Foot pain, platforms
 

I broke a bone in my foot a long time ago, on the outer edge. My bike fits me great and i love riding it, but lately I have noticed pain in the spot where the break occurred. I'm thinking I am pushing down and it is irritating the break point. Of course, then I try to ride with my foot angled a bit in to put less pressure there....and that's a bad idea. I ride in city traffic all the time so don't want to go to clipless (just not for me) but I wondering if there are maybe some insoles folks have used to reorient the foot position away from tender spots (I currently use SOL insoles) or have other solutions? TIA

I bought some 99c store flip-flop, cut them down to fit in my shoes. I had to grind down the toe box area, so there is enough room for my toes, and I relieved the "pressure" area(s). There is nothing that comes close (in terms of comfort/ softness)

What are you currently using for pedals? Perhaps a different sized platform might help?

I'm using Velo Orange touring pedals. I used to have Rivendell Grip Kings but I had a different issue with those (put my knees to far from the frame). The Q factor on the VO's works well for me. Wonder if they make inserts with cutouts. It doesn't bother me if I get my foot angled so the outside is on the raised pin, which raises my foot just enough to take the pressure off, but that's not the right position for my knee. I do it briefly sometimes to ease it, but it definitely feels wrong to pedal like that. Maybe there's something I can put on the pedal in the right place to raise it just a tiny bit on one side?

What about their Sabot pedals combined with soft soled shoes? The pins hold soft soles in place very well, and then you have a large flat area to spread out the pressure. I would suspect that combo would be very hard to beat for foot comfort.

You need stiff bike shoes. You gonna have pain with sneakers or soft insoles, or any shoes that flex.

I'm not sure the stiff or soft issue matters in my case (I'm not racing) because I have zero pain in my right foot with the same shoe/insole. It's just that when I ride, I think
I tend to put more pressure on the outside edge of my feet (I supinate when I walk, too). On the foot with no prior break, it's no problem. But it's just too much pressure on the old fracture - so I think I need to "correct" that supination on the one side somehow. But I don't want to do something that will mess with walking as I bike/walk for transport and daily usage. So I'm more interested in doing something to the pedal I think, if that's possible, so when I get off the bike the "solution" doesn't mess with me walking and create new problems.

Maybe a larger platform pedal and some lace up mountain bike shoes.

Use a larger platform pedal. Wellgo makes some good ones. Here is an example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IM2K2V4...ing=UTF8&psc=1

I know you say you like a narrower Q factor, but it sounds like a pedal extender might get the pedal under your foot. I think it will be diffiucult to find a wider pedal the the VO Touring pedal, but perhaps a long, wide pedal would solve your problem, if you hate the idea of an extender.

Also, could you have developed a 'tailor's bunyon'?

Had to look that bunyon up - nope. It's definitely residual pain from a supposedly healed fracture. It sounds weird but I'm going to try attaching a small wedge to the pedal, I think. The inserts in my shoes work ok to correct my supination when walking (although I still wear out one side of my heels) but because there's no forward rolling motion with pedaling, the pressure is constant in that spot. From what I've read, you are supposed to feel it on the inside of the arch not the outside of the foot, so maybe a tiny "tilt" will work. Too much and it'll wreck my knee so I will start very small and go from there.

Best of luck. Pain is not fun, at least for most of us.

Thanks. Someone just told me about Specialized BG insoles which have a variety of wedge options. Gonna find a local store to check them out.

One of the points of using clipless is that you don't push down as much, if at all. I used to commute in the city with clips and straps. Clipless would have been so much better, but the clips did help me keep up with traffic.

I know a lot of people like clipless. I just don't want to invest in new shoes/pedals and then there's the fact that I do stop at every stop sign/light (unlike most of the clipless people I see). I rode with power grips for a while but even those got annoying for me. I saw some magnetic clipless on kickstarter which looked interesting but they are way expensive right now. The pushing down wouldn't be a problem if I didn't roll to the edge of my foot on the one side.

Yeah, but you do. Clipless makes it no harder to put a foot down than platform. Get double-sided SPD, never look down to clip. Less annoying than the powergrips, IMO. Yes, it costs money but they amortize really quickly. Magnetic sounds like a really bad idea. I also stop. Legal stop is you put a foot down - I don't always do that, just almost.

That said, you want to get instinctive with clipping/unclipping before riding in traffic. A few residential solo rides should do it. Start in a parking lot, get comfortable. Practice panic stops, stopping while turning, that sort of thing. I always put my right foot down, the one away from traffic. Always using the same foot helps with the perfect reaction every time, I think. Set the pedals to minimum tension at first - you can just rip your foot out if you have a brain fade.

Have you tried to pedal with an ark of the foot?

It's more likely a position and general fit issue. Your saddle might be too far forward to compensate for excessive reach. That would put extra pressure on your forefoot. You might need to move the saddle back and buy a shorter stem. If the foot breakage area continues to be a problem try SPD mtb pedals and dedicated cycling shoes with a rigid out-sole.

I had a professional bike fit on this bike and I'm pretty sure it's right on. For the first time in my life on a bike, I don't hurt anywhere.....except in this one place. And the problem only started recently and I've been riding this bike with the same fit since last year. It might go away, it's bothered me in the past (not cycling). From what I remember of the xrays and explanation, it's right on the very outside edge so I feel it when I go hiking, for example, if I step on a rock midfoot. It's not too much pressure on the forefoot in general, it's that I supinate and rotate at the ankle toward the outside. I do it when walking as well, but my insole manages to cushion sufficiently. I'm thinking now it's something I can train myself not to do if I really concentrate on how I pedal on that side; like it's a bad habit since I don't roll that much on the other side. Ideally I need something temporary that will make me keep my foot-to-ankle straight instead of caved in.

I'm not sure I know what you mean....

Not to keep hammering on it or anything, but . . .How about clipless and wedges to cant your foot? Very easily done. If you want to keep your feet pointed in a particular direction, then cleats with no float and adjust to suit.

Yeah....last resort. I want to try other options first because I don't want to have to wear specific biking shoes or go to the expense of replacing my pedals. Not to mention falling over, lol. I've also got knee issues so going clipless could be a long process of adjustment. But - if nothing else works, it's not off the table....just at the very end.

Ark=Arc. Sorry.

Lol, no I got that part. I'm guessing you meant pedaling in a circle? It's a bit hard to do if you aren't clipped in, although I do try to do that. the issue is that I still put the weight (however much there is from circling or pumping) on the outer edge. A friend is going to loan me his half toe clips - it might be enough to keep me from lifting the inside of my foot and shifting to the outside.

Nope. It's when the foot is a bit forward and the pedal axle is under foot arc.