Foot Cramps

Mark Robinson said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week
and take two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about
the last 9 months or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my
feet one ot twice a week. Three middle toes get pulled down and it's
painful! What's going on? What can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm
54 years old.

Sounds like you need some more arch support. I'm assuming you don't use any
sort of orthotics or anything in your shoes?

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mark Robinson said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week and take
two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about the last 9 months
or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my feet one ot twice a week.
Three middle toes get pulled down and it's painful! What's going on? What
can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm 54 years old.

This can happen to me when my shoes are too lose, too much room
in the toe box. Insoles can help if that's the problem.

HardwareLust said:

Mark Robinson said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week
and take two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about
the last 9 months or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my
feet one ot twice a week. Three middle toes get pulled down and it's
painful! What's going on? What can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm
54 years old.

Sounds like you need some more arch support. I'm assuming you don't use any
sort of orthotics or anything in your shoes?

I agree, that's definitely a shoe problem. Toes don't really do
anything when pedalling.

"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:40c18429.0@entanet...

Quoted message said:

HardwareLust said:

Mark Robinson said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week
and take two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about
the last 9 months or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my
feet one ot twice a week. Three middle toes get pulled down and it's
painful! What's going on? What can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm
54 years old.

Sounds like you need some more arch support. I'm assuming you don't use any
sort of orthotics or anything in your shoes?

I agree, that's definitely a shoe problem. Toes don't really do
anything when pedalling.

It may be a shoe problem. The people I've known to suffer from this normally
had SPDs and the smaller cleat was causing pressure into the lower instep.

Thicker socks can help to spread the pressure. It's also worth checking that
the top straps aren't too tight and restricting circulation.
--
Mark South: World Citizen, Net Denizen

Zog The Undeniable said:

HardwareLust said:

Mark Robinson said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week
and take two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about
the last 9 months or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my
feet one ot twice a week. Three middle toes get pulled down and it's
painful! What's going on? What can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm
54 years old.

Sounds like you need some more arch support. I'm assuming you don't
use any
sort of orthotics or anything in your shoes?

I agree, that's definitely a shoe problem. Toes don't really do
anything when pedalling.

I don't believe the OP was claiming that his pain was the result of
using the toes. What I understood was that he was having pain in
the bottom of his foot and at the same time the muscles in the
bottom of his foot were contracting, causing the three middle toes
to get "pulled down" as the OP put it.

It is definitely premature to declare this a shoe problem. Lots
of different things could be causing this.

The other replies seem to focus on the shoes. I would suggest that it is
the initial symptoms of hydration or electolyte problems.

You drinking enough? How about sodium/potassium/magnesium replacement?
Especially if you're out in the warm months, and inside sweating with no
breeze in the winter... Perhaps a nutritionist can help you figure out
the right things to take. (I'd recommend some, but they work for me, and
everyone is different....)

Dave

"Mark Robinson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week and

take

Quoted message said:

two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about the last 9

months

Quoted message said:

or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my feet one ot twice a

week.

Quoted message said:

Three middle toes get pulled down and it's painful! What's going on?

What

Quoted message said:

can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm 54 years old.

On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 09:47:07 -0800, [email hidden]

(Dennis P. Harris) said:

On Fri, 04 Jun 2004 21:35:48 GMT in rec.bicycles.tech, "Mark

Robinson said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week and take
two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about the last 9 months
or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my feet one ot twice a week.
Three middle toes get pulled down and it's painful! What's going on? What
can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm 54 years old.

when i get foot cramps, they usually start in my calves --- the
achilles tendon gets too tight. try doing the classic heel
stretches, leaning against the wall and stretching your heels.

it also helps to make sure that your electrolyte levels aren't
depleted. if you are sweating much, you should be drinking a
sports drink to replace the salts that you sweat out.

Excellent replies so far.

Also consider strengthening the muscles in the foot.

Mark Robinson said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week and take
two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about the last 9 months
or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my feet one ot twice a week.
Three middle toes get pulled down and it's painful! What's going on? What
can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm 54 years old.

I've had a similar problem where it feels like I have muscles in the
sole of my foot and they cramp up ( like the muscles in my calves do
sometimes on a hot day in the saddle). But this has only happened to
me *after* a ride while I'm resting and just flexing my foot.

[email hidden] (Anonymous) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Mark Robinson said:

I'm a road rider for the six warm months, 75 to 100 miles per week and
take two or three spin classes a week in the winter. For about the
last 9 months or so I've been having cramps in the bottom of my feet
one ot twice a week. Three middle toes get pulled down and it's
painful! What's going on? What can I do to prevent the cramps? I'm
54 years old.

I've had a similar problem where it feels like I have muscles in the
sole of my foot and they cramp up ( like the muscles in my calves do
sometimes on a hot day in the saddle). But this has only happened to
me *after* a ride while I'm resting and just flexing my foot.

I used to get these same cramps. This is plantar fascitis. You probably
have high arches and need arch support. The cramps occur when you get too
much stress on a tight tendon, from working out or moving after sleeping
(when the tendon is contracted for a while.) If your arches are really
high you will need custom orthotics, otherwise you can try over the counter
arch supports from a drugstore. I recommend you see a podiatrist; I
learned a lot from a visit.

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