Feet going numb on the elliptical

xASHYxSMASHYx
xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
edited November 10 in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone else have this problem? My feet start going numb about ten minutes into my workout, and it gets really frustrating I have to keep stopping and stretching them out. I wear proper tennis shoes, or workout shoes whatever you would like to call them. I've switched multiple brands widths, etc and still always have this problem.
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Replies

  • Hurricane_C
    Hurricane_C Posts: 806 Member
    I've read about this on here before and people have suggested that it had to do with the laces being tied too tight. I've loosed my laces and haven't really noticed a problem any more.
  • I would agree on the possibilty of the shoelaces being too tight. I get this sometimes when I ride. Not bad but it happens. Not so much in my feet, but toes.
  • Hambone23
    Hambone23 Posts: 486 Member
    /bump
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    it could be caused by some sort of nerve impingement. repeated movements could cause some sort of inflammation in areas that a nerve is impinged.
  • Nicola0000
    Nicola0000 Posts: 531 Member
    Agree with the shoe laces. I really dont get on with the elliptical. I find it really hurts my knees, as I find the stride doesnt seem big enough for me. If you still find it doesnt work for you, then maybe try the treadmill instead.
  • jmatthews75
    jmatthews75 Posts: 525 Member
    my left foot goes numb when I jog. Had xray's and an MRI even, basically dr said to suck it up. He could do nerve testing but it isn't worth the pain to find out anything. I don't lose any balance or support, just feels odd. So I just deal with it. so if your shoe laces being untied doesn't help any, don't sweat it too much until you see your dr about it and see what they tell you.
  • twhitney
    twhitney Posts: 65 Member
    My feet go numb everytime I'm on the elliptical. I know it doesn't have anything to do with my shoelaces, but I don't know what causes it.
  • OSUloulou
    OSUloulou Posts: 74 Member
    you might be pushing down with your toes. Try to use your whole foot to push.....
  • Revenant1066
    Revenant1066 Posts: 4 Member
    You may have compartment syndrome. Do you also get a feeling of really tight muscles on the sides of your calves that you can't seem to stretch out? And possibly pain? Or is it just numbness?
  • mrsweigl
    mrsweigl Posts: 198 Member
    After about 45 min my right foot goes numb too, i just tough it out another 10-15 minutes
  • kattydid65
    kattydid65 Posts: 65 Member
    I had asked the same question, first they told me my laces were too tight and then someone watched me on the elliptical and told me I was leaning forward to much. They said I was working on the balls of my feet instead of the whole foot. So I tried to lean back a little more. Seemed to work but I still find myself working on the balls of my feet. Hopefully that might help you a little...
  • trishdish11
    trishdish11 Posts: 13 Member
    Hi my feet would go numb using the elliptical machine. I asked my personal trainer about this & he said it's to do with where pressure is applied to the feet whilst using the elliptical machine, i.e placing too much pressure on the ball and toes of the feet rather than distributing the pressure evenly over the feet including the heels. I tried this & it does make a difference. Hope this helps.
  • xASHYxSMASHYx
    xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
    You may have compartment syndrome. Do you also get a feeling of really tight muscles on the sides of your calves that you can't seem to stretch out? And possibly pain? Or is it just numbness?

    I do get pain in my feet as well as the numbness, and sometimes my calves start to cramp if I am going too fast. Never heard of compartment syndrome before.
  • xASHYxSMASHYx
    xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
    Thanks for all the suggestions... I am not sure if my shoe laces are too tight, but I guess I could give it a go with them loosened up and see if it makes a difference. I will also try the suggestions of trying to lean back a little. Since I am flat footed, I think that might be part of the problem.
  • xaniza
    xaniza Posts: 250 Member
    Mine go numb sometimes too. I found that if I lift my feet about an inch off the platforms and kinda march for a few minutes it pretty much goes away. Be careful tho if you try that, sometimes I lose balance if I lift and go to fast lol =)
  • radosti1
    radosti1 Posts: 198 Member
    I have the same problem on the gazelle. I've switched to all kinds of shoes, laces, no laces, no difference. It's just my soles and sometimes toes. I think I put too much pressure on the balls of my feet.
  • DeenieWeenie
    DeenieWeenie Posts: 149 Member
    My feet used to do that too! I chalked it up to not being used to my elliptical. It only does it now, when I go a great length of time not using it.
  • krevill
    krevill Posts: 65 Member
    I get terrible pain in my toes. I find that if I wiggle my toes it helps with the pain.
  • I used to get this all the time!! it was a nightmare, I was told its because your feet swell up during exercise so I was told to buy training shoes half a size bigger in the future, try not tying your laces so tight see if it helps :-)
  • Happens to me all the time. Not so bad that I have to stop. As soon as I finish my feet are fine.
  • skyeashlee
    skyeashlee Posts: 108 Member
    Yes !!!!! so now i wear thongs/flip flops/jandles and dont get that pins and needles/numb sensation but instead get blisters etc, ... i prefer the blisters hehe....
  • amilani1
    amilani1 Posts: 5 Member
    My feet go numb on the eliptical as well. I tried loosening my laces a smidge, and changing the direction. It helped. When I was pushing in the opposite direction, I tried to focus the weight on the heels of my feet. Hope it helps. :happy:
  • melt57
    melt57 Posts: 60 Member
    Yep, my toes get tingly. Some have suggested to switch and go backwards for a while, but I find that incredibly difficult. I just lean back and put more pressure on my heels. I was thinking of trying to increase the ramp angle, but I don't know if I'm ready for that yet!!
  • Cdcaldwe
    Cdcaldwe Posts: 189 Member
    Push through your heals on the elliptical.
  • 1546mel
    1546mel Posts: 191
    I have the same problem here also. Always go numb after about 10 min. Nothing seems to help. I tend to avoid it because of that and stick to walking, precor, biking or jogging, though i do notice numbness with those also sometimes, especially the precor.
  • This happens to me too! It also happens on the rowing machine, the bike and the treadmill. I definitely think I work on the balls of my feet too much. On the elliptical I try going backwards for a while which does seem to work a little. I even switched to bigger trainers thinking they were too tight, but it didn't seem to work!
  • Both my feet go numb as well. I've loosened my laces and still numb. I do lean back and like another poster said, kind of march on the elliptical when they start going numb. Usually that really helps.
  • simplyeater
    simplyeater Posts: 270 Member
    Happens to me too, that's why I don't use mine much anymore, prefer to walk instead.
  • lovinmysoldier
    lovinmysoldier Posts: 156 Member
    I remember in my cycling class the instructor asked this question and her recommendation was to get a hard soled shoe, one that is not made for impact. I kind of have a 3 tier shoe system. I buy shoes for running, when I need new ones my current ones get bumped down to all other exercise, and then to elliptical and cycling.

    I think because of the cushion which is made for impact your foot doesn't come off the pedals to allow circulation. At least I have found this to be true for me.
  • Honey_gold_queen
    Honey_gold_queen Posts: 23 Member
    I have this problem constantly too on the CrossTrainer. I have tried to adjust everything, shoelaces, stance, position of foot. I have extremely high arches, so it could be a support thing. Good luck figuring out how to fix it. I just push through and it eventually gets better.
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