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Numb toes

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  • July 4, 2018 at 6:20 pm #28688
    kil0ran

    In the last couple of months I’ve started to tingling/numbness in my middle toes on both feet, although it is worse on the drive side. Usually kicks in after around 5 miles of relatively hard (for me) riding. I’ve got two pairs of different cycling shoes and two bikes. One bike has flats (DMR V12s) and the other has SPD/Flat hybrid pedals (Shimano T8000 touring pedals). Get numbness on both bikes.

    One pair of shoes is around 4 years old and has served me well with absolutely no numbness issues, even on long rides (45 miles plus). Other pair is new, bought to replace the old pair which are starting to fall apart after years of commuting.

    Given that it doesn’t appear to be pedal, or bike, or shoe related any idea what’s going on? I’m doing less miles per week than I was 6 months ago, but longer individual rides as I’ve stopped commuting. Typical ride is 10-20 miles. I’m improving my times quite a bit at the moment and I’m probably fitter than I’ve ever been but the numbness is really holding me back.

    It typically takes several hours for the numbness to disappear, after a recent 20-miler it hadn’t gone 24 hours later.

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  • July 5, 2018 at 11:19 am #922865
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    kil0ran

    Thanks all, food for thought.

    Thanks all, food for thought.

    I’ve tried several options on shoe tightness – my new shoes have a single Boa and I’ve ridden with them super-loose and insanely tight. Old shoes are two velcro straps and a ratchet (Shimano SPD mountain bike shoes).

    Last two rides I’ve ridden sans cleats and this morning’s ride was in my most comfortable pair of walking sandals. Same issue – after about three miles. Ride truncated due to a spectacularly sheared rear mech so couldn’t test any further.

    Good point about the saddle, I might explore that a little. I’m noticeably laying down thigh and calf muscle at the moment and hamstrings do feel a little tight. Getting quite a bit of post-ride cramp on the outside of my calf running down to my ankle – looking at some physio diagrams I’d say it’s the fibularis brevis.

    On my best bike I did just whack the saddle up without measuring it but I checked it before the ride this morning and it’s in the ballpark – around 73cm from the BB centre to top of saddle, measured in line with the seat tube. That was the figure on the bike fit I had done last year which saw me through Ride London with no issues.

    July 5, 2018 at 9:51 am #922863
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    peted76

    I’ve had something very

    I’ve had something very similar this year specifically.. 1) best bike has had no changes 2) touring bike has had lots of changes.. 3) same shoes I’ve had for ages, BUT my cleats have changed position. 

    I’ve not cured it as yet and I have blood tests to be done for the docs.. but I have, a bit oddly gotten rid of the issue on my best bike.. moved cleats back, looser shoes and I’ve swapped the saddle also recently to one which allows me to move about more (althogh the saddle point is irrelevant in this as that was after I’ve sort of helped the issue). On the tourer, I need a bike fit and I need to change the saddle, so I just take asprin (which helps a lot).

     

    July 5, 2018 at 6:17 am #922861
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    madcarew

    A too high saddle can cause

    A too high saddle can cause toe numbness. My number one bet for your situation though would be sciatic in origin. Oddly, doing core exercises, and focussing on the posterior chain would probably help.  Hamstring and Glute exercises would be top of the list.

    July 4, 2018 at 9:03 pm #922859
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    VeloUSA

    IMO your numbness appears to

    IMO your numbness appears to be shoe related. How loose are your toe straps?

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