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Runner's Forum: Numb foot

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorFree Memberbob8me
    • CommentTimeAug 15th 2008
     
    bob8me

    Hi there,

     I'm new to the site so apologies if the discussion has already taken place.

     I have been running for years but in the last year (this year really) I get to about the 5km mark and I start to lose the feeling in my right foot. This does not happen on every run but when it does sometimes I can run through it and other times I have to stop and massage my foot. I can always start again.

     Firstly I thought it that I'd had my running shoes too tight (no difference) for too long but it has begun to happen again even with new shoes. It's irritating as it doesn't happen everytime and when it does it adds at least 5 minutes to my time.

     Do many other people suffer from this? How did you get round it?

     Thanks

     Bob

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberericneyts
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2008
     
    ericneyts

    Try two things:

     

    Go to a shoe store specializing in running shoes they will measure the length and width of your foot and also look at the landing position of your foot during a normal stride. You could be landing on the outside of your foot, jamming your foot into the end of your shoe.  It is well worth the money. You will be suprised how much that helps. 

     

     Second, try buying a shoe that is half a size bigger than you noramlly wear. Depending on your stride, you may be

  3.  
    runningmatt1

    I used to get a numb left foot when I ran. This is going back about 5 years, and it used to happen on every run, and from memory it would start at about 5kms into the run for me as well. I'm quite sure mine was due to landing on the outside of my foot, and it mainly seemed to happen in one particular pair of shoes, although occasionally it did happen with another pair.

    It resolved by me getting an unrelated injury which forced me to take a month or so off running. When I started training again, I changed my footstrike slightly, so that I wasn't landing so much on the outside of my foot, but was now landing more squarely. I also got a new pair of shoes, which probably also helped.

     

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberbob8me
    • CommentTimeSep 9th 2008
     
    bob8me

    Hi,

    Thanks for the info, I got my old running shoes from the marathon store where they film you running and then recommend the best pair of trainers and the numb foot happened in them and I buy them a half size too big so don't think it's the shoes.

    When I was filmed they showed me that I ran on the outside of my foot I'll try and change my footstrike I think, it'll me tough changing but worth it.

     Thank you both for your help.

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberclawtoe
    • CommentTimeSep 11th 2008
     
    clawtoe

    Hi

    I used to get this in both feet but mostly on the right but a bit further in than 5k say 8k.  

    I tried slightly larger shoes but am not sure if this helped really.

    I discovered from the specialist running shop that as my running had improved my running action had shifted so that I was landing on the forefoot more and, as others have noted on the outside edge of the foot.  Two things which do seem to have worked though:

    1. Try a shoe which has slightly firmer support in the forefoot to reduce the roll inwards.  You would naturally think of needing more cushioning but that allows the foot to roll inwards more which contributes to the numbing effect.  I stood my shoes on a flat surface at eye level and looked at the heels and found that they leaned inward slightly as if the soles were slowly collapsing inward.  I found the switch to a more supportive shoe helpful.

    2. On a more practical level if you know when it is starting to happen during the run you can plan for it.  On the now rarer, occasions when I feel the foot or feet starting to numb I deliberately lengthen my stride and slow down a little to force myself to land more on the heel for a while till the foot settles down and then resume my normal gait.  This seems to work well.

    However, I have also lost weight because of increasing the amount of running I do so that might have helped too.

     

    keep at it you will find a way!

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