It's easy to underestimate the amount of stress placed on your foot when bicycling. Although this activity provides much less impact and strain on the foot than other forms of exercise, such as running, your feet are still in constant use as they rotate the pedals and power your bicycle. Even this reduced stress can cause pain and injuries to develop in the foot -- particularly when you are riding for multiple hours at a time.
Types of Pain
Pain can manifest itself in several locations in the foot. You may feel this pain on the interior of the foot, such as one of its many bones. You also may experience pain on the underside of the foot anywhere from the balls of the foot to your heel. These pains may be sharp and sudden, or they may be dull and nagging and have developed gradually over time.
Possible Injuries
It is possible for a cyclist to develop a stress fracture in the foot, which leads to a small break in one of the bones. A common muscular injury is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the muscle on the underside of the foot. This muscle runs across the bottom of the foot and most commonly gets injured around the arch of your foot -- this is more likely when your footwear does not adequately support the underside of your foot. When the plantar muscle does not heal properly, it can lead to the development of bone spurs, which are calcium deposits that develop at the location of the injury.
Treatment
Many causes of foot pain require rest to properly heal. Stress fractures may require a cast to be worn and could sideline you from exercise for several weeks, if not months. Treat plantar fasciitis by icing after workouts; light stretching of the muscle also can be effective. In some cases, you may need rest and physical therapy to properly heal the injury. Bone spurs are removed by a doctor.
Prevention
Prevent foot pain from bicycling by wearing proper footwear to support your foot when pedaling. Cross-training shoes are effective, and you also can purchase special cycling shoes to provide support to the underside of the foot. Make sure your foot is placed properly on the pedal to minimize the stress of riding a bicycle with the balls of your feet centered on the pedal; use this part of the foot to push the pedals.
