knee pain, knumb toes and stiff muscles

[first time]

I have been regularly going to the gym for about a year. Over the last few months I have developed a pain whilst training on the cross trainer starting with knumbing in my toes (left foot) and cramping, this irritation then rises up my leg with a strain on the outer side of the lower left leg which makes it stiff and impossible to cross train. occasionally my left knee also gives way which is really irritating because i love my sessions on the cross trainer and have finally found something that will get me doing excercise. please help me!

[Heidi]

Hi,

It sounds like a peroneal problem. The peroneals are three muscles which run down the outside of the lower leg and are important in controlling pronation/supination of the foot.

If you overly pronate or supinate these muscles have to work extra hard. Have you had your feet assessed? Tightness in these muscles can cause this aching, stiff feeling and numbness or tingling can be as a result of compression on the nerve.

Visit here for more on overpronation (and theres a link for oversupination here too):

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/general/pronate.htm

To find out for sure visit either a sports therapist/physiotherapist/podiatrist to get an assessment.

Some sports massage to loosen the muscles and either some motion control trainers or insoles should do the trick!

Hope this helps!