Toes and Working Out

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2004
Toes and Working Out
10
Tue, 03-02-2004 - 9:28pm
Hi everyone! I have a question for anyone that can give me some input. Sometimes when I a working out, my toes start to go numb and I have to interrupt my workout and wiggle my toes and feet around. Has anyone had this problem? Any suggestions on how to prevent it?

Thanks,

Tara
Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 03-02-2004 - 11:26pm

Tara,


I can't tell from what you said how you are working out, but obviously you need to move around more so that you keep the circulation going to your feet. Please ask the people who supervise your workout for their suggestions. Of course you can't do that if you are working out along and at home.


This is very interesting and I look forward to hearing the resolution to your problem. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Mary Frances


cl-maryfrances40

Avatar for cl_d_minnick
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 03-03-2004 - 2:52am
Hi Tara, I can only say from my walking around my feet tend to swell up some from being on them so much. Could this be the cause to your toes going numb? If it is then try loosening up your shoes some to see if that helps at all. If your sitting while working out, you may want to on occasions twinkle your toes to get them circulating better. I really hope you find a solution to this problem, becauseI know how frustrating it is to have it happen and have to completely stop what you were doing just to get some circulation to your toes going again. Do let us know how your working out and if you find a solution to this problem. Take care and do have a wonderful day!

Denise ^..^


Mom to

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Wed, 03-03-2004 - 4:15am
I saw a similar question on Ask the Fitness Doctor bulletin board. I cant remember what the answer was though, but the response from Dr Nadia seemed to indicate it was not THAT uncommon.

It can also probably be an indication of peripheral neuropathy....BUT if that is the only numbness I would NOT jump immiately to that conclusion.

If I get on line earlier next time, will see if i can find the response and answer on the other board. Right now I woke up and wasnt sleepy so came on like for a wee bit...but have stayed on longer than planned!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 03-04-2004 - 8:11am
Auntydoxzz~~~Could you please send me the link to that site. I have posted on here before but it's been a while. My hubby is diabetic and is having major problems with his legs but none of his doctors pay any attention-just give him pain killers and send him on his way. From what he tells me and what I have read I believe it is neuropathy. But would like to get more info on it from "real people." If anyone on here has it or knows first hand about it please let me know!

TIA,

Becky

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2004
Thu, 03-04-2004 - 6:15pm
Thank you everyone for your advice!! I do my workouts typically on the elliptical trainer, bicycles or jumping rope. I am going to the doctor tomorrow for a check up, so I'll have him and let you all know!! THANKS!

Tara

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Thu, 03-04-2004 - 8:45pm
The easiest answer is to loosen your shoe strings. You may be cutting off circulation to the front of your foot.

The thing that you should check out is if you're having a diabetic neuropathic response.

Sounds more like the first, though, to me. I've noticed if I wear a certain pair of Nikes my toes start to tingle. The "box" (front end of the shoe that goes over your toes) may be too small.

Good luck.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Thu, 03-04-2004 - 8:52pm
Becky:

Here's a couple of sites that might be helpful, and they send free stuff!

www.niddk.nih.gov --got a packet from them that included a bunch of info on neuropathy

www.diabetes.org

www.cdc.gov/diabetes

www.fda.gov/diabetes

hope one or all of these may help you & you husband

:-) Kathi

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Fri, 03-05-2004 - 9:47pm
Becky

The Ask The Fitness Doctor is a message board here at IVillage. i havent found a speedy way to get to specific boards other than saving them in my favorite board page. BUT you can get to THAT message board by clicking on the message board icon up above...then click on diet and fitness....and then in the right column there are a bunch of ask the expert boards and one listed is the Fitness doctor.

Sorry I dont seem to get on line much lately. I did go and look at the Ask The Fitness Doctor message board and it seems as if the answers mostly related that the numbness was because something about the shoes was not fitting right, too tight, too short, not wide enough, basically boiling down to pressure someplace. Dr Nadia did say that if the numbness only happened while exercising and went away, then the asker didnt need to worry. If there was continued numbness she suggested seeing a neurologist.

One mention i did see though from someone who does an elliptical machine is that if her feet starts to feel numb, she reverses the direction. (OF course if you are like me with BALANCE a very weak skill.....be VERY cautious trying that). I have found that if i try to go backwards i feel totally off balance, and i think my longest attempt was maybe 3-4 steps that way!!

Its also possible if you have any type of problems with legs swelling that would also tend to put pressure on parts of the feet since shoes do not tend to give.

Will say that there are oodles and oodles of information on line about neuropathy. Seems like there might be a set of message boards...something to do with neurology and I want to say Harvard University school of medicine. I was reading a lot of those a few years ago because several years before I was diagnosed with diabetes i WAS diagnosed with neuropathy. that came up after I had a nasty test done to see if I had carpal tunnel. Instead of it taking 20 minutes...the neurologist got carried away and tested both hands AND one of my legs. Then I swear he ran me through every test under the sun to find out what the neuropathy was from!! The end diagnosis was idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. its worst in my hands, thankfully and although sometimes when i exercise i do get some tingling in feet...i remember it more when i was first starting to exercise and had pushed my walking on treadmill up to 50-75 minutes. I am quite overweight and working on that but do th arthritis i also dont walk very fast....sadly i think on the treadmill the last time i used one my FAST speed was a whole 2.5 miles/hour for maybe 5 minutes!! I like the elliptical better....as long as Im not stupid and ramping the incline high(that did bad things the my arthritic knee)...i can go further, longer and faster on that!!

Some suggestions or cautions....be sure to get GOOD workout shoes if you are walking, running, using various types of fitness machines. Wear socks that will help protect your feet. I confess I need to find a new good pair of shoes to wear, BUT i have also replaced and changed to various types of cushioned soles in my shoes also. Remember too to watch for lessened feelings in your feet. That can be very dangerous since loss of feeling in feet mean you cant tell when there is any injury etc to the foot!

Also if one type of exercise either doesnt interest you, you really dislike it, or it doesnt seem to do ANY good, then try something else.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Sun, 03-07-2004 - 3:07am
You write such great messages! Have referred several people to messages you've posted on different topics. Thanks for being with us!

(((hugs)))

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Mon, 03-08-2004 - 5:15am
Thanks for the kind thoughts !!!

I sometimes think my answers are so long, but when i try to cut them down, find it hard to decide what to cut!! Also to be honest the times I do make it on here are usually late at nite so my energy isnt the highest either!

Will say on the whole exercise issue, am sure that is what has saved me from having to go on meds, and somehow even the long periods in January and then later February when I couldnt exercise, seems like what I had been doing was still helping some.

Thankfully it only took me about 2 1/2 weeks after I got sick the last time before i was able to go back to the Y. As of last week I am back, not at the maximum amount of time on the elliptical(i had gotten up to 45 minutes) but at least 30 minutes there and then another 15 minutes or so on the arm cycle. I confess I can use the treadmills there too but once I managed to get used to the elliptical it seems to give a lot faster workout....although the biggest problem is finding it free!! Seems like a lot of us like them!!