Foot pain during Zumba

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roxannesimone0817
roxannesimone0817 Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello everyone So I started working out about two weeks ago. I noticed that in about 10 to 12 minutes within the class I would develop an annoying ping near Arch of my foot. I changed my shoes twice and found a pair that works well for other exercise but not Zumba, any advice? Thanks

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  • Cherub3965
    Cherub3965 Posts: 4 Member
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  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    Hm...are you dancing/jumping with high impact? You could try modifying it to lower impact until you are more comfortable. I had foot pains when I was heavier that went away once I was in a healthy weight range. That's the only thing I can think of...

    Does your foot ever feel tight? Sometimes I roll mine over a lacrosse ball or a golf ball.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    edited April 2018
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    I do one or two zumba classes a week. I do have a dance background, but I'm still overweight so I can't really do more than that. I didn't have any foot pain, but I did have knee pain when I was bigger (I'm currently at 194) but that disappeared as I lost more weight.

    For zumba I have always worn a dance sneaker, which I had from when I was regularly dancing. I would not do zumba in a regular sneaker or running shoe (although many do--for me it is uncomfortable). There are many different brands but here's one: https://www.allaboutdance.com/dance-clothing/related/style_V33C.html?mainCategory=CHILD&styleOne=&styleTwo=&styleThree=&brand=&color=

    I would also recommend not jumping, and doing low impact variations if you are overweight. You also have to take smaller steps when the music is fast.
  • Sayanogo
    Sayanogo Posts: 34 Member
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    Different types of shoes are for different things. If the shoes you're wearing now have high arches, find some with lower arches. If they're low, get some high. Your want your foot to be supported without bending it out of shape. Also, make sure they have support for side to side movements (so not running shoes).

    Are there other activities that make your feet feel that way? That might give you some clues about whether it's the type of movement, the impact, the duration, or something else that sets it off.

    Also, as an anecdote, I have a friend who doesn't move their ankles enough when they're dancing. They're twisting their feet around instead of letting their ankle help with the work and it hurts. Just something to think about.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    I'm with the above posters, do low impact to begin with.

    If you have just started exercising, Zumba or dance in particular, your feet (and their muscles) need time to get use to all the various movements- way more variety than a straight forward movement like walking or running.

    Your footwear is also probably designed for forward movement and that could put a strain on your feet when you do pivots, sideway movements, etc.

    Also have a look at the tread on the dance shoes posted above. It is shallow and hatched- giving no directional bias, this enables the foot to change direction on the floor easier affording less stress on the foot.

    Zumba do their own style of footwear with a pivot circle and shallow tread that serves the same purpose. (Link bellow).
    NB: not saying you need to buy a pair, I never did, just giving you an example of the tread.

    Have a look at your footwear and try the shoes with a shallow tread.

    Take it slow, do low impact, and if it helps, concentrate on moving your feet and pick up the arm movements once you have the basic foot moves down pat. (I had to do that, I couldn't concentrate on both at once :) )

    Cheers, h.

    https://www.zumba.com/en-US/shop/FI/product/strong-by-zumba-fly-fit-a1f00086?color=Orange
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I always wondered if a dancer’s shoe would be more appropriate for Zumba.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    edited April 2018
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    jgnatca wrote: »
    I always wondered if a dancer’s shoe would be more appropriate for Zumba.

    Definitely! I made the mistake one day of forgetting my dance sneakers for a zumba class. I went ahead and did the class in my running shoes and I did not like it! I didn't get injured but my movement was restricted and it was easier to trip, without the full range of movement. I have a dance background (and know latin dance too) so it is already easier for me, but I can't imagine the struggle wearing inappropriate shoes as a beginner (no dance background whatsoever) and trying to do a zumba class.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    roxannesimone0817 wrote: »
    Hello everyone So I started working out about two weeks ago. I noticed that in about 10 to 12 minutes within the class I would develop an annoying ping near Arch of my foot.

    Pretty common. Arches can get "out of shape" like the rest of our body. Try stretching your arches every hour. Use a reminder app if you forget. :+1:
  • jessicagreen1828
    jessicagreen1828 Posts: 133 Member
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    You could try to modify the jumpy-steps and do more of a gentle step-tap and see if that reduces your pain.
  • 1BlueAurora
    1BlueAurora Posts: 439 Member
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    I bought the Capezio Rockit shoes, which have a high arch and a circle under the ball of the foot that allows you to slide along the floor smoothly. I think you can get it on Amazon. Just do a search, you should be able to find it as it's a fairly popular style (at least where I take my class). Definitely helped!

    When I started doing Zumba, I modified the movements so that I wasn't jumping around too much. When there were lots of bouncy moves, I just kind of swung my arms and wiggled my butt while I marched in place. Nobody in the class will care that you're doing less impact. You'll do better and be able to do more after you've gotten in better shape. Trust me: when I started I could only finish half of the class because I had no stamina! Now I can go the whole hour. Like someone else pointed out, it also is easier once you've dropped some weight. I've lost 30 pounds and it's made a difference in how easily I can move around.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    I had good luck with shoes specifically made for Zumba. Nike makes them.

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