Effective solutions for 'hot foot'?

100Suns

On long spins this year I've experienced hot foot and numbness. It appears that it's caused by pressure on the metatarsals. Solutions seem to be metatarsal pads, bespoke insoles or retirement. Has anyone found effective solutions?

Lumen

The most common remedy for any pain in the front part of your foot is to take the load off by moving the cleat position towards the midsole (then correct the effective saddle height, obviously).

SurferDude41

Hot foot can be caused by a number of factors.
1. Forefoot varus, ie the forefoot tilts up on the inside. 87% of the population are affected by this condition.
Specialized cycling shoes can help with this.
You can buy cleat wedges, thin plastic wedges you install between cleat and cycling shoe. These are called Lemond Wedges or big meat wedges.
I also found specialized cycling footbeds helpful, for alleviating hot foot. These are around €30

2. Hot foot can also be caused by having a too narrow Q-factor. ie feet too close together.
Cures for this are Speedplay pedals, with longer than standard pedal spindles.
These are available from speedplay. The axles are around €100 alone.
You could also try placing your cleats further back, on your cycling shoes.
Have a look at the speedplay website, lots of usefull information.

3. Check that your cleat bolts are not protruding through your cycling shoes. Something as simple as this can cause agony:eek:

4. your cycling shoes could be too narrow. This can compress the nerves between the metatarsals.
I assume, you have tried different brands of cycling shoes already???

Also google Paul Swift Bike fit. He has an interesting website.

Let me know how you get on.

Happy Cycling:)

LastGasp

Below is a post I put up a while ago regarding the Hot Foot problem. A couple of months back I decided to "go the whole hog" and drill new holes in my shoes to allow my Speedplay Cleats to fit right back under my arches. I wasn't sure if it had worked as I had only got up to 100kms until last weekend, and it doesn't usually hit me until 120 - 130kms. Anyway I went out last Saturday and did the Dying Sow 300 Audax without even a twinge. I'm still not convinced, as it was a cool day and I had noticed the problem is less pronounced in cooler weather, but I'm hopeful it's cracked !
More info here http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/01/cleat-position.html

Cheers, LG.



I've been having similar problems for a while, but at higher mileage. About 100 kms I start getting severe pains in my toes. I'm sure it's down to poor circulation. One recommendation is to move cleats right back which I did. I thought that had fixed the problem, but it came back. Then I bought some high arch Footdisc Insoles which did the trick for a while. I was so convinced that it was sorted, that I bought 4 pairs for my cycling and walking shoes. Then it came back again ! I'm afraid I don't have an answer - here's an interesting report. I've tried most of the suggestions without much success.

How to Solve Painful 'Hot Foot'
By Fred Matheny for www.RoadBikeRider.com
In cycling, it’s known as “hot foot” -- a burning pain in the ball of the foot, perhaps radiating toward the toes. Severe cases feel like some sadistic demon is applying a blowtorch.
Hot foot occurs most often on long rides. It may develop sooner or more intensely on hilly courses because climbs cause greater pedaling pressure. The pain results when nerves are squeezed between the heads of each foot’s five long metatarsal bones. These heads are in the wide part of the foot (the “ball”) just behind the toes.
My worst case of hot foot occurred on a 3,400-mile, 24-day transcontinental ride. With an average distance of 140 miles per day, no rest days and more than 100,000 feet of vertical gain, my dogs were smoking by the third week.
My RBR partner, Ed Pavelka, remembers being in agony near the end of one 225-mile ride early in his long-distance career. It was his first experience with hot foot, and the problem plagued him that season until he changed to larger shoes. Feet always swell on long rides (more so in hot weather), causing pressure inside shoes that normally fit fine.
“Hot foot” is actually a misnomer. It’s not heat but rather pressure on nerves that causes the burning sensation. You’ll sometimes see riders squirting water on their pups in a vain attempt to put out the fire.
Besides tight shoes, another risk factor is small pedals, especially if you have large feet. Small pedal surfaces concentrate pressure on the ball of the foot instead of spreading it the way a larger pedal will. If your cycling shoes have flexible soles like most mountain bike shoes, they’ll be less able to diffuse pressure.

Before Ed figured out his shoe-size problem, he tried to solve the pain with cortisone injections. That’s an unnecessary extreme in most cases -- and it’s not fun to have a doctor stick a needle between your toes. Here are several better solutions.

• Adjust shoe straps. It’s the top strap nearest your ankle that stops your feet from slopping around in your shoes. Tighten it as much as necessary, but keep the strap nearest your toes loose for maximum room.
  
• Use thinner insoles and/or socks. This will give your feet more room to swell without restriction, especially helpful if your shoes are borderline snug.
  
• Re-focus the pressure. Many riders solve hot foot by moving their cleats to the rear by as much as 8 mm. Long-distance enthusiast may go back as far as the cleat slots allow. They might even drill new rearward holes. After using this remedy, lower your saddle by the same amount if you moved your cleats backward 2-4 mm. If more than 4 mm, lower the saddle about half the amount. So, if your cleats go back 1 cm, put the saddle down 5 mm.
  
• Add metatarsal buttons. These foam domes are placed on insoles (or are built into them) just behind the ball of the foot. They spread the metatarsal bones so the nerves running between them aren’t pinched by pressure or swelling. You can find these products in the foot-care section of drug stores.
  
• Switch to larger pedals, for the reason mentioned above.
  
• Buy new shoes. Look for a model with a wider-and-higher toe box, a stiffer sole and an anatomical footbed with a metatarsal button. One model that meets these specs is the Specialized BG, with versions for road and off-road.
  
• Purchase custom orthotics. These plastic footbeds are supplied by podiatrists or sports medicine clinics. Among their biomechanical benefits are built-in metatarsal buttons. Be certain the practitioner understands you're a cyclist, because orthotics for runners are not what you need. Cycling is a forefoot activity, not a heel-strike activity.

For more information on hot foot, orthotics and other foot-related issues, see "Andy Pruitt’s Medical Guide for Cyclists," available as an eBook in the online eBookstore at RoadBikeRider.com.

100Suns

Thanks for the info.

@SurferDude41. I switched to Specialized shoes after a long and agonizing outing in the Alps. I haven't had hotfoot since but have experienced numbness in the toes after long spins. I expect this is a different manifestation of the same problem?

I had also read somewhere that a large pedal platform can help, with look being quoted. I currently use keos. I would have thought speedplays have a smaller point impact and would therefore exacerbate the problem?

I'll try the specialized inserts for starters and will let you know how it goes.

Lumen

I had a lot of problems with numb toes with my Specialized shoes. I think they are about half a size too small. So I took the insole out. And then my sole hurt, under the ball of my foot. So I moved the cleat back, and now they're perfect.

SurferDude41

100Suns wrote: »

Thanks for the info.

@SurferDude41. I switched to Specialized shoes after a long and agonizing outing in the Alps. I haven't had hotfoot since but have experienced numbness in the toes after long spins. I expect this is a different manifestation of the same problem?

I had also read somewhere that a large pedal platform can help, with look being quoted. I currently use keos. I would have thought speedplays have a smaller point impact and would therefore exacerbate the problem?

I'll try the specialized inserts for starters and will let you know how it goes.

You can buy Specialized foot beds, your shoes came with the red ones. You can get BLUE ( These offer more arch support) And GREEN ( These offer maximum arch support)
The Specialized footbeds also come with a packet of forefoot in-shoe wedges.

Speedplay also sell as a Fore-Aft extender baseplates, these allow 15mm of added rearward positoning. And this saves drilling into your cycling shoes:) These are about €25:(
In my opinion these baseplates, should come standard with their pedals.

100Suns

I'm not sure about moving cleats back too far as this impacts saddle height, bike fit, power transfer etc. might be time for bigger shoes, speedplays, inserts and a new bike fit. How many days to Christmas?

Morgan

I suggest you try my PATENTED FORMULATION®

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Morgan_Blue_Ice_Gel_-_200ml_Tub/5360050524/

Lumen

100Suns wrote: »

I'm not sure about moving cleats back too far as this impacts saddle height, bike fit, power transfer etc.

Well, as you see fit but perhaps don't knock it until you've tried it. Honestly, a few mm makes a massive difference, and it costs nothing. If you're really super-sensitive to saddle height you could adjust down to compensate, but for 5mm or so it's not really necesary.

TinyExplosions

Cold shoes are the best remedy

100Suns

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Cold shoes are the best remedy

I've tried the cool ones and they don't work. I suspect I now know why - they were heavily advertised by Alberto in a really cool white suit and bare feet. I feel cheated.

TinyExplosions

100Suns wrote: »

I've tried the cool ones and they don't work. I suspect I now know why - they were heavily advertised by Alberto in a really cool white suit and bare feet. I feel cheated.

You want the Homoerotic shower fresh shoes a la Pozzato you see