Topic: Long rides and pain in feet

[eigenvector]

Now that I've gone on my long vacation/ride, I've found out a lot about my BMW and what I and it can do.

There was something that I experienced that I wonder if it's curable with highway pegs.  After about 2 or so hours on the saddle I noticed that my feet started burning, becoming very painful.  It was cured by stopping, walking around for a while, but it never entirely went away.  When I finally got to my destination 8 hours later my feet were throbbing and burning for hours afterwards. 

I assumed it was blood pooling in my legs from the sitting position, which is why I wonder if it could be cured by using highway pegs.  Anyone ever experience that - and if so what to do about it?

Were it not for the pain in my feet - I could have stayed in that saddle all day long.

[70CB750]

Never had that, what shoes/boots were you wearing?

[RAFster122s]

How is your blood sugar level?  Could be peripheral neuropathy symptoms.

[MCRider]

How is your blood sugar level?  Could be peripheral neuropathy symptoms.

Yup. My PN is non-diabetic, so it doesn't have to be relative to sugar levels.   

[eigenvector]

I have Sidi Evo boots.

It ain't diabetes, I have that checked every year and I always have excellent "scores".

I was wondering if it was the vibration of the pegs combined with the sitting position or something.  I've sat in airplane seats for 11 hour flights without any sort of issue like this.

[eigenvector]

http://www.roadbikerider.com/injuries/how-solve-painful-hot-foot

That is what I was thinking it was.

[MCRider]

I have Sidi Evo boots.

It ain't diabetes, I have that checked every year and I always have excellent "scores".

I was wondering if it was the vibration of the pegs combined with the sitting position or something.  I've sat in airplane seats for 11 hour flights without any sort of issue like this.

What Raf and I were alluding to, is not diabetes, but peripheral neuropathy. PN is often in connection with diabetes, so if you had diabetes you could expect sometime to get PN. But half the time its either something else causing it, or it just happens on its own. The best allegory would be imagine a bundle of wires at a junction of a wiring harness (lower back or lower leg/ankle). over the years the insulation on the individual wires chafes and wears away causing intermittent or false transmissions of: 1. pain: tingling, hot foot, unexplained pressure, etc. 2: numbness and 3: loss of control (my biggest problem.)

In any event, good luck with your symptoms.

[eigenvector]

I was thinking it was related.  Tough to find decent all-weather riding boots that are also wide.  For the normal commute it's really not a big deal - 2 hours is nothing, but after 6 hours it became a real problem.

That's why I was pushing the idea of highway pegs - something to take the pressure off the balls of my feet.  But I can look into getting some inserts or something.  I get orthotics for running, might ask about something for biking.

[Mantree]

I went from a vt1100 with forward controls to a cb750 with mid controls and after about 20 min in the saddle my knees, hips and feet are killing me to the point that I am resting my feet on the engine so I am putting forward controls on

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[flybox1]

Most likely due to extended compression of the sciatic nerve (your torso weight against the seat) and/or compression of the femoral artery @ your groin (by sitting w a 90deg or less bend at your hips)
Try a more upright position (thighs to torso 100-110deg),  fewer 'heavy' layers of clothing that might compress in the area of your front pockets..., and or a different seat/seating position. You're looking for less direct pressure at the point where the back of your thigh meets your gluteal fold.

[RAFster122s]

A wallet in the back pocket is enough to aggravate the nerves and cause a irritation of the back in some people. So, it sometimes can be a simple thing that is easily overlooked.  You may need to have different shoes and pants that are a wee bit looser in the seat to help.
Peripheral Neuropathy is an odd condition and can go away but, sometimes it lingers for a long time and is difficult to get better,  taking months to improve.  Sometimes it is there for the long haul.

I hope you are able to find relief and a solution.
David

[eigenvector]

I'll figure it out I'm sure.

It's not a common problem for me, heck I only get to take a week off or so every year anyway.  That said, I'll poke around at some distance gear.  I was wearing shorts and my riding pants which are very loose fitting (I bought them when I was still 270, I'm in the 240's now). 

The more I think about it the more I remember that it was the force of my foot pushing on that peg all those miles, lifting my foot helped, but of course I'm not about to do leg lifts while cruising down the road.  My abs aren't in that good of shape.

Start with the boots, they're the most constraining - sure I can find something between now and next year when the boss unlocks the cage and lets me out for a bit.

[RAFster122s]

Peripheral Neuropathy can be triggered by wearing shoes that are too tight and it takes months to get it to calm down was my experience last winter.

[mrbreeze]

I got a leg cramp one time when I was about 75 miles into a 300 mile ride. It kinda just came out of nowhere and all I could do was try to extend my leg as I was riding. I finally had to get off and walk around for a while. My friend told me I had a shortage of potassium......need to eat more bananas!

[eigenvector]

How many of you guys get that involuntary shaking in your forearm.  I experienced that after about 7 hours.  Easy cure of course, extend hand and arm outward and flex the fingers, but it sure is a sign that you need to take a break - a longer break than simply getting gas.

That was really the savior on this trip - the cruise control on the bike.  BMW's cruise control is such a helper, lets you ride in a perfectly neutral position

[70CB750]

^^^ That

You would not ride a bicycle hundred miles without some prep - even your butt needs conditioning 

My biggest problems spine nerves I pinched being stupid few years back - you are not supposed to demonstrate cartwheel when you are 45 even if you know how  -  they make my arms and fingers tingle and fall asleep.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I got a leg cramp one time when I was about 75 miles into a 300 mile ride. It kinda just came out of nowhere and all I could do was try to extend my leg as I was riding. I finally had to get off and walk around for a while. My friend told me I had a shortage of potassium......need to eat more bananas!

Lots of fresh celery too. Add some peanut butter and you're golden!

Cramping? Drink some tonic water for relatively quick relief. I'm on vacation so I'm not going into the pharmacodynamics of neuropathy or cramping. You were being asked about diabetes or the potential of due to it's symptom. Keep the check ups going. Next was a lower back issue. BOTH potential issues. Boot fitment is an obvious possibility. Wear em loose. I'm thinking just a more relaxing riding position is in order with a few more breaks.   

[Gene]

My biggest problems spine nerves I pinched being stupid few years back - you are not supposed to demonstrate cartwheel when you are 45 even if you know how  -  they make my arms and fingers tingle and fall asleep.

Do your physical therapy!  Neck stretches, nerve glides . . . it all helps.

[eigenvector]

Don't misunderstand, but, you need to be in riding shape if you are going to put in those length of rides. It's much more demanding physically than people realize. Sitting upright, shifting of weight, arms, neck and torso being buffered by the wind... It all adds up. Some good stretching, simple core exercises, and more stretching. Iso exercises are also excellent daily to help with circulation and big muscle access. We aren't as young as we used to be  there was a time when I could do 700-900 a day, repeatedly. Now, I'm lucky if I can turn 100 without a good break

I don't misunderstand.  It's why I asked about it originally way back before taking off on my trip.
It does require conditioning, although I personally wasn't sore after riding, with the exception of my feet.  If I can assume that finding some wider boots will alleviate that - then I wouldn't expect a day like that to be uncomfortable at all.  But I had my luggage fully packed with gear in case I had to bail early and camp - including water, rations, etc.  While I wasn't sore, I was TIRED, very tired at the end of the ride.  I doubt I could have made it much past 500 miles.

It helps that I do 100 miles a day 5 days a week and have for the past 8 years.  For a sunny day rider to try that - I can imagine the pain.

[Retro Rocket]

My biggest problems spine nerves I pinched being stupid few years back - you are not supposed to demonstrate cartwheel when you are 45 even if you know how  -  they make my arms and fingers tingle and fall asleep.

Do your physical therapy!  Neck stretches, nerve glides . . . it all helps.

I have the same problems but its my feet that tingle, spent plenty of time in physical therapy with my back, my neck gives me migranes, I never know when its going to play up, its very annoying ...

[70CB750]

My biggest problems spine nerves I pinched being stupid few years back - you are not supposed to demonstrate cartwheel when you are 45 even if you know how  -  they make my arms and fingers tingle and fall asleep.

Do your physical therapy!  Neck stretches, nerve glides . . . it all helps.

Therapy is only to amuse the patients till nature heals him