Thread: Weird toe twinges/cramps

I've been getting the most painful sort of toe twinges...on par with the "crucio" curse from Harry Potter. Usually they will happen when I'm sitting and working on my laptop or reading on the couch with my legs out on the table.

All of the sudden one of my toes (usually the second) will get a shooting pain through it and pull downwards...then the pain shoots way up my leg, all the way into my hip. I can't move the toe back to its normal position, and the pain is excruciating...it usually goes away after a minute or so. It had been happening just in my left foot for about 2 months, but now it's started in the right as well. They seem to happen the day after I've practiced a lot, or taken a class, but other than that mild correlation, they come completely out of the blue, even when my legs and feet are totally relaxed. When it was just the left leg I thought it might have been a side effect of favoring my leg when this re-occurring calf muscle pull that I have happens, but now I'm not so sure. It's really so painful, and I'll have a dull ache in the toe for at least 2 hours afterwards.

Has anyone experienced this? Tips for making it go away? Exercises?

Are you getting enough calcium in combination with Vitamin D? (Calcium alone tends to deposit in odd areas of the body (the heart.))

Yes I used to suffer with cramps like that ever since I was a child at ballet. The toe sort of spasms and sticks straight downwards. It takes a minute or so to go back to normal and then often does it again quite quickly. Students sometimes get it in class too. I'm sure it's cramp.

I used to get a LOT of calf muscle cramps too. I've completely stopped them by increasing the salt in my diet. I know health advice says we shouldn't but I reckon with the amount I exercise and the amount of water I drink I'm probably losing a lot of salt from my body. Also I have my blood pressure checked regularly and it's fine.

If you do suffer from high blood pressure and don't want to add salt in your diet then maybe try eating more bananas. They are meant to be good for cramp too.

Yea I used to get foot cramps. Remember to stay hydrated, it definitely helps.

Hmmmm, I take a multi-vitamin, and I usually drink at least 7-8 water bottles worth of water a day. Maybe I'll try adding in a Gatorade and a banana as well, or some nuts...glad to know I'm not the only one who has gotten these!

Chiropractor :) I get my footsies adjusted all the time

Originally Posted by najla86

Hmmmm, I take a multi-vitamin, and I usually drink at least 7-8 water bottles worth of water a day. Maybe I'll try adding in a Gatorade and a banana as well, or some nuts...glad to know I'm not the only one who has gotten these!

If those are liter bottles, then that is a lot of water, and it is not totally impossible that you may experience mild symptoms [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia]Hyponatremia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] (this is not medical advice, and the condition is very, very rare).

i used to get those sorts of toe cramps all the time! i even went to a podiatrist and she had no idea what i was talking about! she did say the shoes i was wearing were too narrow, and i stopped wearing heels on a daily basis. this helped out tremendously.

I used to get those aweful toe cramps when I was a teen. Occasionally I'll get them even now. I hate it when it happens in the middle of the night and I shoot straight out of bed.
My advice would be to try drinking Coconut Water after dancing or working out and staying hydrated. Coconut Water has more potassium than a banana and has magnesium and calcium but no sugar and has made a difference for me in muscle soreness and fatigue.

If the balls of your feet ever ache, the shooting pains might be the result of nerves being squeezed or trapped by scar tissue in the ball of the foot (essentially, Morton's neuroma, though it doesn't have to be in the classic Morton's location of 2nd and 3rd toes). That's something to see a doctor about--a good idea no matter what the cause, if the pain persists.

Yup, used to get them as well. Not sure what was causing them but I also favored one side when practicing and it eventually lead to a stress fracture in my foot and 3 months in a cast so be careful! Since then I've been taking more care to disperse my weight evenly and stratch my feet before and after dancing. And I haven't had them since.

Sounds like muscle spasms. You are over worked! Get regular massages and try soaking in the tub everynight with epsom salts. If you have access to steam room & cold dip, alternate 3 times each, staying as long as you are comfortable in the steam and being sure to completely cool down the body before returning! You'll feel like brand new!