Numbness in toes/feet while doing cardio (mainly eleptical)

I had it too, but after pushing through it for a few weeks, it went away. I don't know what it is, but I don't think its anything to worry about.
Good Luck

I have it too, seems related to the fact that you don't actually lift you foot off the ellipitical so it never gets releif from pressure. I find that getting off the ellipitical every 10 minutes for just a minute or two really helps. As for shoes, not sure as I do ellipitical barefoot.

I wouldn't buy special shoes to correct this problem specifically for the elliptical- it happens to lots of people! Just move your feet around on the pedals periodically. If you need special correction for other activities, go for it, but moving your feet around should correct the problem on the elliptical.

I wasn't experiencing this. But what was happening to me was my feet would spasm and charlie horse as soon as I took off my workout shoes. I mentioned it to a trainer and he looked inside my shoes and at my feet. He made some recommendations for different shoes and the problem disappeared. It's worth a shot to talk to a trainer or your doctor about it.

Check your back posture. You might be pinching the low back nerves as they come out of the spinal column (look up spinal stenosis). If you are rounding your back, or have a slipped disc down in the lower region (L3-5 or S1), that can contribute. Strengthen those core muscles, don't slouch when sitting on a couch, lower back support in chairs/driving.

On the elliptical? Pedal backwards for a while - the change in movement restores the blood flow

Often numbness in the extremities is due to your circulation. Especially if your new to cardio, or are just starting a new cardio routine. You body can only pump so much blood around, and it chooses to pump it to your large skeletal muscles, brain, heart and other organs essential to life instead of pushing it down to your toes or fingers. As you improve your cardiac function this should go away. If not it could be another issue.

Good Luck!

Sounds more like nerve compression, specifically the sciatic nerve. Not true Sciatica, it's what we call "pseudo-sciatica" or piriformis syndrome, and it's fairly common in people who do lots of running or standing cardio. What happens is that the nerves that make up the Sciatic nerve (which later splits into the Common Peroneal and Tibial nerves in the lower leg) get compressed somewhere along it's course. Due to the nature of nerves, you'll often feel numbness and tingling at the most distal point of the nerve, even if the compression happens closer to the source. The most common place for this to happen in the leg is actually in the glutes, specifically where the sciatic nerve passes under the piriformis muscle (in roughly 20% of people, the sciatic nerve will actually pass through the piriformis muscle belly), hence Piriformis Syndrome.

The piriformis muscle is the major external rotator for your leg (rotates your leg and foot outwards). If you look at your feet while standing in your normal posture, you'll note that one or both feet will point outwards. Another indicator is if you sit in a chair with both your knees and hips at 90 degrees, and place one ankle over the opposite knee to create a figure 4. If you're piriformis is tight on your "4" leg, your knee will be drastically higher than your other knee. This is also the stretch position I recommend for most people as it's simple to incorporate into their daily lives--all you have to do is press your knee towards the ground to until you feel a stretch through your glutes.

Numbness and tingling is a symptom of a problem with the nervous system, NOT the circulatory system. Compression to the circulatory system will result in blanching, colour changes, and often swelling distal to the source of compression. If you have either or both symptoms on a recurring basis, you should definitely speak to your doctor or another medical professional. Most often it can be treated with soft tissue manipulation, stretching routines and education, but it should not be taken lightly (but don't freak out either).

I have had this problem also, it's primary cause is from your foot strike on the machine try moveing your feet forward or back
it little to see if this helps,also you may be pushing too hard with your feet. Try useing your arms more on the machine.

my second toe does it on my right foot.....like someone said i think it may be constant pressure cuz mine only does it when i dance.....and i do it barefoot and tend to stay on my toes...........first time it happened i thought maybe i had broken my toe or something cuz i stubbed it earlier that day lmao

I have it too, seems related to the fact that you don't actually lift you foot off the ellipitical so it never gets releif from pressure. I find that getting off the ellipitical every 10 minutes for just a minute or two really helps. As for shoes, not sure as I do ellipitical barefoot.

this used to happen to me as well, and it could get unbearable. i now get off and have a 30 second stretch/ water break between miles on the elliptical, ans it doesn't happen anymore. i also rotate using my whole foot and just the ball.

RSI: tarsal tunnel (like carpal tunnel, only in the foot).

Get off the elliptical and try something else.

I was having that issue when I started running and really worried it was my weight and that I wasn't going to be able to continue until I lost more... A friend suggested I tie my shoes just a little looser and that seemed to do the trick!

Yes to above. This also happens to me and I agree with the poster above

I have over pronation (walk somewhat on the outer edges of my feet).

Over pronation is rolling inward with collapsing ankles and sometimes flat arches. Under pronation or supination is rolling to the outer edges of your feet.