Have you ever been walking around on your elliptical trainer, getting a great workout, and then realized that one of your feet has suddenly gone numb? It’s not fun and it’s a great way to break your concentration and ruin what would otherwise be a great workout. Sometimes your foot throbs so much that you need to cut the training shorts off your elliptical trainer to prevent numbness. This article will reveal why this happens and give you some tips to deal with it.

It seems unusual for your foot to fall asleep while standing up. This usually happens while you’re lying down or sitting down, but have you ever stood in the same position in a row that doesn’t move? This is the perfect condition for numb feet. It’s all about traffic. The simple act of wiggling your toes or flexing your foot is often enough to relieve tingling and numbness.

Using an elliptical trainer is very similar to staying still in one place. Well, at least regarding your feet. The low-impact nature of an elliptical trainer is the result of your feet never leaving the pedals. While it’s great for your knees and other joints, it’s what can make your feet feel numb.

It’s important to wear well-cushioned athletic shoes when exercising on an elliptical trainer, but this usually doesn’t do much to prevent numb feet. The root cause of the problem is the constant pressure of your body weight on your feet and the restricted circulation that results.

The remedy is twofold:

1. Promote traffic — Remember to wiggle your toes from time to time during your workout. Another technique is the flexion of the foot from heel to toe. Simply rock your foot from heel to toe on the elliptical trainer pedal as you work out. Most people usually experience numbness in one of their feet, but if you have numbness in both, do these movements with both feet. Also try to remember to do these movements throughout your workout, before the numbness sets in.

2. Avoid excessively long workouts — The optimal range for fat burning and moderate cardiovascular conditioning on an elliptical trainer is 30 to 45 minutes. More than 45 minutes may be more than most people need. It’s generally more productive to do two 30-minute workouts on an elliptical spread throughout the day than one long, hour-long workout.

The longer you stay on an elliptical trainer, the greater the chance that your feet will become numb from lack of circulation.

Although annoying, you can shake off the effects of Elliptical Trainer Sleepy Foot Syndrome and in many cases avoid it completely with these simple techniques.