Numb big toes

[JoshK]

After a particularly feet-screwing journey does anybody else get numb big toes? The outsides of mine are numb, I would assume from constant pounding on the boots? Am I dying or is this normal?

[Collin]

My left big toe is numb on the outside and it has been like that for at least 6 months. Dr. Joe say it's possible nerve damage from climbing in general or maybe that my climbing shoes are too tight. The inside of my left pinkey is also numb all the time from climbing I suspect. It doesn't bother me now but I could have some long term damage.

[Stephen_Ramsey]

Take heart. I had numb big toes, from a 32-mile walk in brand-new boots (a half-size too small). It took 8-10 months to regain full feeling. Nerves take FOREVER to heal.

[scot'teryx]

Our recent trip up the steep and paved cascade river road left both of my big toes numb, and they have not regained feeling for the past week now. I also remembering losing feeling in the left part of my foot last year, but it is all good now. It is nerve damage that causes such a thing I have heard. Give it time and the feeling will come back, only if you rest though.....

No rest for the wicked though, right?

[gslater]

I've got one numb big toe today from this weekend's trip to Rainier. I think it's due to the single day stretch from Ingraham Flats to the summit and then back to Paradise. That seems to be just about enough distance to cause it to happen for me. Shorter trips seem to cause no problem whatsoever. I had the same thing happen last year on a much shorter Hood climb, and the numbness lasted for a couple of months. I'm hoping it won't last that long this time. Haven't found anything to heal it faster...

[cj001f]

I had the problem last year with a new pair of Lasers and several miles descending on the road. Took several months to clear up, but once the foam packed out they worked fine.

[jbhalladay]

Both my big toes are numb on the outside tip after a long, cold, snowy day on Crestone Needle in Colorado in my climbing shoes well over a year ago. Turned out to be some frostnip that lead to permanent (as far as I can tell) nerve damage. All in the name of fun I guess.

[alpinespider]

After a 24 hour 52 mile hike up in the Pasaytan Wilderness my toes and the balls of my feet were numb for almost a year following that pounding.

[To_The_Top]

Ditto for me, after a fast climb on Rainier in tight boots, I had numbness for months and some minor toe damage (time would heal).

Pretty normal from what I hear from Mt Rescue friends.

TTT

[swaterfall]

I got my right big toe too cold this winter and now I can't fit into my tight rock shoes for more than 15 minutes without serious pain. It sucks.

[pete_a]

When I used to spend my summers fighting forest fires (and was on my feet 12 hours a day 7 days a week sometimes for weeks on end) all my toes went numb and stayed that way for a good several months after the fire season was over. No long term problems with numbness of sensitivity to cold.

Guess its a rather common affliction going by the number of posts.

[AlpineK]

My toes have gone numb for long periods of time at least 3 or 4 times. It's no big deal; well it might be when you're in your 60s but forget about it till then.

[Bug]

It's when you go blind that you have to worry.

[chelle]

My toes and parts of my feet go numb every year from nerve compression. The toes are mostly due to my rock shoes and the tops of my feet are sometimes numb to various degrees from boots (ski or climbing). The worst part of the healing comes when the nerves are close to being back to normal and I get random shooting pains through the ends of my big toes. Ouch!!!

 

One thing to remember if your feet are numb is to take care of them because if you can't feel them you might get a bad blister or an infection that you don't know is bad until it is too late.