Hey all, I am a minimalist runner. I have been running exclusively in VFFs for almost two years now. I completed my first half marathon last November and through all that training I had no problems at all. I have cut the mileage back this year to about 14 miles per week and I have begun to experience the toes of my right foot going numb at about mile three in my runs. I haven't noticed a change in form to explain this sensation. The numbness goes away after a bit but it is annoying and happening often enough to cause concern. Any explanations or suggestions?
Numb toes
- Thread starter TNCHip
- Start date
I have the same problem on
I have the same problem on occasion. They go numb and start tingling sometimes. But its very very rare. I think itsgot something to do with nerves being pinched our something...
If you ever find out, please let us know!!!
I have the same problem on occasion. They go numb and start tingling sometimes. But its very very rare. I think itsgot something to do with nerves being pinched our something...
If you ever find out, please let us know!!!
Maybe the toe pockets are too
Maybe the toe pockets are too tight on your toes? Have you tried barefoot or a minimalist shoe with a wide toe box instead of the individual toe pockets?
Maybe the toe pockets are too tight on your toes? Have you tried barefoot or a minimalist shoe with a wide toe box instead of the individual toe pockets?
Haven't tried going full on
Haven't tried going full on barefoot yet. Still a little trepidation there. New shoes on the other hand might have to be looked into.
Haven't tried going full on barefoot yet. Still a little trepidation there. New shoes on the other hand might have to be looked into.
Google Morton's Neuroma. I'm
Google Morton's Neuroma. I'm laid up in bed just having had two surgeries to remove four neuromas from my feet (two on each foot) over the past few days. It's no fun. It's something I developed while wearing "regular" shoes, but I could never run long enough in my VFFs before the numbness and eventual pain set in. I could run miles and miles barefoot, however, before the pain came. Good luck. I hope you don't have it. Welcome!
Google Morton's Neuroma. I'm laid up in bed just having had two surgeries to remove four neuromas from my feet (two on each foot) over the past few days. It's no fun. It's something I developed while wearing "regular" shoes, but I could never run long enough in my VFFs before the numbness and eventual pain set in. I could run miles and miles barefoot, however, before the pain came. Good luck. I hope you don't have it. Welcome!
I had the numbness in shoes
I had the numbness in shoes with or without toes, with or without a toe box. Some people with MN told me that theirs felt better in shoes, whereas others told me the opposite. The only way to find out is to give barefoot running a try. Regardless, if you have MN, you will have to address it at some point.
I had the numbness in shoes with or without toes, with or without a toe box. Some people with MN told me that theirs felt better in shoes, whereas others told me the opposite. The only way to find out is to give barefoot running a try. Regardless, if you have MN, you will have to address it at some point.
TNCHip wrote:Haven't tried
why? It's safer than what you've been doing so far.
Also, I had numb toes last years, posted about it here, too. Never really got an answer but over time, it just stopped happening.
TNCHip said:
why? It's safer than what you've been doing so far.
Also, I had numb toes last years, posted about it here, too. Never really got an answer but over time, it just stopped happening.
Ya know; it can be a number
Ya know; it can be a number of contributing factors. Honestly, i would listen to TJ above all others in this conversation, just based on her experience. Having said that, I would see a doctor; at the very least start with an x-ray. It won't show a neuroma, but it can be informative about other factors. In my case I have inflammation from metatarsal stress causing discomfort (no numbness, just other nerve-ish annoyances) in my toes. x-rays showed I do have Morton's Toe (different from Morton's Neuroma) and my second metatarsal was carrying more of a load than the rest. My less than ideal running form and a poorly placed rock made for my current injury state.
In MY case, minimal shoes will likely make more sense than barefoot going forward (totally bums me out. I love barefoot running more than any other kind of running), and this could (emphasis on could, meaning possibly, not definitively, because I don't know your factors and am an expert only on myself
) be the case for you. Try barefoot first as it can tell you a lot and very well could be the answer, but be vigilant about the signals your body sends you, and listen to those signals. If something feels wrong stop and evaluate. There is no need to 'push through' anything. Doing that made my case worse.
I don't mean to get preachy, and am still very much pro-barefoot; I just wanted to add my own experience and perspective.
And Willie, your post made me laugh; my brain processed it as "my toes used to go numb, but now I don't feel it."
Ya know; it can be a number of contributing factors. Honestly, i would listen to TJ above all others in this conversation, just based on her experience. Having said that, I would see a doctor; at the very least start with an x-ray. It won't show a neuroma, but it can be informative about other factors. In my case I have inflammation from metatarsal stress causing discomfort (no numbness, just other nerve-ish annoyances) in my toes. x-rays showed I do have Morton's Toe (different from Morton's Neuroma) and my second metatarsal was carrying more of a load than the rest. My less than ideal running form and a poorly placed rock made for my current injury state.
In MY case, minimal shoes will likely make more sense than barefoot going forward (totally bums me out. I love barefoot running more than any other kind of running), and this could (emphasis on could, meaning possibly, not definitively, because I don't know your factors and am an expert only on myself
) be the case for you. Try barefoot first as it can tell you a lot and very well could be the answer, but be vigilant about the signals your body sends you, and listen to those signals. If something feels wrong stop and evaluate. There is no need to 'push through' anything. Doing that made my case worse.I don't mean to get preachy, and am still very much pro-barefoot; I just wanted to add my own experience and perspective.
And Willie, your post made me laugh; my brain processed it as "my toes used to go numb, but now I don't feel it."
I checked out MN and I am
I checked out MN and I am pretty sure I don't have it. Thanks for the input I definitely learned something new and I appreciate it!
I checked out MN and I am pretty sure I don't have it. Thanks for the input I definitely learned something new and I appreciate it!
BFwillie_g wrote:TNCHip
I guess what is holding me back is just making that mental leap to go for it. I see all the debris along the roads and trails that I run and I just think that a thin layer of rubber is necessary. I know, I know but that's what's going on. I do run barefoot in the field next to my home, (That's where I do my sprint work) but road work and tail running is still done in my VFFs.
Also, can you go into why running barefoot is safer than what I'm doing so far?
BFwillie_g said:
I guess what is holding me back is just making that mental leap to go for it. I see all the debris along the roads and trails that I run and I just think that a thin layer of rubber is necessary. I know, I know but that's what's going on. I do run barefoot in the field next to my home, (That's where I do my sprint work) but road work and tail running is still done in my VFFs.
Also, can you go into why running barefoot is safer than what I'm doing so far?
Road running barefoot is
Road running barefoot is perfectly safe, if you pay attention to your surroundings and where you're going. I had similar fears before venturing off my park path to take to the neighborhood streets. I really wouldn't worry about that too much. Your feet may be more sensitive, so expect shorter distances barefoot due to that at first. You'll learn a lot about your form by running bare, which could help with your toes (i.e. pushing off in vffs could lead to extra strain on toes, or the vffs could be impaciting circulation...who knows). I'm injured currently and would love the chance to kick off my shoes and go for a run.
Trails, well, depend on the trail and how conditioned your soles are...imho
Road running barefoot is perfectly safe, if you pay attention to your surroundings and where you're going. I had similar fears before venturing off my park path to take to the neighborhood streets. I really wouldn't worry about that too much. Your feet may be more sensitive, so expect shorter distances barefoot due to that at first. You'll learn a lot about your form by running bare, which could help with your toes (i.e. pushing off in vffs could lead to extra strain on toes, or the vffs could be impaciting circulation...who knows). I'm injured currently and would love the chance to kick off my shoes and go for a run.
Trails, well, depend on the trail and how conditioned your soles are...imho
So I tried running minimal
So I tried running minimal first (ok, like 3 short runs at most) before going bf, but then once bf, it took me almost no time to correct some form issues I would not have noticed I had until it was too late in the minimal shoes(i.e., until injury set in). I was transitioning from the overpronating correcting orthotics giant fluffy running shoes, and I had to relearn what to do with my feet.
Running bf is just easier to do while maintaining proper form. For me, I now think of bf as the safest way to run for many reasons. I'll get a blister if I'm favoring one foot/pushing off, then it can be corrected for the next run. I'll feel a sting if I don't touch lightly, so that will be corrected in the next step. I have run into ditches and potholes, at night, and maintained my balance, whereas in shoes I might well have twisted an ankle big time.
However, if you've been running in vffs for 2 yrs with no problems at all, then I can't really see any reason why you would want to switch. It seems like if you were going to get injured from bad form, it would have happened by now.
The toe numbness may be due to something as simple as your feet no longer fitting in your shoes. Maybe it's time for a bigger size or a different type of toebox. Maybe not.
On the other hand, the debris is so not a big issue. From a former foot hater (thought they were all gross to begin with, and dirty bf feet yucky yucky), Ive learned that hey, you hose off your feet after a run and wipe them in the grass. Then they're good to go. It's easier to wash feet than shoes.
The debris is not nearly as scary as people think, either. It's not full of danger and knives waiting to slice open your foot. Yeah, look where you step when possible, but that's generally not a concern, if you're in a relatively tame area.
So I tried running minimal first (ok, like 3 short runs at most) before going bf, but then once bf, it took me almost no time to correct some form issues I would not have noticed I had until it was too late in the minimal shoes(i.e., until injury set in). I was transitioning from the overpronating correcting orthotics giant fluffy running shoes, and I had to relearn what to do with my feet.
Running bf is just easier to do while maintaining proper form. For me, I now think of bf as the safest way to run for many reasons. I'll get a blister if I'm favoring one foot/pushing off, then it can be corrected for the next run. I'll feel a sting if I don't touch lightly, so that will be corrected in the next step. I have run into ditches and potholes, at night, and maintained my balance, whereas in shoes I might well have twisted an ankle big time.
However, if you've been running in vffs for 2 yrs with no problems at all, then I can't really see any reason why you would want to switch. It seems like if you were going to get injured from bad form, it would have happened by now.
The toe numbness may be due to something as simple as your feet no longer fitting in your shoes. Maybe it's time for a bigger size or a different type of toebox. Maybe not.
On the other hand, the debris is so not a big issue. From a former foot hater (thought they were all gross to begin with, and dirty bf feet yucky yucky), Ive learned that hey, you hose off your feet after a run and wipe them in the grass. Then they're good to go. It's easier to wash feet than shoes.
The debris is not nearly as scary as people think, either. It's not full of danger and knives waiting to slice open your foot. Yeah, look where you step when possible, but that's generally not a concern, if you're in a relatively tame area.
scedastic wrote: However,
^This. I hadn't thought of the "stronger feet often means slightly altered shape feet" bit. This could be a contributing factor. For me VFFs just don't fit. Altra Adams are a good alternative (Eves if you're female). I'm looking forward to the Samson/Delilah models as i thnk they'll fit my needs a bit better.
scedastic said:
^This. I hadn't thought of the "stronger feet often means slightly altered shape feet" bit. This could be a contributing factor. For me VFFs just don't fit. Altra Adams are a good alternative (Eves if you're female). I'm looking forward to the Samson/Delilah models as i thnk they'll fit my needs a bit better.
Well, I did see a Dr. About the issue and an X-ray was taken with no discernible structural reasone for the numbness. He ust told me to cross train for awhile. Working out on an old school Nordic track for now nut looking for alternative minimalist shoes with a toe box to try. Any suggestions?
This is my standard answer. You "can" go about your day blindfolded, though it is difficult. If you take the blindfold off, it is much easier. Hence, you "can" run "barefoot" (safely/easily) wearing a blindfold on the bottom of your foot, but if you take the blindfold off your foot, it is much easier and you are much safer. Blame it on all those biomechanical receptor thingies in the bottom of your foot (all 140) giving feedback to your brain about it's environment. Your foot reads the ground like fingers read braille. The more feedback it has, the safer you are, both with regard to conforming to what you are stepping on, achieving proper form, and the location of your body in space. BTW, I started minimalist then went barefoot and I'm still alive.
Is the route you are running on every day curvy? Perhaps it's the curve or incline/decline of the road you are running on that puts pressure on your foot a certain way. I try to wear my Vibrams at work when possible and the three middle toes on my right foot periodically go numb and I don't know why either. It could very well be a compressed nerve in your hips somewhere, whose compression shifts around and releases randomly throughout the days/your run.
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