Cycling UK Forum

Cleats and foot pain are probably a pretty popular topic but having read a lot online, I'm looking to get some advice from anyone who's had a similar issue...

After only a small amount of riding (under an hour) I get pain in the outer edge of just my right foot, on the fifth metatarsal. It's come and gone depending on my bike and shoe combination and is bearable for a time, but it's gotten worse recently and I want to start riding longer distances.

I've tried moving my cleat position further back to no avail, and I've tried angling my cleat a little so my foot is pointing further outwards in case it's my cleats are pulling my toe in (I don't know if toe angle can cause that kind of pain). At the moment I have Giro Cylinder II MTB shoes, previously I had Five Ten Trailcross but I think they were half a size too small and too tight. Same issue on both shoes.

Ultimately my right foot IS a little wider than my left - the outer edge sticks out a fair bit further than my little toe and when buying non-cycling shoes I struggle with shoes that are too slim, where to fit my width in a slim shoe, I'd have to go a size up on my usual fit which often leaves them too long.

Anyway, I'm wondering if I just need wider-fitting cycling shoes? Or if anyone else has a similar issue (happy to share a pic of my foot if it helps haha), can anyone recommend good wider fitting shoe brands?

I really don't want to cough up hundreds to have a full bike fitting done - although admittedly that's what I'm doing continually buying new shoes!

Thanks for the help.

Yes, photos please: your foot in your shoe attached to the pedal, and your bare foot with one finger pointing at where the pain is worst.

Upright or recumbent?

Any reddening? How long does the pain last after you stop cycling?

And how about wearing the shoes for a few hours off the bike and seeing if that causes any pain?

Jonathan

I've started to get some mild pain on the outer edge of my left foot recently. The history is a bit different though. I'm slowly recovering from a calf injury and the latest physio I saw reckons that I over-pronate on that side. He recommended that I wear insoles, even on the bike. I think my foot is still getting used to not being able to pronate as much, so it gets irritated on the other side. Anyway, the bottom line is that gait issues can affect this sort of thing so it may be worth getting it checked out and using different insoles as appropriate.

Pain from the fifth metatarsal can come from tendon strain, as the tendons comes down the outside of the lower leg, and tucks into a groove behind the ankle bone, with a flap of tendon/skin over them, like a strap, to hold them in place. They then carry on and one goes to the fifth metatarsal. Is your 'small side bone' on your foot, larger than the other foot? Feels like you have a small stone in your sock just there? The tendon can pull away/partially pull away from where it joins the foot, and needs surgery sometimes, ditto the little flap behind the ankle, if that tears, the tendon can 'pop' out of the groove.

I'm no doctor, but did some googling after my wife fell on me on 3rd Dec, after tripping over her bike, causing my ankle to 'pop' twice, and I'm just starting to walk without a hobble. What's this got to do with the OP? well nowt really, other than if you have tendon strain it will pull under the foot. Might I suggest a retro approach? Get yourself some cheap flat touring pedals with plastic cages and toe straps, (I bought a new pair for about £12 a while back, and after putting some grease in the bearings they are fine) to support the whole foot bed, as with cleats, there could be a tendency to naturally turn your foot out as you rotate.

With a 'lateral' tendon strain , the ankle has difficulty in withstanding outward overturning, and if your whole foot isn't supported, the ankle may be trying to resist overturning outwards.