Do you wear your custom orthodics inside your cycling shoes?

[celerystalksme]

I do quite a bit of running...and my poor feet were not right. Superfeet and other pre-formed inserts did no good. So I went to a pedorthist in Lake Orion (he's he pedorthotic consult for the Detroit Pistons, Detroit Shock, Michigan State Spartan mens and women basketball teams, and the US olympic ski teams)...and he made me custom orthotics. I actually asked him if I need to use them in my cycling shoes. He said he would recommend that I use them in everything...BUT, it probably wouldn't be as necessary in cycling as there's little to nompact and the forces on my feet are nothing like that of running. Seeing as how another pair of custom orthics from him would have cost me $250+, I decided to try cycling without custom orthotics.

It's been fine! Cycling is definitely not the same as walking and running...I can't run more than a mile without my orthotics...otherwise, my feet hurt so bad I want to cut them off. But I can do centuries no problem in cycling shoes (Shimano SPD-L or Look Keo or Crank Brother Egg Beaters with Sidi shoes).

Have you experienced pain in the feet while cycling?

[GLC1968]

Ditto Celerystalkme.

I have flat feet and also have special custom orthotics designed specifically for high impact athletics (running, step, etc). Even when I use them for these activities, I still have foot trouble. In fact, that's the reason I started cycling - for the low impact cardio.

Anyway, I purposely bought high-end super stiff cycling shoes and I use the Ultegra SPD-SL pedals and have had no problems riding distances without orthotics. I did have trouble with my first pair of shoes and SPD pedals after mile 15 or so. The pain would be so bad by mile 35 that I thought I'd never be able to do centuries. Walking after riding was almost impossible, too! Better shoes and different pedals made all the difference in the world (though I changed them both at the same time, so I don't know which one was more beneficial). Oh, and I use only Specialized shoes because they are desgined for people who pronate, which I do. This was under recommendation from my bike fitter who also happens to be a foot/leg alignment expert/specialist (I forget the proper term!).

[Kiwi Stoker]

Not me but DH has custom ones. He has very flat feet and had pain along the outside edge of his foot when riding. He saw a running/cycling specialist who asked him to bring his bike and shoes and watched him ride and took casts of his feet.

He ended up with a thin neoprene type insole with very hard plastic reinforcement in certain places. He uses them in all his cycling shoes. No more pain.

[Fujichants]

Just make sure when you get them in your shoes, that your shoes still fit. I got those Specialized footbed ones for my shoes, and now I can only wear certain socks, otherwise my feet feel cramped. Now with the hotter weather, my feet swell up and my shoes feel way too tight one hour into a ride. It sucks.

[Zen]

Another ditto for Celerystalksme.
Just yesterday I was just at the foot/ankle specialist who wants me fitted with custom orthotics.

I specifically asked him if I should wear these inside cycling shoes, thinking that not wearing them would undo any benifit from wearing them in regular shoes.

He told me it's not necessary as you aren't weight bearing while cycling. Also said most cycling shoes are too narrow to fit them anyway.

I'm inclined to think hot spots would be more due to cleat placement or platform size.

[tctrek]

+1 - I wear orthodics in my running shoes (although I only walk/jog), but not in my cycling shoes I have no foot pain riding except occasional numbness if I accidentally adjust the cycling shoes too tight or wear thicker socks.

[OakLeaf]

I don't get any foot pain on the bike, which I get a lot if I stand, walk, run or do aerobics without my orthotics, but my massage therapist really thought that not wearing them on the bike was contributing to my calf problems. (Which are mostly due to tight hip flexors. I need my own massage table just to get a surface that's firm and high enough to stretch them! )