthoses and supportive shoes.
*Leslie C. Trotter and Michael Raymond Pierrynowski The Short-term
Effectiveness of Full-Contact Custom-made Foot Orthoses and
Prefabricated Shoe Inserts on Lower-Extremity Musculoskeletal Pain: A
Randomized Clinical Trial
J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 2008 98: 357-363
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Douglas Hale, DPM & Lawrence Huppin, DPM
Foot and Ankle Center of Washington, Seattle
The material provided on this web site is for informative purposes only.
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