Back in February I started a job as a cleaner (I’m not exactly a high flyer) and have been required to wear steel toe capped work boots as part of the role. Towards the end of the week there’s been a ‘hot spot’ on each of the balls of my feet that have felt painful and as if there’s been a small stone or callous in the foot; a hot bath and a rest has usually sorted this out. More recently I’ve noticed pain in the balls of the feet whilst carrying heavy loads home whilst shopping.

However, over the last week or so I’ve been getting a very intense burning sensation & pain in the balls of my feet along with toe numbness whilst cycling to the degree that it’s seriously affecting my ability to cycle (which as my main passion is starting to worry me); a few minutes off the bike and it goes away.

I know that internet self-diagnosis is a tad dodgy at best, but having restricted myself to NHS websites, and since I have all of the symptoms almost exactly, I’m fairly convinced that I have metatarsalgia. The prognosis looks good with self-help without the need to trouble a quack but I was wondering whether anyone had suffered the same and found any solutions?

I’m riding flat pedals (Nukeproof Neutrons) with fairly long pins (the default ones if I recollect correctly) and thick, stiff soled trainers (although not cycle specific) and I’ve recently added foam insoles to both these and my work boots. Interestingly I did post recently about trying clipless SPDs (out of interest and not related to this issue) and I’m wondering how trying these might help or hinder the situation – one of the advantages of flats is that, when the pain is bad, I can reposition the feet and pedal with the toes or arch of the foot for short distances.

I have ordered some shorter pins to see if that makes a difference.

For reference I’m 50 and a healthy weight and cycle about 70 miles a week on mixed surfaces (mostly road); nothing has changed radically in my bike setup.

According to my family I have a rather ‘odd’ manner of walking and power (bounce) off the balls of my feet with each step; I usually wear a hole through the ball area of the soles of my shoes long before any other wear develops, so I guess I’m hard on the balls of my feet.

Interestingly the NHS webpage linked to suggested cycling as an alternative ‘low impact’ activity  that might be useful in easing metarsalgia.

Anyone? 🙁

Maybe try some trainer type steelies from screwfix?

My advice would be to walk around barefoot at home as much as possible and use zero drop low shoes when not using your work boots.

I have almost always been struck by “hot foot” about 80 miles into a 100 mile road ride, but it goes away quickly when the shoes come off.  Running and mtb never brought it on.<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>T</span>

<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>That is until the dirty reiver this year, where I got it about 65m.in and still had 65m to go. Right foot has been troublesome ever since. I think it’s nerve damage. Ironically cycling is mostly ok but running is really bad for it.</span>

Have you tried icing your feet (with and ice pack, buttercream is a different matter).

Can you go a size bigger on work shoes and get some more cushioning in there- maybe a foam insole/thicker sock?

Have you got good arch support? This can remove pressure off balls/metetarsals

Have you tried rolling a golf ball under your foot ( as satisfying as a cotton bud in the ear but actually good for you).

As suggested above, can you get a trainer with a steel toe cap that’s a bit more forgiving?

See a podiatrist. I thought I had metatarsalgia but turned out to be a corn and the balls of my feet were like leather

£36 and 45 mins later feet are soft as a baby’s bum and no pain and I an wear all of my shoes that were giving me pain again.

Not saying you have corns but at least you will get proper advice and help with your problem

Bane of my life for 20 yrs, though caused and now complicated with irreversible damage/deformation from arthritis and multiple (advised inoperable) Morton’s neuromas.

+1 See a podiatrist.  Go private if possible.  Could be something very simple but don’t grin and bear it otherwise it can go become complex down the line..

Otherwise, things to try while you wait 6 weeks/months for NHS pod:

– Check yr shoe toebox is wide enough to accommodate the spread when you load pressure pedalling. Try loosening laces at forefoot, or a larger shoe.

– Contrast baths (submerge feet in bowl of very cold water for a couple or three minutes then alternate into bowl of warm/hot as can bear water for same time.  Do two or three cycles.

IANAD etc,

PS same age, and I use those exact same pedals of late.  Oddly – they have actually lessened the inflammation/feeling of stones in feet (singlespeed, standing out of saddle  pushing hard on hills) – I think the pins + extra pressure/regular small foot position adjustments is massaging/dispersing the neuromas (?) Backpacked up a mountain for the first time in 20 yrs a few weeks back.  Hurt like hell but massive improvement on being incapable 👍🏼

Anyway get it sorted and good luck.

–

Thanks for the thoughts, it’s starting to get me down. Hot baths do seem to help and I’ve started icing my feets, so we’ll see if that helps and I’ll have a look at alternative options for work footwear.

I’ve bought a pair of those Lidl’s cycling shoes to see if that helps and reduced the pin height on my Neutrons.

@Tomfun – yep my feet are pretty leathery too; I doubt that I can afford to go private with a podiatrist but should be able to (eventually) get an NHS appointment.

Generally when walking if feels a tad like having a small stone in the shoe but recently on the bike it’s felt as if the balls of the feet are burning up (goes within minutes of getting off the bike).

Google throws up a mass of info. on metatarsalgia and cycling, so it seems a pretty common problem in the sport.

Thanks again for the help and fingers crossed I can get it sorted!

Plus 1 on going to see a decent podiatrist pronto.  Need to look after your feet…

have had a load of surgery on my right one, initially a big toe fusion due arthritis and then a few years later a Morton’s Neuroma, thankfully largely sorted now. I do however need a silicon toe wedge at all times and orthotic inserts in my shoes. For cycling I use Spesh shoes with blue Footbeds and Time pedals.

Good grief, worse than ever today despite proper cycling shoes and shorter pins! It seems to come on after about 30 minutes cycling and in the end the balls of both my feet were burning and throbbing to the point that I could hardly bear them on the pedals. 5 minutes of the bike and they feel fine again.

I’m off on hols. shortly so will probably have a couple of weeks off the bike and I’ll look at trying to soften up my feet – they’re pretty thick and leathery and this lack of suppleness might constrict things on its own. I’ll be looking into an NHS Podiatrist too (I seem to be permenently based at the GPs’ since turning 50!).