OldsCOOL

I wanted to post this question to our seasoned riders. Have you ever experienced a bruised toe? The question came up last summer in the "Long Distance" forum but wanted to ask here. About a week ago I had a hot feeling on my second toe, the one next to the big toe and after the ride tonight the toe was bruised around the knuckle and under the toe nail. That toe is longer than the big toe but I surmise it's from "scrunching" the toes with the rock hard soles of these hiking boots I wear.

Not really needing a solution if I can learn to not tense up my toes. Nasty habit.

Anyone else experience this?

Velocivixen

Yes, but it was during 6 months of marathon training a couple years ago. Actually my second toenail & it turned black and fell off. I know, sounds lovely right?

My running shoes were not too big, nor were my socks (too big socks can make your foot slip around, but too tight and the fabric pushes on your toes & nails & can cause problems). I looked up various ways to tie my shoes so my foot wouldn't slide forward as much. It's not just a matter of tying them tighter either.

Anyway, what are your shoes/socks setup? Is it possible that your foot is slightly sliding back & forth in your shoe, so you're compensating by scrunching or grabbing with your toe? My second toe is also longer than my great toe.

jyl

Never experience anything like that, but why do you scrunch your toes?. Are your shoes slippy on the pedals, or your feet slippy in the shoes?

FBinNY 

Your shoes are too small (short) and/or you're sliding forward against the toe box and the longest toe is taking the full brunt.

A different shaped shoe can make a difference, and it might be that your normal shoes are a bit more pointed, vs. a blunt squarish toe box in these. Also, in some cases, tightening he laces forward of the arch can push the foot back, and/or resist the tendency for the foot to slide forward.

BTW- I speak from a lifetime of experience with this issue. With a bit of attention it's manageable, but you need to be careful about shoe fit (both size and shape).

canklecat

Not since I resumed riding last year, but I'm riding plastic platform pedals with lots of give, and mostly wearing hiking shoes with big box toes, or casual shoes.

Years ago when I used minimal metal pedals, toe clips and Detto Pietros, I had a few occasions with sore big toes and balls of my feet. Ultra thin socks solved the problem. I tried to outsmart the system by wearing thicker socks, but they caused pressure points. The Dettos had inflexible soles but with well designed for my narrow feet with high arches, and very soft glove leather uppers. They only needed enough sock to protect the leather from foot sweat rot.

Especially if your feet are outside the norm for American men (is everyone but me a D width with normal arches?), find a proper shoe store with knowledgeable fitters. Best buys I've ever made in footwear were from spending a bit more money at a shoe store where the employees knew what they were doing. They'd recognize little things like an unusually long big toe, relative to the other toes, toenail shapes, high arches, etc. Ten years ago I bought a pair of Montrail hiking shoes from a specialty shop that I'm still wearing -- also my usual cycling shoes - although the soles are nearly worn through. Twenty-five years ago I bought a pair of elk hide Larry Mahon boots that I still love -- Mahons were the only off-the-shelf cowboy boots with narrow sizes, and toe boxes that fit my big toe properly. And when I was 15 I bought a pair of Herman Survivor hiking boots with money I earned washing dishes for a French restaurant. Forty-three years later, I still have that same pair of Hermans, with the original soles, and still wear 'em in winter. All cost more from specialty footwear shops, and all worth the money. I've lost track of the number of ill-fitting shoes I've discarded along the way because I pinched a few bucks and compromised.

qcpmsame 

I think that you have said your are diabetic, Ryp. Is there any chance that this is related to the diabetic neuropathy (sp?) that some folks have to deal with? Otherwise, I think the FBinNY has your problem nailed. I have to wear wide shoes, (11-˝ EEEE,) I have found that Sidi's Mega width lines, and Specialized wide last shoes, are the makes that work for my feet. Otherwise, its pain city in all the toes, and on the ball of my feet.

Bill

Looigi

Only with rock climbing shoes.

OldsCOOL

Yes, I'm type1 but with no foot complications.

I scrunch my toes. A few years back when century training I noticed the habit and would try to relax it. There wasnt any bruising or other problems, just annoying to me. The shoes had a much softer sole (flexible) so there was no bruising.

For snowriding I wear hiking boots, not the Walmart kind. They fit well with the pattern of the pedals and feet do stay put. The boots are well broke in and fit well. The problem seems to be the scrunching. And I thought to have broken that habit. Toes arent jamming in the boot due to fit or toenails needing trimming.

This caught me off guard and wondered if anyone else experiences this.

Hypno Toad

After a long day on the bike (150 miles), I bruised and lost my big toe nail. My best guess, the toe nail was too long and the shoes were too tight. I've used the shoes for years without issues, except that one day in June 2015. The new nail is still not fully grown in. I will work very hard to avoid doing this to myself again! Here's a thread I started last year on the subject (with photos):

https://www.bikeforums.net/long-dista...mile-ride.html

Hypno Toad

After thought: maybe we need some chamois cream on our toes.

OldsCOOL

Yes, that is the thread I referred to in the OP.

Chamois cream? Oh man, cant have that.

I just need to relax my feet. Oh well, in 3 weeks I'm back to road gear.

OldsCOOL

Nervous habit. Fit of shoes and socks is spot on as always.

OldsCOOL

I have the hard/sturdy sole kind. These boots have accompanied me to the Colorado Rockies elk hunting. Not really a warm boot but do very well in mountain bike riding.

trailangel

Shoes too small.
As you get older your feet flatten out, so even though your shoes are not worn out, you need to buy new.
I have had my toenails go black and fall off.

Velocivixen

So what do you want to have happen with this nervous habit?

What is one step you will commit to doing to get that done?


Not sure how far you ride, but I know with my distance running/walking training my (as well as others) feet swell. Prior to my first marathon one important thing I learned was not to remove my shoes during the event if at all possible. Otherwise I may not be able to get my foot back in.

Just st out of curiosity do your feet swell?

Hypno Toad

Good luck! I wish I had better advice for relaxing feet... maybe localized valium for your toes?

OldsCOOL

Maybe I should lay off the Stevie Ray Vaughn on those brutal, short rides.

OldsCOOL

When I first notice the toe scrunching, I stop it.

Just a note, these brutal and intense snowrides are nasty. The mountain bike is 15lbs heavier, clothing is at least 10lbs heavier, tires are at 23psi, I'm wrestling this MTB through snow and ice. Rule #9 is in full effect. I am going to be in better shape than I was last summer except for saddle time. I will give a full report on the benefits when I break out the Cannondale Criterium.

Oh and no, my feet dont swell. If I scrunch toes with my road gear it doesnt matter. When I scrunch toes in my hiking boots, it matters. The toe will recover. I was just curious how common toe bruising is among our veteran riders.

Some of the toe pressure comes from the years of competitive squatting and years of softball play where toes take a royal beating. I've taken off the socks and had blood around toe nail borders.

trailangel

I say your feet swell. You don't realize it.

OldsCOOL

Maybe probably. My not noticing pretty much precludes that not being a major issue in this. Shoot, you should see my quads after a ride like last night. These winter rides are fast-twitch all the way.

Looigi

Those are not rock climbing shoes. Maybe mountaineering or hiking, but not rock climbing.

OldsCOOL

Different purpose. But I did use mine for climbing.

BCRider

Stop riding harder sections or in places where you feel like your life is under threat? You only think you're scrunching your toes. In reality your toes are ducking for cover!

When I get sore toes in hiking boots or my riding shoes it's always because I didn't tighten the laces correctly and that lets my feet jam into the toe box of the shoes. This doesn't mean I need to snug them like a lady's corset though. Just that the laces down over the instep need a slight bit more snugness so the fit keeps my heel back where it's supposed to be and my toes out of the jamming.

Even if your toes are not jamming into the front of the box if the laces are similarly a hair loose and your foot is able to move around you probably react with your foot tension and toe scrunching to try to compensate. Again an even and correct tightening of the laces starting from low over the instep and working up the whole length of the lacing will hold your foot back against the heel pocket and give you a more stable fit that allows you to relax more. And when done evenly a little does a lot. And a little more feels like your feet are in straight jackets. So work at finding the sweet spot. It's there somewhere.

zonatandem

Pair of my favorite cycling shoes gave me that issue on a long ride years ago.
To relieve the pressure on the ride, took out my pocket knife and sliced into the upper part of the shoe . . . problem solved!

canklecat

Toe scrunching may indicate your boots don't fit quite right. I do that involuntarily to compensate for a wrong fit, which tends to produce cramps in my arches.

A couple of tricks that have worked for me for years:

• Good inserts. There are a gazillion types of inserts, but I've had good luck with readily available Dr. Scholls, especially the gel type with mild ridges just below the base of the toes.
• Different lacing patterns. This made more difference than almost anything else. My lacing pattern looks crazy, but it works perfectly for my long, narrow feet that resemble ice skates. It locks the laces only near the toes and ankles where it doesn't cause uncomfortable pressure on the metatarsal area (no cross lacing over that area on my hiking shoes).

The "high arches" pattern in this image is pretty close to my low top hiking shoes lacing pattern. I use a different pattern for my ankle-high Herman Survivors.

When my feet feel secure but not uncomfortably tight, I don't involuntarily scrunch my toes with consequent arch cramping.