Toe cramps - internet diagnosis please

[M_A_Martin]

A new pain.

Lately, when I get to about 30 miles on the day (my commute is 20-25 miles each way...) I've been getting severe toe cramps and severe burning in my third and fourth toes on my right foot. Pinky toe is not in pain, neither are my big toe or second toe. It only extends to the ball of my foot.
I'll hazard a guess that it isn't plantar fasciitis...I have that from time to time in my left foot. And, the sciatica and tingly pain from my bulging discs at L2/L3 and L5/S1 feels different as well. I have had surgery on the right ankle to remove an impinged accessory tendon 3 or 4 years ago.
This is the first year I've had this issue.

thing is, my toes are still achy now. I'm icing the foot and had a glass of wine with dinner to try to get the edge off...

This is my bigger foot (I don't remember if it's a size or half size larger than my left foot..) and my toes seem a bit cramped in my Sidis. But this is the first year I've had this pain in this foot. In the past I noticed once it starts, it will hurt if I wear my hiking boots and try to get anywhere, but other than that, it doesn't bother me much.

I did notice if I ratcheted my Sidi's strap down a bit, it evened out the pain a bit, not quite so severe.

I have been stretching my hamstrings and just about everything else on a regular basis. That helps with the plantar faciitis, but it doesn't seem to touch this.

So, suggestions? Anyone else experience this?

Now...writing this reminded me that I do have nerve damage in my leg to the nerve that goes to those toes...Is this those nerves finally coming back after 8 years? It sort of reminds me of some of my other nerve damage repair...but wow...

any thoughts?

[ghsmith54]

I'll offer this as a suggestion even though I think it's unlikely to be your problem. Are your feet relaxed when you ride? I was having problems with my feet a few years ago, not cramping per se but they were really achy after riding, and I noticed that when pushing hard I was almost clenching my feet inside my shoes (sort of like trying to pick up a towel with your toes) really hard. With stiff soled cycling shoes this contributes absolutely nothing other than to be a complete waste of energy. Once I noticed I was doing it, I focused on keeping my feet, especially the forefoot, relatively relaxed. No more problems.

Offered in the unlikely event it helps.

[Roman]

And give my partner a rest.

If I hike my shorts up like this, affording max moose knuckle, I get some temporary relief.

sorry, MA, no real advice here.

[M_A_Martin]

And give my partner a rest.

If I hike my shorts up like this, affording max moose knuckle, I get some temporary relief.

sorry, MA, no real advice here.

Yeah Roman...the moose knuckle thing doesn't really apply to me...and my partner is so far away he's plenty rested...

I'm thinking perhaps my shoes are worn out and I'm contemplating what it's going to take to switch over to some obnoxious yellow northwaves I have lying around here somewhere...

Or maybe my toes are just getting jammed in the end of the shoe and cramping up so perhaps cutting off the end of the shoe may provide some relief. Bringing myself to cut into a pair of Sidis is not going well.


ghsmith: First thing I thought of was perhaps I was curling my toes up...but I'm not. Every time I think to do a check, they're as relaxed as feet get...

[dbrk]

in all seriousness, this could be the beginning of a Morton's neuroma. Look here, for example: http://www.footphysicians.com/footan...ns-neuroma.htm

i have this in my right foot, along with plantar fascitis. when it's bad, it feels like a butter knife poking through all the way up your hip. not fun. toe cramps are part of the symptoms, that's why i mention it. not to be alarmist. shoes are key and worth any price not to have this. take care, mary ann!

[Archibald]

Yeah Roman...the moose knuckle thing doesn't really apply to me...and my partner is so far away he's plenty rested...

Ahem. Abstinence makes the hands go fondler. YMMV.

[M_A_Martin]

in all seriousness, this could be the beginning of a Morton's neuroma. Look here, for example: http://www.footphysicians.com/footan...ns-neuroma.htm

i have this in my right foot, along with plantar fascitis. when it's bad, it feels like a butter knife poking through all the way up your hip. not fun. toe cramps are part of the symptoms, that's why i mention it. not to be alarmist. shoes are key and worth any price not to have this. take care, mary ann!

Douglas,
This is about the second thing that went through my mind as I was riding along, thanks for confirming a concern. I'll look into it further.

I even thought of picking up a pair of riding sandals...can't get much wider open toe box than those.
Ugly and wrong and my orthotics won't fit
but open

[Watoni]

What about a metatarsal pad to help the toes spread out and get some relief?

I too have gone through orthodics, custom shoes, etc. I cannot bear the thought of cutting shoes or riding sandals ... Now I am breaking in Rocket7s and ESoles ... the metatarsal pad helps quite a bit so far

[Cary Ford]

FWIW, this was happening to me for a while until I realized my shoes were too small.