Foot pain on elliptical

[Zen]

Is it a burning sensation (plantar fasciitis)?
Try different foot positions, like standing on your toes for a bit to give yourself a little calf workout.
Another good position is to lower your butt down as if you were sitting in a chair.

[Bad JuJu]

It just seems to be general pain through the sole of my foot, and now that you ask, I think there is a burning sensation, so plantar fasciitis, which hadn't occurred to me, might be it.

I'll try to different foot and body positions--thanks for the tips, Zen!

Or maybe I'm just a weenie and need to spend some time toughening up.

[OakLeaf]

I get some of that, and one of the other instructors at my gym actually has her feet go numb on the elliptical.

I loathe cardio machines anyway, but it seems like ellipticals have some particular issues, in that your entire soles are weight-bearing throughout the stroke, and the pedals are set unnaturally wide apart, which stresses your knees.

Try an old-fashioned stair climber, maybe.

[Sheesh]

My plantar fascitis acts up on the elliptical, but that's a soreness in the arch of my foot. My PT suggested stretching my calf muscles before getting on the elliptical and that seems to help (my plantar fascitis is symptomatic of really tight calf muscles and achilles tendonitis, lots of stretching and I'm all better). My feet also go numb if I'm on the machine for too long without making a concerted effort to move my foot position around.

Finally, the soles of my feet burn (again if I don't make an effort to move my feet around) sometimes, but I think that tends to be related to ill-fitting shoes or socks. Like, if I don't tie the laces tight enough.

I don't know if any of that helps, but I'm a regular elliptical user so I've pretty much figured out how to mostly fix whatever hurts over time.

[Running Mommy]

I always had problems on the elip as well. Finally I decided it just wasn't worth it anymore... sigh..

[KnottedYet]

Ellipticals are job security for me.

Keep ridin' em, kids, then come to me when you are damaged!

[teigyr]

Why're they bad? Or good, as the case may be?