Foot pain on elliptical.

Piper911
Piper911 Posts: 46 Member
edited November 23 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok first of all I love the elliptical almost more for mental reasons than just physical. It is truly a form of stress relief and I like nothing more than to just zone out for an hour on it. My problem is that after about 45 minutes my toes and ball of my foot start killing me. It feels like they are on fire. I have good sneakers on and have tried different kinds before. Any one else have this problem or have any advice. I feel like I'm cutting my workout short before I get physically tired because of the pain. Do you think I need more weight in my heel? Or that I'll
just get used to it?

Replies

  • ABabilonia
    ABabilonia Posts: 622 Member
    First of all amazing picture, did Freud really said that (jk)? Now to the topic, I actually experienced the same thing, but in my case the discomfort started after 30 minutes. The pain (sort of a burning cramp) started in the calf and traveled to the feet, and this prevented me of going forward. The thing that improved this for me was a good pair of shoes (I noticed that you mentioned that you have a good pair of sneakers). I went to one of this stores that specialize in shoes, and they advice me a good pair of shoes that are making a big difference. I also started to build more muscle in my left region that has also helped a lot. Just for your safety, though, you may need to go to the Doctor to make sure that everything is good. Have you tried massaging the affected area? Good luck...
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Some people get that on the elliptical, from the constant pressure. Try shifting your weight back off the ball of the foot, or occasionally lift your feet slightly, to take pressure off them.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    Unlike running or walking on a treadmill, constant pressure on the nerve that runs under your foot will "pinch" it and cause it to numb. Kinda like when your leg falls asleep when you lay on it a certain way. As Cherimoose stated, lifting your feet off occasionally or even shifting your weight to your heels for a minute or two helps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    You may not have full range of motion in your feet. Many people post a thread about toe numbness after 20 minutes on an elliptical. Toe crunches (squeezing toes toward balls of feet when you step) can bring circulation back. And others post about foot cramps after walking at high speeds on a treadmill. That can happen when your feet are in a flexed position. A slight incline is supposed to aid in getting full range.
  • ABabilonia
    ABabilonia Posts: 622 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Unlike running or walking on a treadmill, constant pressure on the nerve that runs under your foot will "pinch" it and cause it to numb. Kinda like when your leg falls asleep when you lay on it a certain way. As Cherimoose stated, lifting your feet off occasionally or even shifting your weight to your heels for a minute or two helps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    Thanks for this advice. I didn't realize this as a possible reason for the pain, but occasionally lifting the feet makes perfect sense. I will apply this from now on because although my pain has diminished I still experience some minor discomfort.
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