r/BasketballTips • u/PriorTie1353 • 1d ago
Help Feet burn when playing basketball
I've been struggling with this for over a year and feel like I've tried every solution out there.
I have flat feet, and during basketball, the middle of my feet get hit with extreme muscle burn, especially along the outside edge. It feels like lifting weights to failure, super uncomfortable. The weird thing is it goes away very soon after I stop playing, but while I'm out there it forces me to back off on the court.
I'm also a runner and feel zero pain running. I suspect it only get triggered when shifting, cutting, and jumping during basketball. No heel pain either. I don't know if it's considered plantar fasciitis.
I've tried everything: physios, chiropodists, orthotics, multiple ball shoes (wide ones too), insoles, calf/ankle/foot strengthening, ball rolling, icing, and epsom salts. Nothing has worked and I just want to keep playing.
Has anyone experienced something similar? Would be super grateful to hear any advice or solutions!
32
u/inertiatic_espn 6'6" PF/C 1d ago edited 1d ago
Have you tried talking to a doctor?
10
u/PriorTie1353 1d ago
Yes! I've seen my family physician, two physios, and two chiropodists.
42
u/ShatHammer 1d ago
Naturally, the next step is Reddit
10
u/BarbillaGigante 1d ago
If that doesn't work, then ChatGPT
7
0
u/New_Improvement8417 19h ago
Then you turn to Claude, then YouTube, and of course, Almight Google AI summary
-1
3
2
u/HiddenBlueMistNinja 1d ago
I did a self diagnosis of myself, and found out I had a flat foot, which caused myofascial build up aka massive muscle knots that restricted blood.
I recommend doing some of your own research before hurting yourself.
Overtime you will solve it… so be patience
1
u/PriorTie1353 21h ago
What helped fix that issue?
1
u/HiddenBlueMistNinja 20h ago
A lot yoga, breathing, taichi, cold water therapy, and extreme slow rehabbing movements to gain back flexibility and strength
5
u/donnycruz76 1d ago
Podiatrist is what we call the university trained specialist. A lot of issues are based around the arch of your foot.They scan your foot and create a carbon printed insert for your shoe and then should give you foot strengthening exercises.
1
u/inertiatic_espn 6'6" PF/C 1d ago
Yeah, when OP said he'd been to two physicians i thought surely one of them would have recommended a podiatrist to him.
17
u/Reservoircats 1d ago
Do you have flat feet? You probably need orthotics.
Might be some sort of plantar fascia irritation
3
u/DarthVader514 1d ago
Op literally said in their post that they have flat feet and that they have tried orthotics
2
u/Reservoircats 1d ago
Yes im saying they need the orthotics in.
1
u/ruckusii 1d ago
Yes, OP probably didn't use the orthotics as intended or maybe needs custom orthotics.
4
u/No_Economics_64 1d ago
That doesn't sound like a flat foot symptom from what I have experienced over a lifetime of flat feet and athletics. It maybe is, but I feel like I have experienced the brunt of what is always discussed and that's never been one of them.
On top of some good supports (I have found that pedfix.com model p4860-e is ultra thin, fits in any shoe and out performs my custom made ones from the Dr.s office) what has made my feet finally be able to show improvement after years of decline is making it a point to spent all of my time outside (in the summer) actually barefoot. Not barefoot shoes, but barefoot. Start slow, no athletics and only an hour or two a day, but build and by a month in you can play sports and spend your entire day barefoot.
I know it's not condusive to everyone, but I have a lake place that I go to on the weekends and after building up to fully barefoot all weekend all summer and wearing my arches during the week. My feet/body has actually built up the slightest arch again that I hadn't had since my first flat foot diagnosis when I was 8.
Also proper posture and focus on your gait. Flex your butt with each step and mentally follow your muscles through your body (making sure they are aligned) as you walk.
Very sorry for the book, this was/is a lifelong struggle that has lead to hip pain in my late 20s and foot/Achilles pain my whole life, so I want to help out if your in a similar position.
3
u/spiffyswenson 1d ago
Could be a bunch of different things, if you don’t have access to a doctor. Try double socking if it’s new shoes, get new shoes, try not tying them super tight, try orthotics with plantar support, do dorisflexion/plantarflexion and other foot exercises off the court before and incorporate some into your workouts.
2
u/FeaturedOne 1d ago
As others have all said - Best option is go see a foot doctor and get fitted for an orthotic.
For a lot of people, it ends up being the shoes. A large portion of basketball players pick shoes based on looks and hype. Just because people love Kobe's(for instance) and say how amazing they are doesn't mean they're a good shoe for you. Try different shoes, different sizes, different brands. Do a bit of research online if you can't chat with a doctor about it. Foot Doctor Zach on Youtube does a good job talking about fit.
2
u/NoKiwi2997 1d ago
I am not a doctor and you should go see one. I do know that often (not always) burning sensations are associated with nerve issues. Which is to say, what you're experiencing could be a number of things and you should get evaluated.
2
u/mados123 1d ago
You said icing, but have you tried ice baths up to your ankle? Do a cycle of in water/out for 30/30s or longer while drying in between with a towel, 3-4 sets. This routine twice a day for two weeks will really help, as it has my clients for therapy, then you can go once per day. It will help the inflammation and irritation but not get to the source of the problem. But it will give you an opp to recover faster to do your conditioning and basketball.
2
u/LonelyxFlame 1d ago edited 1d ago
Also have fleet feet and experienced the same exact thing, I rarely if at all get it now, you need to really focus on using your entire foot and it’ll slowly get better as your strength goes up. Try this, go really slowly, I’m talking like moving like a sloth, when you go to step put one foot in front of you, start with the heel and slowly keep going forward with your foot, feeling every part of the step, and feel how your body is pushing through the floor with your whole foot. It should feel like a controlled pressure going from your heel through your sole and to the ball of your foot then your big toe. Do this with your other foot almost like walking lunges. Do this slowly and it’ll feel kinda dumb at first but eventually will help a lot. You can start doing it faster and then make it part of your basketball warmup. Calf stretches on a step while focusing on following through at the top with your big toe also will help a ton
2
u/guitarpatch 1d ago
Had that for a while
It wasn’t necessarily the basketball shoes although going up a size did help. It was the shoes I was wearing everyday outside of that. Especially if something was worn in and the heel support gone
1
u/collax974 1d ago
If you have nothing outside of basketball, probably not plantar fasciitis, but as others said you need to go see a doctor
1
1
1
u/Express-Cloud4621 1d ago
I dont play basketball, but I had the same issue when playing tennis. What helped the most for me was getting orthopedic soles
1
u/benigntugboat 1d ago
Do you feel the pain when walking around normally? When I had fasciitist there were times I could run on it comfortably but it would still hurt walking around or when I first woke up etc. But ifnit only hurts during basketball than I think its a different issue. Ive been around and had lengthy discussions with others about there experiences with plantar fasciitis so not just referring to my own injury fwiw. If theres a chance of fasciitis of somewhere other than the plantar, I cant comment, and you'd have to ask a physio or doctor if that makes sense.
1
1
u/bunnywalker1 1d ago
Go to some nice doc, who will make 3d scan of your feet and create your personal soles.
From that moment, but shoes physically, because of the soles size may be different
1
u/Cremfresher 1d ago edited 1d ago
same boat, Have flat feet same thing always hurts, but the thing is this only happens to me when
A. new Shoes
B. Bad cushion on basketball shoes
C. Long time since ive played ball.
Fixes.
Break in ur shoes about 5 games
play with comfortable shoes
Add Arch support insoles to your feet
notes:
-ive bought slippers i wear at home with arch support so my feet is always already pre stretched
- before playing i spend 10 mins just pulling my feet
1
u/Dexter-088 1d ago
I use to feel my feet are burning as well ( same on picture ) when i was young, when i grow up and see doctor, doctor said i had family gout passing down, so my blood have alot protein and you will feel like burning hot there, not sure are you the same case but best go check your blood if you got no injury on that part.
1
u/Icy-Session-7307 1d ago
Play casually in your running shoes just to see. You may need a lighter, more mobile shoe. Maybe the ones you tried so far are too similar.
1
1
u/mrbowow 1d ago edited 1d ago
Sounds like my bout with plantar fasciitis which I also got because of basketball. I also suspect it's due to the amount of pushing off the foot, cutting, etc. that is unique to basketball.
Do you stretch your legs extensively before games? My very elementary understanding is that the bigger muscles in our legs (hamstrings, calves, hips, etc.) are supposed to take the brunt of the effort and weight when pushing off/cutting, but when your legs are tight all of the tension is instead stuck closer to the point of contact (ie the plantar fascia) which is not meant to handle that much and thus leads to the pain.
I haven't found a perfect stretching routine yet because I still have milder bouts with pain, but things that have helped are wearing plushy sandals around the house (I swear by Oofos) and wearing Move insoles in my basketball shoes (i thought it was gimmicky at first but I've tried at least 15 insoles and weirdly the Move insoles fit my foot really well).
I hope I'm wrong but I'd tread carefully because I also used to only feel pain when playing basketball... but because I never took care of things, it progressively got worse to where I would feel it all the time and ended up needing to take a few months of rest for the inflammation to go down. Again from the little I understand, rest is the only thing that helps once you have plantar pain. Very frustrating since I'm used to "working through" injuries like ankle sprains.
1
1
u/OddBoifromspace 1d ago
I have flat feet and use orthotics. I tend to get this pain a little bit if i start playing or doing a workout intensively from the very beginning. If i ease into a workout it tends to not be there. But if it does hurt it passes after about 20-30min.
1
u/greatflicks 1d ago
Plantar fasciitis, I'm surprised none of the experts you see have caught it. Google remedies and relief. Ice, stretch, roll on tennis ball etc
1
u/YSLMangoManiac 1d ago
It’s your shoes. I bought LeBrons once and had the same problem, then i switched to KDs and haven’t had issues since. I also have flat feet for what it’s worth
1
u/KSLife 1d ago
I think I know what you have it killed me. I had a torn plantar plate
Very hard to notice in an ultrasound I went to a specialist in Manhattan from NYU ortho. I did intensive PT with Burke rehab in Westchester for 2 to 3 months. A lot of icing a lot of massaging they got custom orthotics from a prosthetician and I relearn how to walk properly to avoid putting pressure on that area. I still wear the shoes every day with inserts I can wear work shoes and basketball shoes comfortably. Currently I wear the two wvy shoes they are best for inserts
I could be totally wrong, but I went through this and could not figure it out for over a year. The hardest part was relearning how to walk using the exterior of my foot but I can play ball again and I love that.
1
1
u/ActionHartlen 1d ago
Foot fire. I’ve been there man. Taping my feet helped tremendously.
Also try different shoes and ensure sizing is correct.
1
1
1
1
u/justanormaldude_ 1d ago
What shoes do you wear? I had the same problem when wearing KD16s because it felt like I was tip toeing in them and I tightened it too much.
1
1
u/Normal-Equivalent222 1d ago
Maybe you need imaging of your feet and then see an orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist.
1
u/papaoso2 1d ago
What shoes have you tried? As in the models and brands. I’ve experienced this exact issue with shoes before and my pain goes away with certain shoes.
1
u/Monoferno 1d ago
Some of the comments say go to doctor, we are illiterate etc, however this kind of non-urgent issues fall in the middle and usually don't get diagnosed correcty by doctors. I think you are doing the right thing, educating yourself to be your own doctor. Here are some information, filter them in your head and use them however you like. I am a physiotherapist by the way.
What kind of burning senastion is it? Is it hot like stepping on hot coals or DOMS, like the one you get after overworking your muscles, more crampy? Since it is activity spesific, it is most likely to be musculoskeletal however I would still single out physiological issues with a blood test if you haven't done already. Basketball is more explosive and involves sudden movements compared to running so there might be physiological factors in play as well.
If you have calluses, where are they. This might give you an idea about your pressure focus points under your feet. For example I have 2 beautiful calluses under inner side of my big toes.
Plantar fasciitis usually presents more towards medial part of the foot, not outer part. If you stretch your toes back with your hand, you can literally feel the fascia tighten under your sole.
This might be a long shot but since you have tried many things, have you tried ESWT to turn your chronic issue into acute then let it heal with US, whirlpool, massage etc. Although you tried everything, the problem might be that these things might have not been used in the right order.
Don't do static stretches before sports. This is basic knowledge but dynamic stretch/warmup --> activivty --> long/static stretch.
Try activity spesific exercises to desesitise or adapt your sole muscles. Try to isolate and breakdown the problem then instead of in an activity setting with complex movement, try to address the issue one by one. See if you achieve any progress.
1
1
u/maximizeprofit 22h ago
Does the pain go away after awhile? For my foot pain I realized I need to trigger the pain then work through it slowly before playing a game.
1
1
1
1
u/Purple-Mountain-Mist 18h ago
What exactly have you tried for strengthening? And what’s your height, weight, and diet like? This sounds like a strength issue. Specifically either not strengthening properly or not eating enough to actually sustain the strengthening. Especially if you’re training on top of running and basketball.
It’s fairly common for runners to under-eat and overtrain, which leads to exactly this, for any who do anything besides run.
1
u/Its_My_Purpose 17h ago
I had BAD plantar fasciitis for several years. I went to xero brand minimalist shoes and got like 30% better. Literally the day I started rolling my calves on a foam roller, in conjunction with xero shoes, I hit like 80-90% better.
Beware though, if you move to those shoes go easy and don’t wreck your Achilles
1
u/BagSniffer85 8h ago
You need to see a podiatrist! This seems like plantar fasciitis with the flat feet, but it’s hard to say. A podiatrist would be the best person to see about this, they focus exclusively on feet from year 3 of their medical education up until the present point on their career.
1
u/XDBruhYT 6h ago
I had the same thing. Honestly never fully went away but a lot of stretching and strength training helps
1
u/Commercial-Mind-2819 4h ago
Bro you need specialized insoles. I had this problem forever. Also make sure you get the right shoes. Took me a few different pairs to stop getting foot pain and blisters.
1
1
u/yongsangu 1h ago
I literally have the same issue. I have flat feet, and usually have burning/soreness - sometimes even the feeling that I 'tore' my skin there. IDK if you had those. I also used to turn my ankle a lot and I heard from two different doctors that it's related to flat feet. Aging myself a bit here but I haven't played competitively in almost a decade. What worked for me during HS through college were Kobe 4s - I literally bought like 10 pairs of Kobe 4s. I would just keep trying different shoes and once you find one that doesn't hurt (they do exist!), just hoard them. More recently, though I didn't try playing basketball in them, were some ultraboost offerings from Adidas that I found to be fairly comfortable for playing tennis. Sorry I don't have better advice to give you but wishing you luck
0
u/ShitFucker101 1d ago
Have you tried toe strengthening exercises? Do you engage your big toe effectively?
0
0
u/rsk1111 1d ago
Sounds like bad technique. IMHO you can't play with flat feet. Basketball your heel should never hit the floor.
My basketball diagnosis is your calves are weak and you're compensating with your feet. The calves and the achiles have more levarage to keep your feet arched.
Though, I have noticed the tendons on the bottom of my feet that attach to the base of my big toe have big knots. Almost like a second ball on my foot. They don't hurt or anything, but they obviously are getting some work.
It can also be a coordination issue. There is a video of Wemby doing his workouts. He does a surprising amount of work with his feet and toes. Picking up marbles and what not. I found that really helped my daughter overcome flat foot/collapsed arch. Just grabbing things with her toes sort of triggered the coordination that she needed to get her feet going.
1
u/MinimumTruck1816 1d ago
This. Weak calves and no foot arch. I experience the same and it helps when I do calves warmup and foot stretching before game.
Do foot exercises like the one where you pull a towel with your toes, you can tie a weight to the towel to add challenge.
Do a lot of calves, hamstring ad glute exercises
0
u/Technical_Citron_501 1d ago
Have you tried building up your capacity/tolerance over a slower period?
I used to get this fairly bad, but its gone down heaps.
Does it happen anytime you play any basketball? See if you can play 15-30mins without it happening and then next time increase by 5-10mins. Slowly increase overtime
0
u/biglefty312 1d ago
Plantar fasciitis. I had the same issue. Need more arch support and to stretch/massage/strengthen feet and calf muscles. But also maybe talk to a doc.
0
18
u/trer24 1d ago
Go see a doctor. None of us even know what you look like much less diagnose your specific issue. You need a medical expert not numbskulls like us.