Numb toe

CB said:

I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips,

What shoes are you using?
Does it occur with other shoes?
Have you consulted a reference on setting up toe clips?

Just some ideas?

CB said:

My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of age.

Is your toe itchy? Gout?!?

"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

CB said:

My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of
age.

Is your toe itchy? Gout?!?

--
cfsmtb

The last thing gout does is make your toe numb. Trust me on this.

any back problems in the past?

CB said:

I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips, I did lash out and
buy a set of bike shorts (the MTB type with pockets etc but with a
chamois). My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of age.
Reading Bicycling Aust Mag, an article on seats mentioned genital
numbness as a consequence of a poor seat, but toes?
I am going to assume the combination of shorts and seat might be doing
it and I am sitting on a nerve or something. Does anyone know where this
nerve would probably be located and should I be after a wider or
narrower seat?
On the plus side, the winter cold won't bother me if I am already numb!

endroll said:

any back problems in the past?

CB said:

I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips, I did lash out
and
buy a set of bike shorts (the MTB type with pockets etc but with a
chamois). My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of
age.
Reading Bicycling Aust Mag, an article on seats mentioned genital
numbness as a consequence of a poor seat, but toes?
I am going to assume the combination of shorts and seat might be doing
it and I am sitting on a nerve or something. Does anyone know where
this
nerve would probably be located and should I be after a wider or
narrower seat?
On the plus side, the winter cold won't bother me if I am already numb!

No, no back problems.

CB said:

I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips, I did lash out and
buy a set of bike shorts (the MTB type with pockets etc but with a
chamois). My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of age.
Reading Bicycling Aust Mag, an article on seats mentioned genital
numbness as a consequence of a poor seat, but toes?
I am going to assume the combination of shorts and seat might be doing
it and I am sitting on a nerve or something. Does anyone know where this
nerve would probably be located and should I be after a wider or
narrower seat?
On the plus side, the winter cold won't bother me if I am already numb!

Welcome to a.b Cycling Medicine Pty Ltd (gotta limit the liability, given the advice we give!) 😄 😄

There is only one way we can give you proper medical advice -

This works best if you are at work:
1. turn the contrast up high on your monitor.
2. adjust your monitor so it is vertical and parallel horizontally to the front of your desk or work station.
3. stand up and face away from your monitor.
4. drop your trousers.

Ahh, that's better. Now we can make a proper assessment....

Seriously now:
1. do you have a funny 'nervy' feeling down your left leg - if a nerve in your leg is to blame, you might expect the leg to be showing some effects, even if very minor.
2. shoes - do the shoes have a relatively solid toe box? So that the toe clip doesn't bear against the numb left toe.
3. pedals/soles of shoes - can you feel the pedals through the soles of your shoes. Maybe there is a pressure point being set up under the left side shoe.

Finally, beware medical advice from cyclists in the same way that you beware cycling advice from doctors.

SteveA

CB said:

I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips, I did lash out and
buy a set of bike shorts (the MTB type with pockets etc but with a
chamois). My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of age.
Reading Bicycling Aust Mag, an article on seats mentioned genital
numbness as a consequence of a poor seat, but toes?
I am going to assume the combination of shorts and seat might be doing
it and I am sitting on a nerve or something. Does anyone know where this
nerve would probably be located and should I be after a wider or
narrower seat?
On the plus side, the winter cold won't bother me if I am already numb!

try these:

cut your toe nails (seriously!)
thinner socks

combined to make sure there is wiggle room in the toes of your shoes 🙂

cheers,
ali

SteveA said:

CB said:

I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips, I did lash out
and
buy a set of bike shorts (the MTB type with pockets etc but with a
chamois). My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of
age.
Reading Bicycling Aust Mag, an article on seats mentioned genital
numbness as a consequence of a poor seat, but toes?
I am going to assume the combination of shorts and seat might be doing
it and I am sitting on a nerve or something. Does anyone know where
this
nerve would probably be located and should I be after a wider or
narrower seat?
On the plus side, the winter cold won't bother me if I am already numb!

Welcome to a.b Cycling Medicine Pty Ltd (gotta limit the liability,
given the advice we give!) 😄 😄

There is only one way we can give you proper medical advice -

This works best if you are at work:
1. turn the contrast up high on your monitor.
2. adjust your monitor so it is vertical and parallel horizontally to
the front of your desk or work station.
3. stand up and face away from your monitor.
4. drop your trousers.

Ahh, that's better. Now we can make a proper assessment....

Seriously now:
1. do you have a funny 'nervy' feeling down your left leg - if a nerve
in your leg is to blame, you might expect the leg to be showing some
effects, even if very minor.
2. shoes - do the shoes have a relatively solid toe box? So that the
toe clip doesn't bear against the numb left toe.
3. pedals/soles of shoes - can you feel the pedals through the soles of
your shoes. Maybe there is a pressure point being set up under the left
side shoe.

Finally, beware medical advice from cyclists in the same way that you
beware cycling advice from doctors.

SteveA

Thank you for that.
I am just wearing very flexible runners and the old fashion toe clips. I
might try a different pair and see if that makes a difference. I think
you and Alison_B have reminded me of the times my toes went numb skiing
and loosening the shoes and socks worked a treat. I might give that a
go. 🙂
Would you be able to write me a prescription for a pair of
Shimano R215B Shoes and Dura-Ace SPDSL Pedals? That way I could convince
the wife and claim them on Medicare. 🙂
Cheers

CB said:

Would you be able to write me a prescription for a pair of
Shimano R215B Shoes and Dura-Ace SPDSL Pedals? That way I could convince
the wife and claim them on Medicare. 🙂

I'll prescribe them.

You probably won't be able to read the prescription!

And you're not getting them from Medicare...

Dr. PiledHigher

SteveA said:

Finally, beware medical advice from cyclists in the same way that you beware cycling advice from doctors.

on that basis, may I recommend amputation ... of the head,
the universal cureall, even cures gullability.

aeek said:

on that basis, may I recommend amputation ... of the head,
the universal cureall, even cures gullability.

Ooooo that's a tad harsh.

eye red dit on teh internerd so it must be ture

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply
"alison_b" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

CB said:

I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips, I did lash out
and
buy a set of bike shorts (the MTB type with pockets etc but with a
chamois). My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of
age.
Reading Bicycling Aust Mag, an article on seats mentioned genital
numbness as a consequence of a poor seat, but toes?
I am going to assume the combination of shorts and seat might be doing
it and I am sitting on a nerve or something. Does anyone know where
this
nerve would probably be located and should I be after a wider or
narrower seat?
On the plus side, the winter cold won't bother me if I am already numb!

try these:

cut your toe nails (seriously!)
thinner socks

combined to make sure there is wiggle room in the toes of your shoes 🙂

cheers,
ali

I recently bought a pair of Shimano SPD sandals. I'm running Time ATAC
pedals. I had no problems at all with my old Shimano sandals but when
wearing the new ones I'm getting numb toes and numb wobbly bits. The sandals
are the only change.

I'm playing with cleat positioning as I can't quite get the left cleat to
sit in my normal position with these sandals (SD65s) and my left foot
doesn't match the support bits on the sole. My old SD60s didn't give me
these problems and I don't have numbness with any of my other shoes. I
mention this because cut toenails, thinner socks and wiggle room don't apply
to sandals.

Perhaps it's worth looking at the support structurres in your shoes. My
guess (and it's ONLY a guess!) is that, in my case, I'm unconsciously
sitting wrongly to compensate for the discomfort in my left sandal. Sitting
slightly out of whack produces the numb wobbly bits and the sole misfit (am
I the sole misfit...?) is producing a pressure point causing the toe
numbness - two symptoms with one root cause and two sub-causes.

Try looking at your foot position on the pedal. Different sneakers fit
differently on pedals (your toe clips won't allow you to place your foot in
the same place with different shoes) so you might be causing a pressure
point on your foot, causing you to compensate slightly too.

Might be worth looking at...

Frank

Plodder said:

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply
"alison_b" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

CB said:

I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips, I did lash out
and
buy a set of bike shorts (the MTB type with pockets etc but with a
chamois). My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference to
the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of
age.
Reading Bicycling Aust Mag, an article on seats mentioned genital
numbness as a consequence of a poor seat, but toes?
I am going to assume the combination of shorts and seat might be doing
it and I am sitting on a nerve or something. Does anyone know where
this
nerve would probably be located and should I be after a wider or
narrower seat?
On the plus side, the winter cold won't bother me if I am already numb!

try these:

cut your toe nails (seriously!)
thinner socks

combined to make sure there is wiggle room in the toes of your shoes 🙂

cheers,
ali

I recently bought a pair of Shimano SPD sandals. I'm running Time ATAC
pedals. I had no problems at all with my old Shimano sandals but when
wearing the new ones I'm getting numb toes and numb wobbly bits. The sandals
are the only change.

I'm playing with cleat positioning as I can't quite get the left cleat to
sit in my normal position with these sandals (SD65s) and my left foot
doesn't match the support bits on the sole. My old SD60s didn't give me
these problems and I don't have numbness with any of my other shoes. I
mention this because cut toenails, thinner socks and wiggle room don't apply
to sandals.

Perhaps it's worth looking at the support structurres in your shoes. My
guess (and it's ONLY a guess!) is that, in my case, I'm unconsciously
sitting wrongly to compensate for the discomfort in my left sandal. Sitting
slightly out of whack produces the numb wobbly bits and the sole misfit (am
I the sole misfit...?) is producing a pressure point causing the toe
numbness - two symptoms with one root cause and two sub-causes.

Try looking at your foot position on the pedal. Different sneakers fit
differently on pedals (your toe clips won't allow you to place your foot in
the same place with different shoes) so you might be causing a pressure
point on your foot, causing you to compensate slightly too.

Might be worth looking at...

Frank

Hmmm... no one told me cycling was going to get this complicated!
I'm worried now that you tell me that if I go out and buy proper shoes,
cleats etc that I could still get numb toes. 🙁

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply
"CB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Plodder said:

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply
"alison_b" <[email hidden]> wrote in

message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

CB Wrote:
> I have just started commuting on the bike and although I am riding the
> same MTB (now 15 yrs old) with runners and toe clips, I did lash out
> and
> buy a set of bike shorts (the MTB type with pockets etc but with a
> chamois). My left big toe goes numb when I ride! The only difference

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> the setup I have ridden for years are the shorts and a few years of
> age.
> Reading Bicycling Aust Mag, an article on seats mentioned genital
> numbness as a consequence of a poor seat, but toes?
> I am going to assume the combination of shorts and seat might be doing
> it and I am sitting on a nerve or something. Does anyone know where
> this
> nerve would probably be located and should I be after a wider or
> narrower seat?
> On the plus side, the winter cold won't bother me if I am already

numb!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

try these:

cut your toe nails (seriously!)
thinner socks

combined to make sure there is wiggle room in the toes of your shoes 🙂

cheers,
ali

I recently bought a pair of Shimano SPD sandals. I'm running Time ATAC
pedals. I had no problems at all with my old Shimano sandals but when
wearing the new ones I'm getting numb toes and numb wobbly bits. The

sandals

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are the only change.

I'm playing with cleat positioning as I can't quite get the left cleat

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sit in my normal position with these sandals (SD65s) and my left foot
doesn't match the support bits on the sole. My old SD60s didn't give me
these problems and I don't have numbness with any of my other shoes. I
mention this because cut toenails, thinner socks and wiggle room don't

apply

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to sandals.

Perhaps it's worth looking at the support structurres in your shoes. My
guess (and it's ONLY a guess!) is that, in my case, I'm unconsciously
sitting wrongly to compensate for the discomfort in my left sandal.

Sitting

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

slightly out of whack produces the numb wobbly bits and the sole misfit

(am

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I the sole misfit...?) is producing a pressure point causing the toe
numbness - two symptoms with one root cause and two sub-causes.

Try looking at your foot position on the pedal. Different sneakers fit
differently on pedals (your toe clips won't allow you to place your foot

in

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the same place with different shoes) so you might be causing a pressure
point on your foot, causing you to compensate slightly too.

Might be worth looking at...

Frank

Hmmm... no one told me cycling was going to get this complicated!
I'm worried now that you tell me that if I go out and buy proper shoes,
cleats etc that I could still get numb toes. 🙁

I think cleated setup, properly adjusted, will give you much less trouble.
Once they are set up correctly you'll always be in the proper pain-free and
no-numb position.

Cheers,

Frank