Arch of foot hurting. Bike shoes?

cjcp

The arch on my right foot hurts. It started yesterday lunchtime, when I was out and about and within a few minutes I was reduced to a sort of hobble-walk. It hurt last night too when I was walking around bare-footed.

I've put Tiger Balm on it to ease the ache, but has anyone experienced this before and, if so, was it caused by bike shoes? I recently bought some dhbs. The soles are a bit stiff compared to my Spesh BGs, but it doesn't feel like their causing a problem. I'm inclined to think that it's more to do with my work shoes.

Cheers.

Cafewanda

You using that as an excuse to blame work. Shocking

It's the new shoes mate.......................

but what would I know?

MonkeyMonster

I had same thing with my new ones till I stop tightening them too much plus getting used to them. I went from totally flat to ones with a bit of a rise

Wallace1492

cjcp wrote:

I've put Tiger Balm on it to ease the ache, ....

Cheers.

Watch your Driving, and watch out for the birdies!!!!

andrewjoseph

sounds like plantar facieitis (?), inflammation of the tendons under the foot brought on by several things. Could the the new shoes, could be you are on your feet more than normal?

I think you may need to have softer shoes for a while. My wife gets this occasionally after hard aerobics sessions, she knows she needs new trainers when it starts.

gtvlusso

Shoes! Buy some in-soles to raise your arches. However, I would be inclined to see a specialist as you may have a frozen ankle or a knee problem that is causing the issue. Get it sorted before it gets real bad - don't do a Johnny Wilkinson!

Clever Pun

cheap shoes tsssk

il_principe

Clever Pun wrote:

cheap shoes tsssk

+1 Replacing BG's with DHB, honestly.

Cyclefit do a good line in custom inners, great if you have arch problems and not too dear either...

flicksta

Unrelated, but I just wanted to moan. For the first time ever, in over 30 years of riding bikes, got horrendous cramp in my left calf the other day on Marylebone road. Really hurt, proper nasty stabbing pain every time the cranks went round, and at 25mph on a fixed, that's a painful 100 yards.

cjcp

Cheers for the replies, chaps.

@AJ - I have no idea what that condition is, but I'm definitely not on my feet more than normal. My @rse remains firmly rooted to a chair.

They're not, strictly speaking, replacements for the BGs. They were bought primarily for cross-racing, but I have used them on the commute. So they're sort of a replacement, but not quite. The cleats are different, but the position is not aggravating either knee. I've used them on and off and wondered if they needed to be broken in a little, so I'll use them over Christmas. I'm wearing in trainers in work today and there's no issue, which makes me think it's the work shoes.

If it's still a problem after Christmas, I'll probably head off to the Doc.

@Flicksta - moan away. These threads always head off on tangents.

chuckcork

Chris, thats ironic, I gave up on the Spesh BG's a few years ago as it felt they were going lss than rigid and maybe a bit soft as the foot wasn't being supported properly while pedalling and in the end it felt like my foot was being bent in half the pain was that bad. I switched to a new pair of shoes and haven't had a single problem since.

Sounds like you've simply gone the other way?

Your also wrong about your butt being rooted to a chair. If I understand your commute correctly, for around 2 hours a day its occupying a bike saddle

ivormac

I recently (within the last year) developed the same symptoms. It got to the point that I would have to stop walking as tears came to my eyes from the pain.

I just thought it was cramp, stretched out and massaged my foot.

It didn't work, rubbed in ourvail gel, took brufen, didn't work.

Went to the doc, prescribed steroids, gave me a steriod injection into the sole of my foot. Painful!

Didn't fix the problem.

Finally talked to a guy in The Great Outdoors shop in Chatham street. He suggested some off the shelf orthotics. Brilliant.

He suggested getting a golf ball or freezing an orange or just a frozen plastic bottle of water and rolling it under my foot while sitting watching TV or having a cuppa.

The frozen bottle of water worked best for me.

I went back and bought a couple of sets of the inserts, including a slimline pair for the bike shoes. Far better than the Spesh BG stuff.

He also suggested getting a sports massage done on the legs, down to the feet. My problem was incorrect positioning of the foot on the pedal, just slightly off over a period of years caused the Plantar muscles to constantly tear and heal, causing scar tissue to build up.

Now I have a golf ball in work, under the desk. I take of the shoe, roll the ball under my foot and it works like magic.

Keep stretching, very important, start at the foot and work your way up to your neck. I now spend 10 to 20 mins stretching before I cycle, including before I spin into work.

All of this adds up to no pain. If I don't do it, for some reason, I wake up the next day with stiff leg, foot, back and/or neck.

Seriously get it checked out!!!!

Slán,

Ivor

PedalPedant

flicksta wrote:

Unrelated, but I just wanted to moan. For the first time ever, in over 30 years of riding bikes, got horrendous cramp in my left calf the other day on Marylebone road. Really hurt, proper nasty stabbing pain every time the cranks went round, and at 25mph on a fixed, that's a painful 100 yards.

Cramp sucks, I get it a lot (usually as I'm accelerating onto a busy roundabout :shock: ) I've recently found out that it's a fairly common side effect of the Asthma medication I take

PP

cjcp

@Ivor - good first post! :shock: I think I'm going to get this checked after Christmas.

@Chuck - . Yep, two hours.

@PP - I've got inhalers, but I've never had cramp as a side effect. Which medication do you use?

PedalPedant

cjcp wrote:

@PP - I've got inhalers, but I've never had cramp as a side effect. Which medication do you use?

It's apparently the Beclomethasone that does it (Qvar or Becotide). "muscle pain" is one of the many side effects listed here http://www.drugs.com/pdr/beclomethasone.html along with "pinkeye" and "moon face" :shock:

PP

night_porter

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I had same thing with my new ones till I stop tightening them too much plus getting used to them. I went from totally flat to ones with a bit of a rise

+1 before you try any of the other remedies just try loosening the laces and riding for a day or 2.

Honestly I used to buy different shoes all the time to try and "fix" the problem then I wore a pair that I couldn't over tighten and the problem went away.

To prove it I went back to different shoes and left them loose and hey presto no pain.

It may not work for you but it costs nothing and has to be worth a try?

Good luck!

cjcp

NP - cheers. I did do that at first actually. I may have inadvertently done it again though because I don't wear them very often.

PP - I sort of use Becotide. I don't use it very often (I think I ought to though). Maybe that's why.

antfly

I had the same problem when I first got stiffer cycling shoes but I soon got used to them. You could try putting your BG insoles into your new shoes, your new ones might be a bit flat.

cjcp

antfly wrote:

I had the same problem when I first got stiffer cycling shoes but I soon got used to them. You could try putting your BG insoles into your new shoes, your new ones might be a bit flat.

Hmm, hadn't thought of that. They might be a slightly different shape, and a bit shot after five years of wear. Am thinking about inserts or arch supports though.

Splottboy

See your GP to refer you to a NHS foot specialist. I got 2 pairs of personalised orthotics made for free! Stopped my metatarsal/ball of foot pain PRONTO.

Zephr

doesnt entirely sound like plantar fasciitis to me- especially if its centred over the arch of the foot... that generally manifests itself right the way across the base.

looking at inserts may well be the answer- "superfeet" being the best on the market for walking etc... however, these do NOT give arch support, they actually support the heel in a better position, thus giving more natural strength to the 3 arches within the foot.
they are excellent for walking about the place, but I cant vouch for them for cycling as I would hope you dont pedal with your heels... the heel is where all the stability comes from in the superfeet
it may well be worth getting a pair of insoles molded to your feet- like ski boot inners- which are solid right the way through, giving you support and stability in the heel and arch.
they certainly increase your pedal power, though they are a tad expensive...

however, how much would you pay for more comfort and less pain?
I can suggest places to get them as well if you want.

cjcp

Zephr wrote:

I can suggest places to get them as well if you want.

If you think it will help with the following, yes please...

The pain seems to have migrated a little from the arch to along the middle-outside of the soul of the right foot. When I walk, it feels as if a tendon or something like that is being stretched.

As I put my right foot down at traffic lights with the SPDs (used to alternate with SPD-SLs to even the wear out on the cleats), I'm beginning to wonder if it's the shoe.

Any thoughts very welcome.

MonkeyMonster

Give it a week or so and i'd put money on it going as your feet get used to the new shoe.

mrc1

Not a solution but an interim aid -

http://physiosupplies.com/acatalog/8cm_ ... _Ball.html

I use one of these on the soles of my feet after running on the advice of the physio and they are brilliant.