Tryptych Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 (edited) Sooo... this maybe a stupid question but: Anyone got any magical tips for dealing with or preventing foot cramps? ie: Do you think they are better, or worse, if you wear a shoe with a soft sole, like running shoes? Or is it better with a hard sole? Got any other tips? EDIT - Since posting this I've ridden all summer testing various types of footwear and I am back in the fall to report: I believe that tightly laced combat style boots significantly reduce foot fatigue and cramps. Edited September 16, 2020 by Tryptych 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ..... Posted June 24, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 24, 2020 Eat more banana's, stretch before and after riding. Take breaks as needed, wear comfortable shoes. A lot if it is just simple conditioning and muscle development. Add in some relaxing as you progress in skill, and it should not be an issue. If your pedals are too small, that could also hinder your comfort. After a few hundred miles of learning, I no longer get pain in my toes from over gripping. Now I just get that typical numbness from vibrations from non-stop 20+ mile rides. Keep riding, eat banana's 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 1 hour ago, ShanesPlanet said: Eat more banana's Well... That was not a response I was not expecting to get, lol.... Bananas Eh? I assume potassium prevents cramps, or something like that? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post stephen Posted June 24, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 24, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Tryptych said: Well... That was not a response I was not expecting to get, lol.... Bananas Eh? I assume potassium prevents cramps, or something like that? I think @ShanesPlanet means.. if you eat bananas while riding you'll probably forget about your feet hurting OR😁.. stop.. get off eat a banana and by time you've eaten it your feet will of had a rest OR😁 Shane's completely bananas himself and thought he'd just put it out there 😂 Seriously though ... Just keep riding and your feet will condition, i like flat sole and spongy (skechers) What you riding? 👍👍 Edited June 24, 2020 by stephen 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sacristan Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 5 hours ago, Tryptych said: Sooo... this maybe a stupid question but: Anyone got any magical tips for dealing with or preventing foot cramps? ie: Do you think they are better, or worse, if you wear a shoe with a soft sole, like running shoes? Or is it better with a hard sole? Got any other tips? I rode with my running shoes yesterday... the neon green ones with the squishy heel. I also added gel insoles to them. The angle and shape transferred too much weigh to the balls of my feet. In the winter I like riding with my boots and they have a nice hard heel that stays down. Get one of those foot massage rollers that you can roll your feet over. My left foot has been bothering my lately... and my left baby toe has start to turn inwards lol. I ride 50-90km a day though... I will adapt and overcome. Maybe some vibram five fingers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 12 hours ago, Tryptych said: Well... That was not a response I was not expecting to get, lol.... Bananas Eh? I assume potassium prevents cramps, or something like that? Bingo... Potassium is your friend. You also get to toss the peel down and hope someone falls. How could a million monkeys be wrong? *disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor am I healthy, but i do like bananas! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker10 Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Magnesium helps me. King song large pedals as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Joker10 said: Magnesium helps me. King song large pedals as well. Yup, more reason to eat bananas as they have good amount of magnesium too.. Big pedals for big feet, sounds right to me! Edited June 24, 2020 by ShanesPlanet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryJackPCB Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 The pain will diminish the more you ride. Try adjusting your stance and foot position throughout your ride. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demargon Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 I'm a experienced rider and I keep getting foot cramps when I take my wheel after several days without riding. It's happen in the first km and it goes away when I warming up. So I do easy ride one or two km more, doing some stretching sitting and one foot standing to get rid of it. My potassium and others minerals or vitamins are in good levels due I take one complement at day, I like wear hard soles shoes and I ride large pedals (monster and v10f) but the best remedy for those cramps (other than good health and strengthen) is using seat and big pads, thanks to it the effort do with my foots doesn't get to stressful 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LanghamP Posted June 25, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 25, 2020 EUC foot cramps come from leaning forward and continuously using the feet and calve muscles. However, while the calve muscles are very large muscles, the foot muscles are quite small. Both sets of muscles work when you walk or run, but foot muscles in modern humans are usually atrophied due to lack of use and shoe support. Your calves will never get tired. So in order not to have foot cramps (we're not talking numbness, that's another subject) you can either not use your foot muscles or exercise them. Both choices are very easy to do and take no special skill. If you lean forward, then try to use only your calves, while your feet muscles stay totally relaxed. Your heel shouldn't come off the ground. Then the second way is to simply use zero drop non supported shoes, and then your feet muscles will eventually become as strong as your calves. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treatz Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 My approach is to treat foot fatigue as I do wobbles: the sooner we recognize the signs the better we can manage them. With foot fatigue, I found that walking, in a way that fully massages the foot, helps: slow, deliberate, over emphasize the step, and vary where you place your weight with each step. Of course, voluntarily dismounting in order to walk isn’t what we want to do. I learned to do this at the earliest signs of foot fatigue for just a minute or 2 significantly increases endurance. I use the ground on different parts of my feet with each step. I take my time to really feel it. This comes after many times of waiting until my feet are really tired. But, once a High level of fatigue is reached, it takes much longer to recuperate. For shoes, I have done lots of “research”. My favs are Birkenstock shoes (not sandals). the Arran model is my fave. This way, my foot plates have cork bedding.. Over time my stance has evolved to curling the tips of my toes over the front of the foot plates. I find this gives me extra control and these shoes allow me to do that without using barefoot shoes. I love barefoot shoes, but not for euc riding, IMO. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erk1024 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 (edited) On 6/25/2020 at 12:48 PM, Treatz said: With foot fatigue, I found that walking, in a way that fully massages the foot, helps: slow, deliberate, over emphasize the step, and vary where you place your weight with each step. Of course, voluntarily dismounting in order to walk isn’t what we want to do That's what I was going to suggest. Getting off and walking for a few yards. In terms of footwear, I still think people should wear 8" tall work boots. They are so good at protecting your ankles from pedal mishaps. Pedal + Ankle is very painful. Too much padding in the shoes (e.g. running shoes) gets in the way of feeling what's going on with the pedals. That's why skateboarders wear Vans. (The experienced riders in the group could say, "well I don't have pedal mishaps" which I'm sure is true, but the great thing about wearing extra protection is that you can try things you wouldn't normally attempt. Off-road is a great example, in that it's much more challenging. I was doing a very tight offroad trail and a root snagged one of the pedals, and I was ejected off the wheel. In cases like that, it's easy to get banged by pedals, or the wheel itself, but with the right gear, usually no problem.) I also think that carving while you ride helps. It's fun and takes pressure off one foot and then the other. Edited June 26, 2020 by erk1024 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamSuffit Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 I personally also ride on 1 leg only, then the other one for a few seconds in order to help blood circulation. Learning how to ride on 1 leg is useful for this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted June 30, 2020 Author Share Posted June 30, 2020 Good posts guys... I have upped my banana intake, and I already take magnesium. I ride everyday but still get foot cramps frequently. My V8 has larger pedals from a V10 which helps. On 6/25/2020 at 12:48 PM, Treatz said: With foot fatigue, I found that walking, in a way that fully massages the foot, helps: slow, deliberate, over emphasize the step, and vary where you place your weight with each step. Yes, if I get off and walk for as little as 30 seconds it makes a huge difference. When I get my V11 and put a seat on it I think that being able to sit down will be what allows me to finally defeat the dreaded foot cramp for good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 On 6/27/2020 at 8:10 AM, SamSuffit said: I personally also ride on 1 leg only, then the other one for a few seconds in order to help blood circulation. Learning how to ride on 1 leg is useful for this. I keep trying this and it puts so much pressure on my bum knees, I cant see how in the HELL you guys do it. But i do know how to eat banana's and i hear they can be hidden in with liquor or ice cream, fairly well! Don't worry Tryptych, as you fight the cramps, you're still conditioning. Over time, youll start wondering why your wheel is running out of battery so fast nowadays. Another nifty side effect is your overall health and ability to win the fight against numerous virus'. Keep us posted, looking forwards to hearing about how a seat on the v11 works out for you! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamSuffit Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 10 minutes ago, ShanesPlanet said: I keep trying this and it puts so much pressure on my bum knees, I cant see how in the HELL you guys do it. Pro tip: foot placement on the pedal is important. Put your feet very close to the wheel helps a lot. Then all your leg is in contact with the wheel, not only the knee. And the balance is easier to keep, not painful. You can also add some foam on the top of the EUC to lessen the pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ir_fuel Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Install a seat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kai Drange Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 As a beginner I also struggle with aching muscles in my feet. I am a runner that have had all the classics in foot injuries. As a result I have also accumulated a lot of different footwear and insoles. For me the best shoes for riding seems to be the minimalist Merrell Trail Gloves. Pretty much the same concept as FiveFingers, but without separate toes. What I like about them is that I feel I have an excellent grip on the pedals, which in turn makes me instinctively relax my feet a bit more. And also, they make it easy to wiggle my toes a bit, stretch my arches, etc. That means I can ride longer before it gets unpleasant. But eventually I have to get off and walk for a couple of minutes before continuing. I’m worried about getting more foot injuries because of my EUC. What I am hoping is that it will be good excerise for strengthening the muscles which will make me less prone to injuries when running. Right now I have no idea what to expect. I can easily imagine it going either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryptych Posted June 30, 2020 Author Share Posted June 30, 2020 18 minutes ago, Kai Drange said: What I am hoping is that it will be good excerise for strengthening the muscles which will make me less prone to injuries when running. Right now I have no idea what to expect. I can easily imagine it going either way. That is exactly what will happen, about a month ago I dusted off my wheel and started riding at least an hour a day. 30 days later my feet and my legs have all kinds of muscles that weren't there before and I can cover so much more distance without taking a break. I also find it is really good for my bad back. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennBruce Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 29 minutes ago, Kai Drange said: ...For me the best shoes for riding seems to be the minimalist Merrell Trail Gloves. .....I’m worried about getting more foot injuries because of my EUC. . I've found that ventilated shoes work best for extended riding. It appears that Merrell Trail Gloves 5 are mesh and should provide good airflow. My feet are about the only part of my body that hasn't experienced trauma from riding the wheels. Ankles and the lower shins do get abuse from the pedal edges. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albatross Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 My feet feel better with every ride. I am starting to ride longer without breaks. Did almost 11 miles a few days ago with just stopping once twice to rest for a minute or two, which is a record for me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Here's how you get those feet in shape... Head out on a 2 lane road with no shoulders, knowing you gotta keep it in the wind or you get run over. After you finally get to the end of the road (12miles), realize that now you HAVE to get back home. With no phone and no spare car, you have no choice but to put that bitch in the wind for the second 12 miles back home. Nothing conditions like necessity. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Lantz Hedström Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 I've found that it helps to move the foot forward on the pedals. Then riding becomes very similar to just standing 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBladeOfHades Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Most people ride unbalanced front to back and must keep their weight on the balls and toes Of their feet to keep forward momentum. Moving you foot forward will bring you move inline with a regular stance that will balance across your feet evenly. this will also bring your ankle more inline with the wheel axle for improved control and stability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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