Numbness in Foot during running

Hi All,

Finally a few answers to a problem ive had on and off for years. Very similar, foot starts going numb about 30 minutes in. Nobody I know has had the problem and it drives me mad. It starts to get the better of me mentally on the longer runs. I lol forward to trying some of the suggestions out in the upcoming weeks.

Thank you

Bob

 Hi Bob

Hope you find the answer, mine was mostly my trainers being too tight and also running with my heel striking first, since I've changed those two things - no more numb feet! Just need to work on the tired legs, motivation and heavy breathing now!

hi all

i am 42  and about two stone over weight, i have just started running and did my first 5k last week and got the numbness and pins and needles in my right foot at about 2 miles. was a bit worried at first due to it being my first big run [ for me ].

i am wearing addidas runnig trainers[ cushioned] but i wear them quite loose, so i am not sure if this going against the grain but i don't to stretch as much as i proberly should , so not sure if this is going down the tight calf path.

as a new runner i would be interested in your feedback.

would also be grateful for any advise how to pace myself at my age in becoming a regular 10k runner in the future, would like run to run this aprox three times a week.

thanks in advance

Paul 

Hi all,

I too had/have this problem. For some reason running on gravel tracks or trail running aggravate this numbness for me. One thing that has really helped me is to perform about 10 calf raises with a medium weight. If you don't have weights get someone to jump on your back (obviously not too heavy. The weight needs to be fairly challenging. Hope this helps

Hi All - I have had the same problem for the past 10 years and in the last two months I've finally managed to solve it by fore-foot running. I damaged my ankle running over some rough ground - if I remember rightly it was my deltoid ligament. The doctors said that the sheath around the ligament becomes inflamed after running for a certain amount of time (in my case it was around 5k), when it swells it stops the circulation to your foot and then eventually your lower leg.

Naturally I land on my heel and roll off the front of my foot - my girlfriend suggested that I should try landing on the ball of my foot rather than my heel. Until I tried this I would struggle to run further than 10k because my leg would become completely numb (it feels like a dead stump when it happens) - I've just got back from a 13 mile run with absolutely no problems - seriously I'm over the moon! I hope this technique works for some of you guys, I know how frustrating (and expensive!) the problem can be.

Good luck - Gareth.

If you're losing circulation (as in you're get pins and needles, and/or pain after the numbness) in any part of your lower leg - this is an indication of compartment syndrome.

If you're leg is going numb with no pins and needles/pain, i have the same issue. My doctor seems to think it's a nerve problem, and i'm giong to get it looked into. But if you're getting compartment syndrome that's a little bit more serious.

!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get this too! When I tell people they just think I'm a bit weird. I brought some good new shoes, but after about20 minutes it starts! Bloody thing does my head in. I try and land a bit differently and got new socks. But nothing. I just run through it now. But I don't get it all the time. I'm glad I'm not the only one that runs apwith a brick for a foot.

I am new to running and dont go for a terrribly long runs. Today while running on a treadmill that I have used befor and after stretching I ran for about 4K whne my right toes and then eventually the whole left foot went numb. This has never hapend before and I am hoping that this is just a problem of shoes tied too tightly. Fortunately this occurred near the end of my planned run but I would have had to stop had I been trying to go further. Just left foot, no pain in foot or calf just pins and needles in left foot as if it had gone to "sleep" so to speak. This thread has been very helpful and I will try some of the suggestions listed here. After I broke from the run to a fast walk and cooled down the numbness went away. Thought it might be a circulation problem but the nail beds on the toes look fine and no problems at all now. Weird and scary but I will see if it occurs again and try various suggestions listed here to see if they remedy the issue.