Numbness and burning sensations in the feet that occur while running usually indicate that the nerves or blood vessels that travel through the feet are being compressed. Overpronation or wearing poorly-fitting footwear while running are possible causes. In many cases, rest and changing your footwear may solve your problem; if your symptoms are severe, however, you may require medical treatment.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Tarsal tunnel syndrome is a condition that commonly causes numb and burning feet among runners. If you overpronate, or roll your foot inward, when you run, this places excessive pressure on the posterior tibial nerve that runs from the forefoot to the ankle, which can cause inflammation leading to tarsal tunnel syndrome. Rest and cold therapy may help relieve pain from tarsal tunnel syndrome, but in the long run, you'll need to change the way you run. Changing your footwear or wearing an orthotic device, such as an arch support, in your shoes may help prevent you from overpronating when you run. You may need to see a specialist to have some orthotics custom-fitted.
Morton's Neuroma
A Morton's neuroma, a piece of thickened nerve tissue in the upper foot, is another nerve condition which may cause numbness and burning in the feet when running. This condition may result from exercise-related trauma to one of the nerves that goes through the toes. People with flat feet and other foot abnormalities may be more susceptible to this condition, reports the Mayo Clinic. The main symptom of a Morton's neuroma is a burning pain in the ball of your foot that is sometimes accompanied by numbness or burning in the toes. Like tarsal tunnel syndrome, a Morton's neuroma may resolve with rest, icing your feet and changing your footwear. However, more serious cases may require steroid injections or even surgery.
Vascular Conditions
Rarely, a condition which reduces blood circulation to the feet may cause numb and burning feet when running. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is an uncommon condition in which exercise causes abnormally high pressure to build in the muscle compartments of your feet, compressing the blood vessels that go into the feet and sometimes causing permanent damage to nerves and muscles. Surgery is the most effective treatment option for CECS. Another vascular condition that may cause numb and burning feet when running is compression or entrapment of the popliteal artery in the leg. This condition is also rare and often requires surgery.
Considerations
If you continue to experience symptoms after changing your footwear, it is a good idea to see your doctor or a sports injury specialist. A doctor or injury specialist may conduct nerve conduction studies to determine whether there is nerve entrapment and/or imaging studies such as an MRI or ultrasound to spot soft tissue abnormalities, such as a neuroma. You should also see a doctor if your symptoms worsen in severity, if the burning sensation spreads up into your legs, or if you experience lasting loss of feeling in your toes or feet, warns the Mayo Clinic.
References
- Foot & Ankle Center of Washington: Numb and Tingling Feet During Exercise
- "Running Times" Magazine; Ask the Coaches: Tingling and Numbness in Feet; Dr. Cathy Fieseler
- SportsInjuryClinic.net: Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
- Mayo Clinic; Morton's Neuroma; October 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome;
- "Texas Heart Institute Journal"; Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome: Diagnosis and Management, with Report of Three Cases; Radonic Vedran et al.; 2000
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