Balls of feet keep cramping up

[rebeccaC]

If your shoe/cleat/pedal fit and position and pedal stroke are good then orthotics may help. Even small adjustments to the cleat position can help. Do you have a good fitter that can look at your setup? If it’s a nerve pinch then definitely orthotics will help.

You might try lifting your shoe/pedal instead of down force for a minute, alternating feet, and standing once in a while. That helps if I start getting foot discomfort on a long ride.

[OakLeaf]

+1 on checking the fit. It could be something about the shoe/pedal/cleat combination, or it could be coming from higher up in the chain. Do you point or flex your ankles while pedaling?

What kind of pedals? Smaller pedals give some people trouble.

[Donna1960]

Well I "assume" the guy that set me up is good although I do not have anyone else to compare him to. Other customers of his certainly rave about him. He marked the balls of my feet before installing the cleats. I am trying to make sure I am not subconsciously "clenching" my feet especially where I am new to clipless. I will try your suggestions and any other ideas that others may have. I do not race but I do like my long rides of 80+ miles but I have yet to go more than 40 miles with these shoes so far and with the cramping I am worried about being able to go longer...thanknyounfor your help

[Donna1960]

Oakleaf I have the "lollipop" pedals which was by his suggestion...

[rebeccaC]

Oakleaf I have the "lollipop" pedals which was by his suggestion...

Donna, I use speedplay's and they work fine for me. Sometimes with a smaller pedal you can get problems, hot spots etc., from mashing so I spin more than mash. If you're confident in the position of the cleat then have the fitter look at your pedal stroke too. Again I'll mention orthotic insoles if the problem persists after you're sure of the shoe/cleat fit and position and pedal stroke is okay. I have a wide foot too and found Carnac's to work well for me.

[Donna1960]

I'll do that Rebecca...thanks for the help!

[Donna1960]

I have tried loosening them as much as possible...if inserts are inexpensive I will try them too. Just a little discouraged because I thought going clipless would be such a great improvement over my toe clips which I never had discomfort with...*sigh*....hoping I can get it all figured out before the century I am planning in a few weeks...

[OakLeaf]

Are you wearing the same shoes you were when you used toe clips? Are you *sure* they're wide enough? I have wide feet too, and IME loosening the fasteners does nothing when the soles of your feet are wider than the soles of your shoes. The parts of your forefoot that are supposed to be weightbearing - the first and fifth metatarsal heads - are hanging over the edge at best (and getting irritated and turning into bunions at worst). The middle bones, that are supposed to be lifting your transverse arch, instead wind up bearing weight and causing all kinds of trouble with your foot mechanics.

If you're not sure, pull the insoles out and stand on them. If any part of your foot is hanging over the edge of the insole, your shoes are too narrow.

Yeah, I have wide feet, and I know WAY too much about this stuff. Sigh.

But those lollipop pedals are pretty small, too. A small platform kind of winds up doing the same thing, especially if your shoe has any flex to it at all - putting the weight onto the second and third metatarsal heads and making it hard for the outer bones to bear weight. I know swapping pedals is an expensive fix, but you might try Look, which is what I've always ridden.

Also, what kinds of foot exercises are you doing off the bike? Yoga? Toe skrunches? Myofascial release by rolling out or walking on pebbles? Other?