Running, for all of its undisputed health benefits, is tough on your body. Your muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments are all subject to high-impact forces and tensile stresses, and soreness and injuries are almost inevitable. Less common but nevertheless vexing is numbness after running. The most common site in which this happens is the foot.
Ill-Fitting Shoes
Wearing shoes that are slightly too small or don't completely conform to the shape of your foot can lead to chafing, pain and, in many cases, numbness. Most often, numbness affects the top of one or both feet owing to the tongue of shoes that are laced too tightly compressing the branch of the peroneal nerve supplying this area. Try moving up a half-size, choosing a different lacing pattern or, if applicable, removing or repositioning shoe inserts such as custom orthotics.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Tarsal tunnel syndrome is the ankle's version of carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrist, a much better-known affliction. Numbness in this case is limited to the bottom of the heel. This condition results from compression of the posterior tibial nerve owing to the presence of an anatomic abnormality, such as a bone spur or tendon cyst. Biomechanical problems such as overpronation also have been implicated. Treatment includes a combination of orthotic shoe inserts, taking a break from running, steroid injections and possibly surgery to remove the offending structure.
Morton's Neuroma
A neuroma is an abnormal thickening of the protective tissue layer surrounding a nerve. This often happens in the nerve that runs between the third and fourth toes and provides sensation to those digits, and the result is called a Morton's neuroma. If you pronate excessively or have unusually shaped toes -- for example, "claw toes" -- you're at greater risk for developing this type of neuroma, which causes both pain and numbness in the relevant toes and the ball of the foot. Ultrasound energy often alleviates the problem; cushioning pads or orthotics for your shoes also are handy interventions.
Poor Circulation
While most causes of numbness in the foot and elsewhere can be traced to a neurological derangement, circulatory compromise is a frequent offender as well. Poor circulation to the feet can cause numbness anywhere in the extremity and usually results from underlying diseases -- e.g., diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure -- or unhealthy habits such as cigarette smoking and a poor diet. Running in very cold weather is a less common cause. Treating numbness of this variety involves modifying your lifestyle, taking prescription medication or both.
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