Numb feet, help!

mentalpulse

Barefooters
Aug 2, 2014
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My feet go numb when I run. Usually around the 2-3 km mark, though I have run a 5k twice without it happening. I stop to shift the weight onto one foot until the feeling comes back in the other foot (10-15 seconds) and then switch to the other foot, and continue running once they both come back. Usually the right goes numb first, and the left a minute or two later. From then they go numb again every 800m roughly. It seems to be happening sooner on uphill runs. It doesn't happen at all when I run downhill. I'm pretty sure it's related to my calves getting tighter as I run. Foam rolling and stretching regularly seem to help, but I was wondering if anyone else has any other suggestions. Unless I do both of those several times a week, I don't notice any improvement, and I've been running for months like this.
I talked to my doctor who was the one to suggest foam rolling, and he recommended a more supportive running shoe. So I switched from vibrams to nike free 5.0s, but I've noticed no real improvements other than a bit more sole protection. My training schedule for running is steep hill climbs on tuesday(they're short, so no numbness), 5x100m sprints on thursday (in vibrams on grass, no numbness), long run on saturday(trail running or mixed, lots of numbness).
Any suggestions at all would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
 
You are likely looking at a problem with your core, rather than the calves. If your core is torqued or distorted, it would explain why the problem gets worse on hills, since a torqued core will load the legs, tighten the calves, create tightness in the piraformis because of gluteal tightness and result in numbness in the feet, as you also pound the ground and create other problems.

I would suggest seeing a good chiropractor who can likely confirm this since I have seen it many times before. The feet are merely a symptom
 
May I add (normally, we ask members to not respond to questions but let the docs handle it)? Please don't pound the ground barefoot or shod. If you are running barefoot, you are more likely to be running gently...if you run in shoes, you are more likely to be pounding away. Perhaps your minshoes are fooling you into thinking you are barefoot...whereas your feet know better.
 
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I am pretty light on my feet. I don't think pounding the ground is my issue since I take greater strides and pound the ground much harder on the downhill and it doesn't bother me.
 
My feet go numb when I run. Usually around the 2-3 km mark, though I have run a 5k twice without it happening. I stop to shift the weight onto one foot until the feeling comes back in the other foot (10-15 seconds) and then switch to the other foot, and continue running once they both come back. Usually the right goes numb first, and the left a minute or two later. From then they go numb again every 800m roughly. It seems to be happening sooner on uphill runs. It doesn't happen at all when I run downhill. I'm pretty sure it's related to my calves getting tighter as I run. Foam rolling and stretching regularly seem to help, but I was wondering if anyone else has any other suggestions. Unless I do both of those several times a week, I don't notice any improvement, and I've been running for months like this.
I talked to my doctor who was the one to suggest foam rolling, and he recommended a more supportive running shoe. So I switched from vibrams to nike free 5.0s, but I've noticed no real improvements other than a bit more sole protection. My training schedule for running is steep hill climbs on tuesday(they're short, so no numbness), 5x100m sprints on thursday (in vibrams on grass, no numbness), long run on saturday(trail running or mixed, lots of numbness).
Any suggestions at all would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Are you running/walking any true barefoot?
 
You have lots of variables going on..so its not so obvious what going on. Could be as simple your running a bit too much forefoot on your landing since the downhill running is ok. 2-3km into the run is pretty short barely warmed up to be causing trouble.

There is a chance you are pounding your feet too much with shoes but are not perceiving that but no telling that for sure till you resolve this. It could be your calves tightening up like you suspect but that would be because your just doing too much and aren't use to it. I think i would try to eliminate the variables as much as possible for awhile and just run some flat no hill basic running to see what you can eliminate as the cause.
 

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