I’ve read a bunch of articles and posts on how to deal with hot spots and numb feet when biking long miles (esp in hot weather). There are numerous comments about ‘metatarsal buttons’ and that you can buy them at local drug stores etc. (Also that Specialized has shoes that include them). But my question is… what are these ‘buttons’. I did a google search and the only results were all the articles talking about them. I looked at Spenco foot products and they have metatarsal cushions and foot pads etc. Are they the same thing? Doesn’t sound/look like it. These ‘buttons’ supposedly shape/bump around each of your metatarsal bones under the ball of your foot.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
I have heard about this and I read an article about this. The simplest remedy is to lift your feet off the bottom of the shoe, this gives the nerves to settle down and restore bloodflow to the bottom of the foot. I mentioned this to a person who had the same problem and it seemed to work. Give that a try and see if it helps.
A true metatarsal pad or “button” is a roughly heart shaped raised area/dome that sits just behind the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal heads. It is not simply a cushion under the metatatarsal heads. The foot actually has 3 arches: medial longitudinal that we all know, lateral, and transverse under the met heads. With constant downward pedal pressure, many often get the “hot spots” usually between the 2nd and/or 3rd met heads where the common digital nerve is easily compressed.
Do you know where I can find these buttons? I’ve gone to Longs, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Target etc. The only thing that’s available are the metatarsal cushions.
Thanks
You can make them. Just get some 1/4" adhesive felt and cut a 2 inch heart shaped piece and stick it on. Point back, other part centered just behind the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal. PM and I’ll send you a few if you want.
Rod, I don’t have a foot diagram to say which one it was, but on my right foot, above the bone that sticks out on the outside of the middle of the foot, I had a really bad hotspot that forced to DNF my half-IM. Would these buttons you are referring help? Or is it a shoe size and/or cleat position issue do you hink?
No, that is a different issue and more likely shoe related (I’m guess the navicular tuberosity here if the side or base of the 1st met-cuneiform if on top). Metatarsal button/pad would not help there (in fact, may make it worse if it makes the shoe too tight)
I have had this problem for several years - only in one foot. I have worn prescription orthotics for neuromas for years. I had two neuromas surgically removed after a terrible ride in the Great Floridian two years ago - which led to significant improvment. Even afterwords, though, I still have the hot spots in the same foot during long rides on hot (90+) days. When it happens now, it is after three or four hours. I stop at a convenience store and buy a cold bottle of water. I take off my shoe and put the bottom of my foot on the bottle - 30 seconds or so does the trick - for an hour or so. I then drink some of the water, cool off my sports drinks a bit, and pour the rest of the bottle over my helmeted head. The most I’ve had to do this is twice on 110 mile rides. If I were racing a hot weather IM (IMFl this year, so it shouldn’t be a problem), I would carry a few chemical ice packs, since I probably couldn’t find cold water when I needed it.
FWIW - Are you sure it’s not you current shoes causing the problem? I experienced something similiar and it turned out the shoes I was wearing had developed a slight flex in the sole, localizing the load on the pedal to a specific area on my foot. New shoes solved that right away.
Martin