Problems with shoes or pedals: This helps against foot pain - No more foot pain when riding a road bike

Feet are just as important when cycling as they are when running. This is because they are the most crucial of the three contact points between the rider and the road bike - this connection generates propulsion. The problem is that the foot is not made for cycling.

Arch of the foot: training stability

Instead, the foot is designed for walking and running and, with its 26 bones and robust connective tissue on the sole, can "adapt ideally to the unevenness of the ground", says Dr Christian Merkl, orthopaedist and TOUR expert. The flexible arch of the foot absorbs the impact when walking and acts like a spring for acceleration when the foot pushes off the ground. "And this property, which is desirable when running, is a problem when cycling," says Dr Merkl. "The foot is firmly attached to the pedal and doesn't have to cushion the impact, but has to withstand constant pressure." The arch of the foot cannot work as usual, it collapses in the cycling shoe, the feet rub against the sole and start to burn. Regularly stretching the calf muscles and strengthening the front shin muscles can help. These are responsible for keeping the arch of the foot stable. With well-stretched and strengthened muscles, the ankle works better and the step becomes more efficient.

Room for manoeuvre in the shoe and pedal adjustment

It is also important to give your feet more freedom of movement: Some pedals, for example from Speedplay, offer more room to vary the foot position than other models. There should also be a little more room in the shoe. Of course, road bike shoes have to fit tightly enough so that you can optimise the power you apply to the pedals. "But they shouldn't be so tight that your toes are squashed," says Merkl. You should therefore wear thin socks so that the space in the cycling shoe is not even more restricted.
Numb, sleepy feet are also often the result of cycling shoes that are too tight. It is definitely worth trying a different model: a slightly wider cut, with a less rigid sole. Because as useful as ultra-light, narrow professional shoes with stiff carbon soles are for maximising power transfer, they are of no use if blood can no longer reach your feet and you can no longer ride because of the pain.
However, Sebastian Maag from Specialized knows that this insight has not yet reached all cyclists - he trains bike dealers according to the "Body Geometry" concept developed by the American physician Dr Andrew Pruitt. The idea: the bike should be adapted to the person and not the other way round. The foot plays a central role in this. "The topic of 'comfort on the foot' has negative connotations for many riders," explains Maag. "They can't reconcile comfort with high efficiency and good power transmission and would rather be in pain than supposedly slow down."

Correctly adjusted?
Some pain can also be avoided by ensuring that the sitting position and cleats are correctly adjusted. If this is not the case, the incorrect load caused by pedalling movements can cause chronic pain, which can travel from the foot to the knee to the back. The ball of the foot, the main point of contact with the pedal, is usually under the most strain. "The ball of the foot must therefore be positioned exactly above the pedal axle," says Dr Merkl. If the cleats are correctly adjusted, the pedal-knee-hip joint axis (viewed from the front or back) should form a line - i.e. none of the three points should deviate inwards or outwards.
It becomes particularly problematic when orthopaedic misalignments are added to the unsuitable load on the foot in the road cycling shoe. A crooked hip, legs of different lengths, varus or valgus position of the legs (i.e. bow legs or knock-knees) often increase problems and pain. "With these misalignments, the pressure in the cycling shoe is unevenly distributed - which can be painful," says Merkl. "Hollow feet have to withstand the same pressure on up to 50 per cent less surface area - which inevitably leads to overloading."

Insoles help
If you've tried a lot of things and still have pain, special shoe insoles can help. Four manufacturers have tried their hand at this new market so far. They are pursuing different concepts: While Specialized and SQ-lab offer prefabricated insoles for three different foot categories, Conform'able's insoles can be customised afterwards. GebioMized has the most individual, but most expensive solution: the Münster-based manufacturer produces customised insoles for which it measures the pressure on the feet while riding on the roller. The advantage of the prefabricated soles is the lower price. However, the more expensive soles fit better, and riders with serious foot problems should be able to cope better with them.
All manufacturers agree on what the soles should achieve: more comfort. Dr Merkl also supports this: "Road bike shoes are so minimalist in design that special insoles make perfect sense." Better power transmission and the associated increase in performance are probably marginal - there are no studies on this. However, if insoles help cyclists with foot complaints to ride their road bike for longer without discomfort, the investment is certainly worthwhile.