Foot numbness is a worrisome condition. It may be a sign of a significant medical issue, or it could be caused by lacing your shoes too tight. If your aerobics class causes you to pound repetitively on your feet, numbness may also result. Be aware of other symptoms and consult your doctor if your foot numbness persists or worsens.
Lack of Blood Supply
If the numbness in your foot is accompanied by cramping of your upper or lower legs, you should consult your doctor. Peripheral arterial disease may cause intermittent claudication, which, MayoClinic.com explains, is pain due to lack of blood flow to your extremities. This symptom varies from being somewhat bothersome to extremely painful. Your doctor should diagnose PAD and outline a proper course of treatment for circulatory problems. The lack of blood flow may be the result of fatty deposit buildup and may be affecting your heart and brain, not just your feet.
Nerve and Blood Vessel Damage
If you are diabetic, you may have diabetic neuropathy, where your nerves are damaged by high blood sugar levels. The resulting loss of feeling is often manifested in the feet. While the damage might not be permanent, check your feet also for signs of sores or lesions, the MedlinePlus online medical encyclopedia suggests. You should consult your doctor for a full diagnosis, and let her know if your feet have lost the ability to differentiate between hot and cold or if you experience any tingling in your feet.
Aura and Headache
If your foot numbness is accompanied by nausea, seeing an aura and a headache that lasts for more than six hours, see your doctor. While numbness isn't always associated with migraines, numbness accompanied by these symptoms requires a doctor's input. Migraines are not always easy to treat, and can be triggered by odors or hormonal shifts as well as exercise and loud noises. If you're in aerobics class with other women wearing heavy perfume, the combination of loud music, exercise and perfume may be the cause, so seek your doctor's input to rule out other conditions.
Considerations
You should also attempt to rule out your aerobics class and your shoes as culprits in your foot numbness. Skip the class and use a treadmill or elliptical machine to see if the numbness continues. Switch shoes, or lace them differently to see if lacing is the problem. If your foot numbness is only one of a cluster of symptoms, you need further medical evaluation to identify its cause.
