Numb feet after exercise

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rosysilhouette
rosysilhouette Posts: 31
in Fitness and Exercise
For some reason, after half an hour exercising my feet always go numb and then burn, stopping me from doing any more. I always feel like I could do more but my feet prevent me from doing so. Can anyone suggest a reason for this, or perhaps a solution?

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  • McFatterton
    McFatterton Posts: 1,358 Member
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    I have the same problem and have learned to work through it, for the most part. One thing that does help is to stop exercising and walk around, wiggle your toes and ankles until the tingling goes away. When I'm on the elliptical a lot of times I will just stop for a few seconds, lift up my foot and try to shake it out. A lot of people have this problem, I have yet to find a total solution.
  • doingit4myprincesses
    doingit4myprincesses Posts: 64 Member
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    I have the same problem. Not sure why yours would but i know my reason is because last year I broke my tailbone and when I did that I also pinched a nerve in my lower back. I understand how you feel it isn't pleasant. I usually take ibuprofen after I exercise to take the inflammation out of my nerve. Hope you get it figured out!! Good luck!!
  • mhesterruns
    mhesterruns Posts: 49
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    Mine did this on the elli[tical. It has something to do with how you keep your feet/ Mine woudl do it at about 13 minutes. I had to adjust my feet and remember to lift my heels. It also helped when I got new shoes.
  • epoeraven
    epoeraven Posts: 458 Member
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    Is it any type of exercise? Or a sepcific type, i.e. running? Either way have you tried different shoes or socks? If it is any kind of exercise and that doesn't help I would see a doctor to rule out something serious.
  • Laceylala
    Laceylala Posts: 3,094 Member
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    I get this too. When I first started working out two months ago I had a really hard time with it on the elliptical. Part of it was because I had on tennis shoes that were too firm on the top of my foot and I think they cut off circulation. I bought some trail running Puma shoes and I love them and now that I think about it, I rarely get it anymore.

    When I do get it, I usually try to wiggle my toes and ankles and stand a little differently for a minute or so...but yeah..the shoes were the difference. Maybe try loosening them a little?
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
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    I would guess that this may be due to a couple of possibilities:
    1) generic circulatory issues that will improve over time
    2) your shoes don't fit your particular foot shape correctly and is pinching a nerve or vessel causing these sensations
    3) artery clogging - this can happen in your legs and sometimes, such symptoms could be an early warning sign of more serious heart-health issues
    4) diabetes - there's a particular leg/foot problem associated with diabetes - no one knows what its about exactly but the symptoms are severe pain and/or numbness in the feet and lower legs that only worsens with time and can be debilitating.

    I would like to suggest - for you both - to see your physician about this and get it looked into. I don't want to sound alarmist - I'm not - could very well be #1 or #2 (and you can easily test #2 the next time you work out). Just won't know until the proper exams are conducted and its always worth finding out and taking preventative care if it is something that needs to be long-term managed.. or even short term for that matter!!! And if it's "nothing", hey - at least you know for sure and you've taken another step to self-care and maintenance! :-)
  • stringsNlinks
    stringsNlinks Posts: 293 Member
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    I had the same problem but I went to a running store and got fitted for shoes. Also, I tied them way to tight. Just pull the slack out of the laces for a snug but not tight fit. It made all the difference for me. Hope it helps you too!
  • cdavis1126
    cdavis1126 Posts: 301 Member
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    Yep, this happens to me as well. I change the way I'm walking on the treadmill, push down harder, or bend my knees a bit and it goes away. This was stopping me as well and I thought this is not going to work so I just keep on walking and making those changes now.
  • Jerzeebabie04
    Jerzeebabie04 Posts: 272
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    I would guess that this may be due to a couple of possibilities:
    1) generic circulatory issues that will improve over time
    2) your shoes don't fit your particular foot shape correctly and is pinching a nerve or vessel causing these sensations
    3) artery clogging - this can happen in your legs and sometimes, such symptoms could be an early warning sign of more serious heart-health issues
    4) diabetes - there's a particular leg/foot problem associated with diabetes - no one knows what its about exactly but the symptoms are severe pain and/or numbness in the feet and lower legs that only worsens with time and can be debilitating.

    I would like to suggest - for you both - to see your physician about this and get it looked into. I don't want to sound alarmist - I'm not - could very well be #1 or #2 (and you can easily test #2 the next time you work out). Just won't know until the proper exams are conducted and its always worth finding out and taking preventative care if it is something that needs to be long-term managed.. or even short term for that matter!!! And if it's "nothing", hey - at least you know for sure and you've taken another step to self-care and maintenance! :-)

    I agree you should definitely see a Dr. These types of symptoms could be from much more serious illnesses. You need to bring it to the attention of your Dr so that you can be checked for other problems. Numbness is not a good sign and could lead to amputation if you let it continue
  • sprags
    sprags Posts: 56
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    I don't think you have diabetes (foot problems with diabetes are more complicated than your feet going numb during exercise) or artery clogging (which would be your heart that would be having the problem).

    During exercise you're working your heart and your lungs--"fight or flight" response from your nervous system. You are shunting blood away from your periphery (arms and legs) and your digestive track in order to fuel your heart and lungs with the blood and oxygen it needs to keep up with your exercise.

    Your toes and sometimes your fingers can get tingly because of a shortage of oxygented blood to them during exercise.

    Hope that helps!
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
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    Anytime something goes numb it's usually a nerve issue. You have nerves that run down the top of your foot to your toes and it's probably being pinched while you are working out.

    I get it sometimes on the elliptical trainer because it dorsi-flexes my foot too much. I wouldn't really worry about it too much. You can try loosening the laces on your shoes to see if that helps.
  • rosysilhouette
    rosysilhouette Posts: 31
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    Thank you for all your replies and suggestions :flowerforyou:

    Someone has suggested it could be shoes to me in the past, but then i worked out with no shoes on and the same thing happened. I usually have no problems at all with my feet, or health, but I will take into account what has been suggested and maybe go and see my doctor (I'm a bit scared to though to be honest haha).

    Also it is when I use my exercise machine called a twist stepper, but i also remember it happening when I used the cross trainer at the gym a couple of years back, but it never happened on the bikes or rowing machine. It's hard to tell though, because i'm not an exercise junkie so times may differ, and effort etc. I just remember I used to cycle for an hour and it didn't happen, but now it does on the twist stepper.

    Or perhaps it is just the fight/flight response, as that does make sense.

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