HOT FOOT
Don’t you love it when you strap on your shoes and forget they are even on for an entire bike ride as you dance on the pedals? Unfortunately this is not always the case and it’s not due to a lack of fitness but rather "burning foot syndrome" -a burning pain in the ball of the foot perhaps radiating toward the toes.
Commonly known as ‘hot foot’, the problem is encountered most often on long rides and may develop sooner or more intensely on hilly courses because climbs cause greater pedaling pressure. “Hot foot” is actually a misnomer. It’s not heat but rather pressure on nerves that causes the burning sensation or in some cases numbness.
Hot foot occurs when pressure is not evenly distributed through the foot bones and tissues are placed under considerably more load. The pain results when nerves are squeezed between the heads of each foot’s five long metatarsal bones. These heads are in the wide part of the foot (the “ball”) just behind the toes.
Initially the problem starts out as tingling, becomes uncomfortable and is eventually results in pain and/or numbness. Commonly riders will change the way they apply pressure to the pedals and may favour one leg or even look to changing their position in order to improve the situation.
Don’t ignore numbness or hot spots as it can result in compensation of pedal technique and symmetry, fatigue levels and how you sit on the bike. Longer term it can develop into overuse elsewhere. For triathletes it also poses the risk of carrying into a running injury die to excessive fatigue through one side and ultimately altering running gait.
Pain and numbness are indicators a change is required and it is unlikely you are going to get used to it – every time I hear that one I suggest putting your hand on a hot plate and asking if you’ll eventually get used to that. The solution to the numbness and pain is relocating or reducing the pressure in the feet.
The four most common reasons for hot foot are easy to solve:
1. Shoe size, construction and fit
2. Cleat position
3. Pedal platform
4. Anatomical imbalance
1. Shoe size:
A tight shoe will mean greater foot pressure. Shoes that are too small or too narrow are going to result in extra pressure on the metatarsal heads. As your ride progresses your feet will start to swell which will add extra pressure. What you want is a shoe that fits snugly and comfortably all ride not just the first half.
Technology in top level cycling shoes rivals that of running shoes but for different reasons. Cycling shoes don’t have the functional requirements of a running shoe. They don’t flex, they don’t really stretch and your foot is strapped in firmly. Manufacturers know the problems encountered and have designed shoes to help solve these issues, however no one brand has the entire range of feet covered.
When sizing up your shoes take into consideration that your feet will swell on a long ride so wear thicker socks. If you are serious about eliminating hot foot and maximising control, go for heat mouldable shoes such as Shimano road shoes or BONT. Ideally you should avoid heat moulding them in the morning as you risk moulding them into a shape that won’t be compatible when your foot expands on a long ride or hot day.
Correct shoe size and shape is one thing but you can still develop hot foot. It’s possible your hot foot is not due to the wrong shoes. Cleat position, pedal platform and anatomy can all play a significant part.
2. Cleat position
Cleat location on your shoe will have an effect on how the pressure is distributed through your feet. Many articles suggest aligning the cleat with the ball of the big toe aligned with the pedal axle. Commonly hot foot or hot spots start out in the front of the foot. The pain is caused by the front part of the foot pressing on the pedals. The further towards the front your cleats are, the greater the pressure will be at the front of the foot.
Moving the cleat rearward reduces forefoot pressure, helps relieve the pain and also it shortens the lever length of the foot – ie the distance from heel to cleat. This improves pedal mechanics and enhances foot stabilization and control.
3. Pedal platform
Besides tight shoes, another risk factor is small pedals, especially if you have large feet. Small pedal surfaces concentrate pressure on the ball of the foot instead of spreading it the way a larger pedal will. A larger pedal platform means the load can be distributed across a larger area and decrease localised pressure. For this reason pedals are being made with greater pedal widths.
I have found the Speedplay pedal system to be very effective and have used it for a number of years myself. Speedplay developed their system so that the pedal clips into the cleat, essentially a reverse in traditional design. The cleat has a large platform attaching to your shoe so loads can be distributed over a broad area. The engineers have given it plenty of consideration, offering a large pedal and cleat platform to distribute the pedal loads as well as factory shims to help accommodate for limb length differences and even offer rearward adaption plates when required.
4. Anatomical imbalances
Ok so you’ve got heat mouldable shoes, some Speedplay pedals and you still suffer from hot foot and it’s not uncommon for hot foot to be present on only one side. Anatomical imbalances impact on how pressure is distributed from legs through your feet to the pedals and often the reason comes down to anatomical differences from one side compared with the other.
Small limb length differences or foot functions can affect the force production and symmetry of your pedal stroke from left to right causing one leg to exert more force and pressure on the pedals compared to the other. Shimming the shoe can balance out the lengths and even out pedal symmetry effectively.
Even with balanced leg length you may still suffer hot foot, however you may notice it is localised either medially (inside) or laterally (outside) of your foot. How your foot tilts inwards or falls outwards will affect how the force is transmitted from your legs to your feet and shoes. The use of wedges between your shoe and the cleat can be used to set up a more natural interface allowing you to distribute loads across the foot without changing your natural anatomical function of the foot and ankle.
Custom made orthotics may not always solve your hot foot. Foot deformation and loads in a cycling shoe with a rigid sole are different to that of a running shoe. During cycling, the pressures of your foot are more localised compared with walking and running, where your foot is constantly changing shape and distributing loads along it in a cyclical pattern. Heat mouldable foot beds/shoes in conjunction with wedges can be an effective solution or a set of orthotics made specifically for cycling shoes and foot mechanics.
Working on your solutions
The good news is it is possible to solve the problem and get kitted out so your foot fits snugly into your shoe so you can transfer all of your fitness into the pedals, eliminating any discomfort, pain and potential injuries that accompany these problems.
I frequently hear ‘no one remembers your form at the coffee shop’ – referring to bike gear that looks good when the ride is all over. This may be true but no one feels your pain either or is interested in your reasons about not being able to put the power down.
Rather than chasing down the latest bling or super deal over the internet, take the time to get your shoes sized and fitted correctly. The savings over the net can be quickly eroded with a few trips to the physio and those shoes lose their lustre when your feet are sore and you have to go an buy new ones.
Related service: Bike fitting
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