Why do my feet hurt? (seriously)

[Jeff]

I'm using SPD pedals on a new Trek that I recently purchased (2002 Trek
2200) in an effort to ride more instead of relying on sporadic mountain biking, and I'm really
having a problem with my feet just *aching* while I ride.

I went and had my feet sized because I feared it may have been just a wide foot, and I discovered I
was EE, so I purchased a pair of Nike Ventoux because they came in wide sizes. The shoes *seem* to
fit nicely, but this is my first pair of true road shoes, and they're stiff (like they should be).
Previously I had worn my Shimano mountain biking shoes which were certainly less stiff that the road
shoes. I didn't experience any massive discomfort with those, but they were certainly more
"sneaker-like" shoes.

Do you have to get "used" to road shoes?

Like I said, the shoes seems to fit nicely, and are comfortable when I'm just wearing them before a
ride, but after about 10 miles or so, my feet just ache terribly and I find I have to take them out
of the pedals and move them around a lot. Is this normal too? Do you have to take a "break" every
few miles and just move your feet around? Is the stiffness of the shoe just transferring more
vibration and road to my feet and I'm just more "sensitive" to it right now?

I know this might seem like a vague question, but I really don't know how else to ask it. I'm hoping
I can either learn to "tough it out" until it's more comfortable, or get a new pair of shoes if I
have to. So far right now, the ONLY thing that is a constant source of pain and discomfort are my
feet. I feel like if I could just get over my feet aching so badly, I could ride forever. The bike
seems to fit fine, I'm comfortable on it, and I love riding it. It's just my damn feet.

 

[Rick Onanian]

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 10:55:36 -0400, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm using SPD pedals on a new Trek that I recently purchased (2002 Trek
> 2200) in an effort to ride more instead of relying on sporadic mountain biking, and I'm really
> having a problem with my feet just *aching* while I ride.

A better description of the type of ache may be in order.

I discovered that my right foot hurt as if I was standing on my tip-toes for an extended time,
yesterday, and later found that my cleat wasn't bolted tightly and had gone out of alignment.

Consider the way that you stand when you align your cleats. My toes point out towards the sides,
like some sort of clown or something, so I adjusted my cleat that way. I'll ride today and find out
if that helped...it was the difference between the left and right foot, and the left foot felt fine.

--
Rick Onanian

 

[Jeff]

Oh yeah...does anyone use "inserts" in their shoes? When I went to a podiatrist recently, he told me
of a specific over-the-counter insert that he made a point of writing on the back of a card from the
only store in town that carried them (I don't have the card handy, but it was our neighborhood
Athletic Attic or whatever, and I'm in a small town). I haven't actually gotten by there to pick a
couple up (they were for regular, work/dress shoes) but I was wondering if this might help. Does
anyone use inserts? Do they work in cycling shoes? Does anyone have experience using inserts in
their cycling shoes?

 

[Jeff]

"Rick Onanian" <[email protected]> wrote
> A better description of the type of ache may be in order.

It's very dull and achey and it hurts in my arches. I'm trying to think how to describe it. It's as
if I was trying to raise myself on my toes with my feet flat on the ground for a very long time.

 

[Eric Murray]

In article <[email protected]>, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>"Rick Onanian" <[email protected]> wrote
>> A better description of the type of ache may be in order.
>
>It's very dull and achey and it hurts in my arches. I'm trying to think how to describe it. It's as
>if I was trying to raise myself on my toes with my feet flat on the ground for a very long time.

It sounds like your new shoes don't have enough arch support. I have high arches and I've had this
same kind of problem while running. Try some inserts with added arch support. There's nothing wring
with using inserts in cycling shoes.

Also, you may have your cleats too far forward.

Cycling shoes can take a bit of getting used to but even to start with they sould be comfortable for
at least a couple hours.

Eric

 

[Stan Cox]

"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Rick Onanian" <[email protected]> wrote
> > A better description of the type of ache may be in order.
>
> It's very dull and achey and it hurts in my arches. I'm trying to think
how
> to describe it. It's as if I was trying to raise myself on my toes with my feet flat on the ground
> for a very long time.
>
>
Silly thought. Is your saddle too high. SPD pedals put your feet nearer the axle than old style
clips. Not by much but its enough to have to lower the saddle a couple of mm. I found this when I
changed pedal systems.

Stan Cox

 

[Stan Cox]

"Eric Murray" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> >"Rick Onanian" <[email protected]> wrote
> >> A better description of the type of ache may be in order.
> ><snip>>
> Cycling shoes can take a bit of getting used to but even to start with they sould be comfortable
> for at least a couple hours.
>
>
> Eric
>

I always find I have to break my shoes in for a month or so. I get an ache after about an hour.
Then again I have wide feet and different widths are not held in shops near me.

Stan (Breaking in a new pair of SIDI's) Cox

 

[Tbgibb]

In article <[email protected]>, "Jeff" <[email protected]> writes:

>Oh yeah...does anyone use "inserts" in their shoes? When I went to a podiatrist recently, he told
>me of a specific over-the-counter insert that he made a point of writing on the back of a card from
>the only store in town that carried them (I don't have the card handy, but it was our neighborhood
>Athletic Attic or whatever, and I'm in a small town). I haven't actually gotten by there to pick a
>couple up (they were for regular, work/dress shoes) but I was wondering if this might help. Does
>anyone use inserts? Do they work in cycling shoes? Does anyone have experience using inserts in
>their cycling shoes?
>

I do in my shoes and they help a lot. They are a generic orthotic type thing, and quite stiff.

Tom Gibb <[email protected]

 

[Paul Kopit]

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 11:01:10 -0400, "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Oh yeah...does anyone use "inserts" in their shoes? When I went to a podiatrist recently, he told
>me of a specific over-the-counter insert that he made a point of writing on the back of a card from
>the only store in town that carried them (I don't have the card handy, but it was our neighborhood
>Athletic Attic or whatever, and I'm in a small town). I haven't actually gotten by there to pick a
>couple up (they were for regular, work/dress shoes) but I was wondering if this might help. Does
>anyone use inserts? Do they work in cycling shoes? Does anyone have experience using inserts in
>their cycling shoes?
>

You shoes are too tight. Anything you put into the shoe will make them tighter. If the shoe has an
insole, remove it. Specialized Road Comp pedals are inexpensive, plenty wide, and they stretch too.

 

[Lewdvig]

I had the same problem and found the cure on this very group! Arch aches and side of foot
aches/numbness.

I was advised to try moving the cleat backwards towards the heel a little bit at a time until the
arch aches stopped coming. This worked!

I also have very wide feet and something you should consider - ESPECIALLY WITH SPD PEDALS - is that
the outside of your foot is probably rolling off the edge of the sole. The symptoms are similar to
having shoe that is too tight - so that cause is offered as the culprit quite often.

Small platform pedals often end up being centered underneath the big toe of duck footed guys like
us. Be weary of where your pedal is centered and try to get it so that the pedal is right under the
center of your foot.

A pedal with more contact area might help. Try everything before you spend money though. Lots of
people are happy with their Spuds.

"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I'm using SPD pedals on a new Trek that I recently purchased (2002 Trek
> 2200) in an effort to ride more instead of relying on sporadic mountain biking, and I'm really
> having a problem with my feet just *aching* while I ride.
>
> I went and had my feet sized because I feared it may have been just a wide foot, and I discovered
> I was EE, so I purchased a pair of Nike Ventoux because they came in wide sizes. The shoes *seem*
> to fit nicely, but this
is
> my first pair of true road shoes, and they're stiff (like they should be). Previously I had worn
> my Shimano mountain biking shoes which were
certainly
> less stiff that the road shoes. I didn't experience any massive discomfort with those, but they
> were certainly more "sneaker-like" shoes.
>
> Do you have to get "used" to road shoes?
>
> Like I said, the shoes seems to fit nicely, and are comfortable when I'm just wearing them before
> a ride, but after about 10 miles or so, my feet just ache terribly and I find I have to take them
> out of the pedals and mo
ve
> them around a lot. Is this normal too? Do you have to take a "break" every few miles and just move
> your feet around? Is the stiffness of the shoe
just
> transferring more vibration and road to my feet and I'm just more "sensitive" to it right now?
>
> I know this might seem like a vague question, but I really don't know how else to ask it. I'm
> hoping I can either learn to "tough it out" until it's more comfortable, or get a new pair of
> shoes if I have to. So far right
now,
> the ONLY thing that is a constant source of pain and discomfort are my
feet.
> I feel like if I could just get over my feet aching so badly, I could ride forever. The bike seems
> to fit fine, I'm comfortable on it, and I love riding it. It's just my damn feet.

 

[Jeff]

"Paul Kopit" <[email protected]> wrote
> You shoes are too tight. Anything you put into the shoe will make them tighter. If the shoe has
> an insole, remove it. Specialized Road Comp pedals are inexpensive, plenty wide, and they
> stretch too.

See, I'm not too sure that's right. They certainly don't feel too tight, and we spent a LOT of time
at my LBS making sure I was sized right, even going to far as to go to another, higher end shoe
store and having them precisely size me so I could be sure of exactly what size I needed.

No, I'm leaning more and more toward either a misplaced cleat, or a seat adjustment. I'm trying both
over the next few days. I've made sure my cleat places the ball of my foot directly over the
spindle, and that *seems* okay, but I'm wondering if maybe the cleat's not seated laterally
correctly. I'm going to pay extra attention tomorrow to the placement of my foot. Hopefully I'll
know more tomorrow.

Also, several others, including the podiatrist I called today seemed to want me to get that
arch support.

 

[Callistus Valer]

No he's correct. The shoe is too tight. I went thru the same experience. If you really want to solve
the problem you have to get Sidi mega shoes. They are extra wide and work. I tried everything like
you will, but this is the solution. They were my 3rd pair before I got it right.

The problem is not the fitting. I'm sure they fitted the shoe correctly. It's that your feet swell,
or press abnormally out wide. This is not a common problem as I had found out. But you are a member
of this special club. With Sidi mega's you will think that the shoe is too wide, but as you ride you
will find out that the pain in your foot has disappeared.

 

[Insight Driver]

I had the experience of my foot going numb when I road with cheap Shimano shoes and SPD clips. I had a proffesional bike fit session and the fitter angled my cleats and set them properly in the center of the ball of my foot. That solved the problem for me.

I doubt I would have been able to adjust my clips by trial and error as well as they were adjusted by measuring my foot angle. I am convinced, from my experience that getting a proffesional fitting is the best thing you can do to set your bike up to your body size and shape.

 

[Jeff]

Okay, after talking to what seems like a crapload of people here's what I have been told

Your shoes are too tight. Your shoes are too loose. Your seat is too high. Your seat may be too low.
Your feet are wide. You need arch support. You need to switch pedals.

I'm down with that. That's a manageable list of things to work on. So here's what I did...

I went to a podiatrist who did a once over and sized my feet (9.5 EE. wide, but not way wide). He
talked to me for a few minutes and gave me the name of a good over the counter insert and where to
get it. I went and got a pair (Spenco Orthotics, I got it at my local "Athlete's Foot", I'm sure
most athletic shoe stores would have them, they were $25.) and tried them out.

I also talked to a bunch of different people about sizing, and looked up a bunch of sizing articles
online. I saw the bend I needed in my leg and one site recommended that I place my heel on the pedal
as a good judge of the bottom of my foot at the six o'clock position. When I did that, my leg was
*really* straightened out. I mean, straight as a board, and possibly even *slightly* extended. So I
lowered my seat by a centimeter or so until I had what I thought was a good bend. I also had the
wifey make sure the ball of my foot was over the spindle of the pedal, which it was, as I suspected,
that never really felt wrong in the first place.

I also got a pair of wide shoes (Nike Ventoux, as I said. Wide size, special ordered by the LBS.
They're $100 and you can even order them at Nikestore. They were the least expensive, "wide" shoe I
could find.).

I rode today, and I'm not sure exactly what it was that did it, but it felt fine to ride for more
than two hours...no problem.

So, I dunno if it was all that I did, or a certain combinations of things, but that's what I was
able to accomplish by doing the above things. Maybe if someone else has the same problem, some of
that may help.

Thanks for all the help, I appreciate it. I don't have a whole lot of real live folk to talk to
about this stuff, as I live in a small, somewhat "peloton challenged" area.

 

[ROppelt]

Originally posted by Jeff
I'm using SPD pedals on a new Trek that I recently purchased (2002 Trek
2200) in an effort to ride more instead of relying on sporadic mountain biking, and I'm really
having a problem with my feet just *aching* while I ride.

I went and had my feet sized because I feared it may have been just a wide foot, and I discovered I
was EE, so I purchased a pair of Nike Ventoux because they came in wide sizes. The shoes *seem* to
fit nicely, but this is my first pair of true road shoes, and they're stiff (like they should be).
Previously I had worn my Shimano mountain biking shoes which were certainly less stiff that the road
shoes. I didn't experience any massive discomfort with those, but they were certainly more
"sneaker-like" shoes.

Do you have to get "used" to road shoes?

Like I said, the shoes seems to fit nicely, and are comfortable when I'm just wearing them before a
ride, but after about 10 miles or so, my feet just ache terribly and I find I have to take them out
of the pedals and move them around a lot. Is this normal too? Do you have to take a "break" every
few miles and just move your feet around? Is the stiffness of the shoe just transferring more
vibration and road to my feet and I'm just more "sensitive" to it right now?

I know this might seem like a vague question, but I really don't know how else to ask it. I'm hoping
I can either learn to "tough it out" until it's more comfortable, or get a new pair of shoes if I
have to. So far right now, the ONLY thing that is a constant source of pain and discomfort are my
feet. I feel like if I could just get over my feet aching so badly, I could ride forever. The bike
seems to fit fine, I'm comfortable on it, and I love riding it. It's just my damn feet.

 

[ROppelt]

I have had similar problems with my feet. The pain is primarily in the ball of the foot. I moved the clip farther back so the pressure was placed farther back on my foot. I also took out the original pads and put in a set of inserts I bought from REI. The pads spread the load out. I have been told that the pain in the ball of the foot may be because the toes / bones tend to get squeezed together. The pad from REI helped spread my toes / bones better.

I also tried to increase my cadence to put less pressure on the foot in each peddle stroke.

I just finished the Habitat 500, a 500 mile seven day raising ride. Four days were from 72 to 100 miles each.

These changes seemed to have helped because my feet bothered me only a couple of times during the whole week. In some ways increasing the cadence seemed like a critical piece. If my feet started to hurt, I shifted down and began spinning faster.

I hope this info helps.

Originally posted by Jeff
I'm using SPD pedals on a new Trek that I recently purchased (2002 Trek
2200) in an effort to ride more instead of relying on sporadic mountain biking, and I'm really
having a problem with my feet just *aching* while I ride.

I went and had my feet sized because I feared it may have been just a wide foot, and I discovered I
was EE, so I purchased a pair of Nike Ventoux because they came in wide sizes. The shoes *seem* to
fit nicely, but this is my first pair of true road shoes, and they're stiff (like they should be).
Previously I had worn my Shimano mountain biking shoes which were certainly less stiff that the road
shoes. I didn't experience any massive discomfort with those, but they were certainly more
"sneaker-like" shoes.

Do you have to get "used" to road shoes?

Like I said, the shoes seems to fit nicely, and are comfortable when I'm just wearing them before a
ride, but after about 10 miles or so, my feet just ache terribly and I find I have to take them out
of the pedals and move them around a lot. Is this normal too? Do you have to take a "break" every
few miles and just move your feet around? Is the stiffness of the shoe just transferring more
vibration and road to my feet and I'm just more "sensitive" to it right now?

I know this might seem like a vague question, but I really don't know how else to ask it. I'm hoping
I can either learn to "tough it out" until it's more comfortable, or get a new pair of shoes if I
have to. So far right now, the ONLY thing that is a constant source of pain and discomfort are my
feet. I feel like if I could just get over my feet aching so badly, I could ride forever. The bike
seems to fit fine, I'm comfortable on it, and I love riding it. It's just my damn feet.

 

[Derk]

Jeff wrote:
> > I went and had my feet sized because I feared it may have been just a wide foot, and I
> > discovered I was EE, so I purchased a pair of Nike Ventoux because they came in wide sizes.
> > The shoes *seem* to fit nicely, but this is my first pair of true road shoes, and they're
> > stiff (like they should be). Previously I had worn my Shimano mountain biking shoes which were
> > certainly less stiff that the road shoes. I didn't experience any massive discomfort with
> > those, but they were certainly more "sneaker-like" shoes.

> > Do you have to get "used" to road shoes?
I think so.

When I read your mail I couldn't understand your problem. Yesterday I bought new, wider, Shimano
shoes and I immediately got painful feet.

In my idea the stifness of the sole is important. The SIDI's I had before didn't have a carbon sole
and I never had any foot problem.

Greets, Derk