Foot pain & lower back issues

russyh

Hi guys,
I know people have posted questions like this before but they all tend to be fairly specific. Over the last 6 months I have started to suffer with sever foot pain when on long descents or uplift days. It's been manageable but it's now started ruining the later part of my routes. I had also been suffering from issues with my achellies tendon on my right leg and I thought it may be linked although I not think this may of been down to dropping my heals too often.

I ride with nukeproof electron pedals and shimano am41 shoes. I had wondered about trying a shoe with stiffer soles? Is there such a thing? The shimanos get good reviews.

As another note I am also suffering with lower back pain (falling apart in my mid 30's) is there a general issue/bad technique that is usually to blame for back issues.

Be keen to hear other peoples experiences with issues like this as it's dampening my experience massively. I have a lower back issue on my road bike but no foot pain...

Please help

Antm81

I got lower back pain after changing forks and cutting the steerer the same length as the previous set, since changed again and had a play with stem height and also got some bars with a higher rise, been much better since.

rockmonkeysc

The foot pain could be similar to what I had. It turned out to be plantar faciitis. Fixed with stretching exercises. In my case it was related to tendinitis in my calf muscle.
Back pain could be related to poor core strength. It could also be caused by bending your back when lifting the bike on to uplift trailers.
Riding position on a downhill bike isn't too critical for comfort as you're constantly moving around. Bar set up is much more important for control. Low, short and wide.

cooldad

Doctors are often more useful for medical issues than random people on the internet.

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

Doctors are often more useful for medical issues than random people on the internet.

Rubbish. It's things like this (and porn) that the Internet was invented for.

russyh

cooldad wrote:

Doctors are often more useful for medical issues than random people on the internet.

Yeah thanks Cooldad, not thought about going to see the doctor Sunday evening!! I am away with work most of next week so its not going to be a quick thing in getting an appointment. Also i do loads of other sports which involve more core strength than MTB. In which i do not suffer with lower back pain, or foot pain. So i thought there maybe some feedback from others (maybe my shoes are known to have flexy soles) But again thanks for the constructive advice, keep that post count rolling dude!

Rockmonkey, I had tendentious a while back so maybe its linked?

russyh

cooldad wrote:

That is true. In which case I suggest amputation.

Did i post this in Crudcatcher??

cooldad

Russyh wrote:

Over the last 6 months I have started to suffer with sever foot pain...
...I had also been suffering from issues with my achellies tendon on my right leg and I thought it may be linked...
...I am also suffering with lower back pain...

Russyh wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Doctors are often more useful for medical issues than random people on the internet.

Yeah thanks Cooldad, not thought about going to see the doctor Sunday evening!! I am away with work most of next week so its not going to be a quick thing in getting an appointment. ... But again thanks for the constructive advice, keep that post count rolling dude!

...it's dampening my experience massively....
Please help

I did offer sensible help - from your post, it didn't start today, so don't be a d1ck about getting to see a doctor on a Sunday.

cooldad

And I didn't even do the spelling/grammar nazi thing.

russyh

I didn't say it started today, like you highlighted. But given as I only suffer with it on a mtb I thought I would ask on a forum...before seemingly wasting my doctors time. If it had been something simple to try like a new pair of shoes, or to check stem/stack height... I understand you may visit the doctor allot as you need someone to talk too, when the forum has it's quite spells. But I am busy, it's not a problem that stops me in life, it is however a problem when mtb riding. Oh and please only an douche picks someone up on spelling due to an iPad autocorrect.

Anyway, I am not going to get In an argument with someone that just needs some human company.

Just to reemphasise the problem is only when mtb riding, when I put the bike on the rack and walk off it's completely gone. Really weird? I also don't get the pain climbing, only when out of the saddle decending

ej2320

I'd suggest try stretching

Stand with your toes on a step and lower your heels
But I'm not an expert so a doctor would be a good idea

poah

Russyh wrote:

But given as I only suffer with it on a mtb I thought I would ask on a forum...before seemingly wasting my doctors time. If it had been something simple to try like a new pair of shoes, or to check stem/stack height... I understand you may visit the doctor allot as you need someone to talk too, when the forum has it's quite spells. But I am busy, it's not a problem that stops me in life, it is however a problem when mtb riding. Oh and please only an douche picks someone up on spelling due to an iPad autocorrect.

going to the doctor with pain is not a waste of time. You are getting recuring pain over a 6 month period. I suggest you keep a note of your sporting activities and when you get the pain and see if there is any correlation (might not be totally to do with MTB). The Plantur faciitis suggested below can be caused by wide range of things and is often used by doctors fo a reason for foot pain. Like chuckymonkey says there is not a huge amount you can actually do for the condition other than physio and painkillers (oral and topical ibuprofen). Mine just disappeared as oddly as it appeared. I put the cause of the pain from driving my dads car as the seating position was crap with my foot being more pushed up.

however, seeking medical advice on the internet is just plain dumb. Even if there was a medical doctor on the forum they couldn't properly diagnose you without seeing you. go to your GP or your out of hours clinic if the pain is bad enough.

paul.skibum

POAH wrote:

Russyh wrote:

But given as I only suffer with it on a mtb I thought I would ask on a forum...before seemingly wasting my doctors time. If it had been something simple to try like a new pair of shoes, or to check stem/stack height... I understand you may visit the doctor allot as you need someone to talk too, when the forum has it's quite spells. But I am busy, it's not a problem that stops me in life, it is however a problem when mtb riding. Oh and please only an douche picks someone up on spelling due to an iPad autocorrect.

going to the doctor with pain is not a waste of time. You are getting recuring pain over a 6 month period. I suggest you keep a note of your sporting activities and when you get the pain and see if there is any correlation (might not be totally to do with MTB). The Plantur faciitis suggested below can be caused by wide range of things and is often used by doctors fo a reason for foot pain. Like chuckymonkey says there is not a huge amount you can actually do for the condition other than physio and painkillers (oral and topical ibuprofen). Mine just disappeared as oddly as it appeared. I put the cause of the pain from driving my dads car as the seating position was crap with my foot being more pushed up.

however, seeking medical advice on the internet is just plain dumb. Even if there was a medical doctor on the forum they couldn't properly diagnose you without seeing you. go to your GP or your out of hours clinic if the pain is bad enough.

What he said - there could be a hundred people on here with recurring foot pain all of which could suggest a different fix and none of which could help you - You are busy, we get that but if you want something specific fixed in your body you go and see an expert - I dont recommend a GP but a physio with an emphasis on sports especially cycling might be a good idea.

The problem is we have no idea what bike you ride, where you ride, how you ride - knowing what pedals and shoes you have doesn't give anyone an idea of your body shape and the geometry and set up of your bike. Back pain could tie into foot pain if you have some specific back problem - disc bulge etc.

Tight hamstrings can cause back pain but a bad posture on the bike could be causing back pain too. You say you do other sports with more core strength - do you tighten your core for cycling - a solid core gives your body a solid platform to pedal from rather than allowing your body to flop about and power the pedals from awkward places. The simplest advice is see an expert - who waits through 6 months of recurring pain before seeking assistance?