Numb feet during a long paddle? Normal or not

[thegreatfnr]

As the title states my feet tend to get numb and I get a tingling sensation in my toes during extended flat water paddling. I feel like it has to do with the constant shifting of weight back and forth but I am not sure. Once I notice it, I try to move my feet around on the board and not stay in the same position and it tends to go away.

Anyways does this happen to anyone else? Got any ideas on how to keep it from happening or is this all just part of the game?

[bean]

Yes, I get it when distance paddling and I used to get it when SUP surfing.  So as with the surfing side, I am expecting the numbness to subside once I am comfortable enough on my board to relax my feet a bit.   I am concerned that the deck pad seams on my distance board may be contirbuting to my numbness beacuse both my feet straddle the seams but I'm going to give it a few weeks.

Nice to hear that others are experiencing the same pain

[luciesdaddy]

I get this too, esp during races, and try to shift my feet around, but haven't had much success in avoiding or reducing the numbness.

[Kevin]

I haven't done much distance paddling, but when I have my feet feel strange and I start to feel like I'm standing on a piece of cord, like there is a small piece of rope under my L foot.  I wonder if those vibram KOS five toe shoes would help.

[lee19]

I have started wearing tevas or similar for flat water paddling and the arch support definitely is more comfortable.  I wasn't getting numbness per se but feet did hurt.

[WaterDog]

What kind of pad do you have on your boards?  Sounds like that might be one factor.  I've gotten it a few times when I paddle for a while - fatigue might be another.

[Dwight (DW)]

I've had it on some race boards. I sanded the deck pad down a little to reduce the aggressive pattern. It solved the problem. I use a smoother surface deck pad on my race boards now.

It only ever happened on my race boards, not surfing SUPs. I'm sure its because our feet don't move as much on race boards.

The bad pads for race boards are from C4 and Jimmy Lewis. Great for surfing, too aggressive for racing.

[thegreatfnr]

Thanks everyone for the replys. It seems like this is a fairly common thing.

I have been doing most of my flatwater on a Surftech Universal which came with a pad installed. I have ridden some of my friends boards though and my deck pad seems thicker with more cushion then theirs. I dont know which way would be better but one would think the softer the ride the easier on the feet it would be.

I haven't done much distance paddling, but when I have my feet feel strange and I start to feel like I'm standing on a piece of cord, like there is a small piece of rope under my L foot.  I wonder if those vibram KOS five toe shoes would help.

This sounds more like a foot cramp to me. I get that in my feet as well from time to time but the numbness/tingling is a different sensation. The numbness doesnt usually kick in till I am 4 or 5 miles into a paddle.

I had thought about wearing some kind of shoe aswell. I have a pair of KSO Treks but they are more of a trail shoe, they make a water shoe version that I was looking at but I really dont know how much they would help.

[sbsup11]

Thanks everyone for the replys. It seems like this is a fairly common thing.

I have been doing most of my flatwater on a Surftech Universal which came with a pad installed. I have ridden some of my friends boards though and my deck pad seems thicker with more cushion then theirs. I dont know which way would be better but one would think the softer the ride the easier on the feet it would be.

I haven't done much distance paddling, but when I have my feet feel strange and I start to feel like I'm standing on a piece of cord, like there is a small piece of rope under my L foot.  I wonder if those vibram KOS five toe shoes would help.

This sounds more like a foot cramp to me. I get that in my feet as well from time to time but the numbness/tingling is a different sensation. The numbness doesnt usually kick in till I am 4 or 5 miles into a paddle.

I had thought about wearing some kind of shoe aswell. I have a pair of KSO Treks but they are more of a trail shoe, they make a water shoe version that I was looking at but I really dont know how much they would help.

I've certainly noticed some tightness in my feet after a long paddle, and I believe it has to do with the range of strenuous motion my feet endure while paddling. Left, right, forward, back, roll a little side to side...

What I've heard is the range of "workout" your feet get while paddling is one reason fitness professionals and multisport athletes (triathles/decathletes) LOVE to SUP! In how many other activities do you get every single little muscle and sinew firing on your entire foot, consistently, for an extended period? Even with running/biking/swimming, apparently the foot workout isn't as comprehensive. All the more reason to get out and SUP it up!

Don't know if shoes would help... don't really see the highly technical and winningest guys/gals like Jim Terrell, Candice Appleby, Anthony Vela or even the young guns like Slater Trout, Matt Becker wearing em.

[AJR]

Pretty common - used to get it when I surfed but not so much anymore.  Might have been the pad since I don't have that board anymore and I figured it was just water time that allowed my feed to get used to it (the SUP version of "biker butt").  Moving around on the board helps (slight shifts with your feet, rocking side to side, etc.) - just enough to get the blood flowing down there I guess...

[stoneaxe]

Don't get it at all in the surf. Happens all the time doing distance. The Vibrams help some...maybe something with even more support would work even better. Just moving your feet does the trick though even if all you do is shift around a bit and scrunch your toes and flex the arch

[XERO]

I just noticed this last week. Only was out for about half an hour, but my left foot, more a couple of my toes started to go numb. Never happened before. Tried wiggling it on the board but didn't really help. Took a break and it went away. I though it had to do with my bad back or something.

[beaglebuddy]

Lack of arch support is the cause, in my experience.

[bean]

I just got back from  my morning paddle and the pain is definitely lessening.  At about 3 miles both feet began to get "hot" but I found that individually rolling each foot back on to the heel relieved the numbness considerably.  So in my case I think it is a matter of conditioning. 

[hbsteve]

I was thinking of posting a pic of Huntington Beach beach, stating pic of my gym.  Now that it is warmer, several days a week, I walk in the sand.  After my normal paddle today, my feet hardly bothered me. Could it be that walking in the sand has helped?