maryk Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 Not sure where to post this question.... It's been about 15 hours since I came off Dreamer (9 pitches of granite slab if you aren't familiar with it) and my big toes are still numb, tingly and sore. I'm starting to get slightly concerned - mostly b/c I have a 7-day backpacking trip starting Sunday morning. My hands and feet feel burned. This is the first time I've ever felt like this, I should add in case that's not obvious. Will this go away fairly soon - particularly the odd numb/tingly sensition in my toes - or should I be worried, and/or is there anything I can do to help my feet/toes get back to normal?? Great climb tho'! Thx -- maryk Quote
PONCHO&LEFTY Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 Why would you want the feeling back in your toes? Consider yourself lucky. Next time you stub your toe it won't hurt. Quote
maryk Posted August 1, 2003 Author Posted August 1, 2003 Apparently I lost some brain cells too..... I should've said it's been about 27 hrs since I came off the face, not 15, hence my slight concern for my feet...seems like they should feel normal by now, rather than prickly and asleep. original email and question still stands.... -- maryk Quote
chris_w Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 I'd say not to worry about it. I have had toes go numb for a couple of hours after descending a steep trail to a couple of weeks from an alaskan peak. You'll forget it's numb and next thing you know the feeling is back. Now if it is numb and changing color...........that's not so good Quote
JasonG Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 I usually lose the feeling in my big toes for most of the climbing season. It'll start to come back in the winter, slowly . . . Nothing to worry about. Quote
hakioawa Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 Yeah it'll come back. FOr me the worst has 3 days. But it could take longer. AS longs as its just tingley and not toal numbness I think you'll be fine. Congrats on Dreamer BTW. That one has been on my ticklist for a long time. Wany to lead it for me? Quote
Thinker Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 I've had toes go numb or tingly for a few days after a rock climb, and up to a week or more after wearing plastics. So far the feeling has always eventually come back. Quote
lummox Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 big toe feelings are so often ignored. im glad someone cares. Quote
matt_warfield Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 I've had major issues with my big toes for years. Usually it's just the toenails each climbing season but this year a few multi-pitch slab climbs have put my toes in the numb category as well. Currently, I am at least half numb in both big toes from slabbing 2 weeks ago. Hiking and climbing still goes down fine, but it looks to be a while before all the feeling comes back and my toenails would win any "ugly toe" contest! Quote
Thinker Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 matt_warfield said: "ugly toe" contest! I like the sound of that..... here's my contribution Quote
maryk Posted August 1, 2003 Author Posted August 1, 2003 Thanks for the comforting advice....and lovely images. Good to know I'll be "normal" again soon, though many friends and several members of my family might debate that description. Oh, and hakioawa, I wasn't bold enough to lead the climb just yet, though most of it really isn't that tough. Neversummer and jshamster jointly lead, switching on each pitch, and I followed. Thanks again guys - that was loads of fun, especially the post climb, pitch dark, tire changing fiasco! It really should be turned into a TR....Nick, you used to be a writer, right? -- mk Quote
matt_warfield Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 Thinker. Nice work, but I think I can beat your effort. Will see about pictures over the weekend before mine heal too much. BTW, you don't get extra credit for the purple second toe nail. This thread is about BIG TOES only. The main thing is not to let a little toe distess from keeping you of the rock right? Quote
neversummer Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 maryk said: Neversummer and jshamster jointly lead, switching on each pitch, and I followed. Thanks again guys - that was loads of fun, especially the post climb, pitch dark, tire changing fiasco! It really should be turned into a TR....Nick, you used to be a writer, right? -- mk Me Writer, hah, barly passed english... Actually failed, had to take yearbook to make up the credit the next year. Although I didnt fail cause I was stupid, or maybe i was stupid because i didnt ever do any of the work . Jshamster TR'd it a couple hours ago here Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 neversummer! get your helmet before you get crowned and your head goes numb... PM me... and lets go climbing soon and take care of this! Quote
Alpinfox Posted August 1, 2003 Posted August 1, 2003 MaryK, Are your shoes really tight? If so, maybe you should get a more comfortable/looser pair. I doubt it will make that much difference in your climbing ability/agility. A very interesting book that deals with loss of feeling in body parts is "A Leg To Stand On" by Oliver Sacks (he also wrote, "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat"). It's a great read and has a great description of him "climbing" a mountain and breaking his leg. Anyway, congrats on Dreamer and best wishes for a speedy recovery. Quote
neversummer Posted August 2, 2003 Posted August 2, 2003 Fence_Sitter said: neversummer! get your helmet before you get crowned and your head goes numb... PM me... and lets go climbing soon and take care of this! Yeah I gotta get that soon, somtime before i run off to squamish for who knows how long. I ended up taking my freakin snowboard helmet with me, thankfully i didnt have to wear it though... Borrowed maryk's, thank for that by the way, I was quite greatful and actually tightend the straps on my last lead when i got off route and couldnt find the damn bolt 10 feet away (it was rock colored). Quote
maryk Posted August 2, 2003 Author Posted August 2, 2003 AlpineFox -- no, I don't think my shoes are really tight... I mean they are tight, normal tight, but not really tight, not anymore at least. ?? I think I'm just still new to all this. I've only been climbing for about 3 months - though lately, I've been climbing 1-3 times a weeks, so maybe my feet are just lashing out at me. Or maybe I'm just a big whiner! Quote
texplorer Posted August 3, 2003 Posted August 3, 2003 MaryK, You either have a pinched nerve or somehow cut off circulation to your toes for a period. Either way feeling will most likely return. Even in surgerys where nerves are cut they grow back at about an inch per month. Good luck- Quote
catbirdseat Posted August 4, 2003 Posted August 4, 2003 Mary, Welcome to alpine climbing! I'm pretty sure that you will need to get a more comfortable pair of shoes for long alpine climbins such as Dreamer. They can't be two sizes too small the way many sport climbers wear them. You need to be comfortable for several hours. The ones you have are fine for cragging where you can slip them off between climbs, but they are going to kill your feet if you keep wearing them in the mountains. Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted August 27, 2003 Posted August 27, 2003 catbirdseat said: Mary, Welcome to alpine climbing! I'm pretty sure that you will need to get a more comfortable pair of shoes for long alpine climbins such as Dreamer. They can't be two sizes too small the way many sport climbers wear them. You need to be comfortable for several hours. The ones you have are fine for cragging where you can slip them off between climbs, but they are going to kill your feet if you keep wearing them in the mountains. i dunno man... i sometimes wear cobras for alpine... i take off the heel at belays and dont really have a problem... even climbing a dozen or more pitches isn't too bad... i think sizing is important more than anything else... sizing 2 sizes too small is just dumb... doesn't really help anyways... i find that if you have strong feet, you can wear slippers all day in cracks no prob... though rattly fist cracks will always hurt... Quote
cj001f Posted August 27, 2003 Posted August 27, 2003 Alpine_Tom said: my ugly toes submission: Either get the girlfriend to stop putting nail polish on, or clip you toenails shorter. Much less than painful when there's hardly anything there. Quote
lummox Posted August 27, 2003 Posted August 27, 2003 Alpine_Tom said: my ugly toes submission: fucking a bilbo baggins. Quote
maryk Posted August 27, 2003 Author Posted August 27, 2003 Fence_Sitter said: catbirdseat said: Mary, Welcome to alpine climbing! I'm pretty sure that you will need to get a more comfortable pair of shoes for long alpine climbins such as Dreamer. They can't be two sizes too small the way many sport climbers wear them. You need to be comfortable for several hours. The ones you have are fine for cragging where you can slip them off between climbs, but they are going to kill your feet if you keep wearing them in the mountains. i dunno man... i sometimes wear cobras for alpine... i take off the heel at belays and dont really have a problem... even climbing a dozen or more pitches isn't too bad... i think sizing is important more than anything else... sizing 2 sizes too small is just dumb... doesn't really help anyways... i find that if you have strong feet, you can wear slippers all day in cracks no prob... though rattly fist cracks will always hurt... Gees, I thought this thread was long dead. Well, since y'all brought it back up... for the record, my big toes got back to normal about a week or 10 days ago. Everyday they felt a little more normal but the tingly sensation lingered for a while. I quickly paid no attention to it tho' and it didn't keep me from backpacking or climbing or anything else. Regarding the shoes, CBS: my shoes are actually quite comfortable now. I don't think any climbing shoe is going to be comfortable for 10 hours, but what do I know. In any case, I'm broke and don't plan on buying a new pair of shoes anytime soon. Thanks for the concern tho'! ~~ mk Quote
gohawks Posted August 27, 2003 Posted August 27, 2003 Thinker - The fungus on your feet is not from climbing. Take Sporanox to knock out that toe cheese! Quote
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