Feet burning when rowing

[Kixram]

Hey, I've been rowing now for about 4 months and I've struggled with this issue since the start, however as the distances increase so does the pain :p

Basically, after rowing about a 3-4k distance the outside of my feet (mostly on the left foot) starts to "burn", I'd describe it as a burning/somewhat bruising sensation and as the distances increase, this becomes more severe and more of a distraction - It's rather annoying tbh and I'd really like to resolve this, it gets to the point after a few more thousand in distance that the pain travels to the soles of my feet and at that point it's the hardest part of the row, enduring that pain. When googling this, most people seem to have issues with the heel of the foot but I'm completely fine in that regard.

I have rather wide feet which look kinda freakish to me (see linked imgur) which cause most shoes to not be suitable and have one foot 1/2 size longer than the other, I've tried a couple of shoes and always buy the size that fits the longest foot, generally the length is not an issue though. So far, the best shoes I've found are the Nike Metcon 5's however I'm having the issue with these also and on my last row I just used some generic training shoe and while the pain wasn't as bad I imagine it is due to the extra padding but my row didn't feel as good as I couldn't put as much force through each push when it got absorbed by the padding so I'd like to avoid using them, as far as the difference in pain goes though I didn't get the burning sensation start until 7k into my most recent row, so quite a difference.

So I guess my question is, what would likely help this? Thicker socks? Removing the in-sole? Larger in-sole? Something else? I'm not sure what to try first but after visiting a few shoe shops and not finding a better fit than the Metcon's I'm kinda stumped

Aforementioned photo(s) https://imgur.com/a/liYAjx0

[mict450]

Hope it's as simple as a change in footwear. I'm a retired RN, so my first rule out for your burning feet is peripheral neuropathy. But we always start with worst case & rule out , working down the list to more benign causes. Best to consult your medical provider.

If it is related to your shoes, my personal option is to go barefoot, unless I really, really need to use footwear, which for me, is practically never.

[Ombrax]

I would also guess that it's due to your shoes. Years ago I had "hot foot" problems on the bike with some Specialized cycling shoes and switched to some wider Sidis, which fixed the problem. Never been a problem for me on the erg.

BTW, assuming you don't have any issues with your feet (e.g. problems with your arches) minimalist shoes (like Vibram Five Finger) work very well on the erg. Unfortunately, I don't think they come in Wide. I did a quick search online and there do seem to be some other brands with minimalist models that have wider options. I'd seriously a pair of those. Absolute worst case, you can just row in socks.

Another thing, you really don't need the foot straps and should be able to do the vast majority of your training without them. If you need them for "normal" rowing, then there's a problem with your technique. They're helpful if you're going super hard, but other than that, you should be able to row without them. I never use them. I mention that because if you find yourself having to go without shoes, then not having the strap might be beneficial.

Good Luck

[lindsayh]

I think quite a few OTW rowers spend a lot of time barefoot or in socks
you could try socks only and strapless and see how it feels

[Kixram]

I'd like to keep usings shoes so not looking to do the shoeless option.

Is there any particular shoes you guys would recommend that are wider (see picture)? My last few rows I used a pair of Airwalk Brock which are skater shoes and while they don't burn my feet as much as the Metcon's it's still a factor, plus the design of this shoe isn't ideal for the erg.

[Ombrax]

I tried some Metcon 5's the other day and the upper fore-foot portion was quite tight, even though everything else worked well. In a while I'm going to return them to the Nike store.

I've done some research online and have found that Reebok Nano's aren't as tight, so I think I'm going to try those next.

(see thread below, where I asked about shoe recommendations)

Good Luck

[mict450]

Have you tried New Balance? They're the only brand of sneakers that come in different widths that I know of.

[winniewinser]

I tried some Metcon 5's the other day and the upper fore-foot portion was quite tight, even though everything else worked well. In a while I'm going to return them to the Nike store.

I've done some research online and have found that Reebok Nano's aren't as tight, so I think I'm going to try those next.

(see thread below, where I asked about shoe recommendations)

Good Luck

I am in Reebok Nano 9's and they are wider for I think at the front. Work well for me so far and a very stable base.

[Ombrax]

Follow-up:

I just received my Reebok Nano 9's yesterday and can confirm that the Nano-9 size 11 forefoot is wider than they Nike Metcon 5 size 11 forefoot. So the Nike's have been returned and I'm keeping the Nanos. (Robin Williams would approve.)

Conclusion: The Metcon 5's appear to me to be narrower than "Regular / Medium / D" because I have always worn "Medium" width shoes, and this (i.e. using the Metcons) is the first time that I've had an issue there.

[chrisl]

I'd like to keep usings shoes so not looking to do the shoeless option.

I've tried rowing shoeless but it just hurts my feet. If you're looking for wider shoes take a look at court shoes for playing badminton. These are designed to be a little wider fit and have rounded soles at the edges to facilitate lunges and leaning.

The burning sensation could also feasibly be down to your technique, including foot stretcher placement and position and posture on the seat. Search YouTube for videos on those subjects from Dark Horse Rowing and Training Tall, a couple of channels which have lots of handy info on a range of rowing-related things. I've found that if I use a seat cover it hurts my back doing longer distance pieces, while without one I'm fine, so subtle position changes can have an effect.

[chrisT]

First off, the Nike Onada shoes, whilst nice-looking and technically ok, are a dreadful fit. I was warned of this when buying them, but bottom line, I have a size Eur 45, where I'm normally a 42, and still, they're too narrow. As a net result, I have acres of room in the toe box but am quite constricted width-wise and forget to wear socks...
Conversely, the BAT logic setup works well. I had the luck of meeting the guy that runs the company in a rowing regatta last year, and he gave me a video analysis of power from each foot. As a result, he recommended using this shims supplied as an after-market extra, which has helped.

[Joebasscat]

Xero shoes might be a good option you would like to consider. Maybe not just for rowing. I prefer the HFS, but they have many models for wider feet.

[JaapvanE]

I wear Xero HFS shoes (without socks), which have a tiny sole and a decent fit. They have a wider front, which is typical for barefoot shoes. They are ventilated enough to prevent soaking wet shoes after a row.

[Sakly]

Recently bought some Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 coming from Nano 8 as the Nano 11 was awful compared to them.
Reebok fits wider in the front, but TriBase 4 doing well, too, even if a bit more narrow. Needed to get half a size greater than Nanos.
Not used for a session yet, tomorrow will show...