Foot numbness is a common complaint among cyclists, and can occur for a variety of reasons, most of them annoying but benign. Shoe laces that are pulled too tightly and keeping your feet in the same position are two possible causes. Consult a health care provider if the numbness is persistent or is accompanied by pain or burning.
Peripheral Nerve Compression
The peroneal and ulnar nerves run through the feet, and numbness can occur when those nerves are compressed when bike riding, especially if you ride with your feet strapped on to pedals. Compression occurs when the nerves are impinged by tendons, muscle or fat in your foot. Once the impingement is released, your foot should be fine. However, if numbness is a chronic problem, you may be permanently damaging the nerve, so consult a cycling expert for a different pedaling or riding technique.
Poor footwear
Foot numbness can be caused by wearing soft-soled shoes. Shoes made specifically for cycling have hard soles that are meant to evenly distribute pressure on the sole of the foot, making nerve compression more difficult. If your shoes are too tight, if you do a lot of uphill pedaling or if there's a lot of road vibration, you may also suffer from numb feet, reports the website Cycling Performance Tips. Loosening foot straps, changing footwear or inserts, or even changing to a different style of socks can prevent numbness.
Other causes
There are several other things that may cause your feet to go numb during cycling. In general, these disorders also cause numbness when you're not cycling, too, although the symptoms may be worse during exercise. They include diabetes, vitamin B12 deficiency, tumors in the brain or on the spine, exposure to toxins and kidney disease. Seek medical help if you're experiencing numbness that is severe, accompanied by other symptoms and/or persistent.
Treatment
All that is usually necessary to treat numbness in the feet is to shake them to get the blood circulating again. If you have numbness during the ride, remove your foot from the pedal and circle the ankle a few times, flexing the toes. That should be enough to "wake up" the foot, but may be accompanied by some tingling. If you feel numbness once you're off the bike, rest your feet and use a cold pack to reduce inflammation around the nerves.
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