For many years I have suffered with calf muscle pain after skiing. It feels like I've climbed a 1,000 steps the day before. After a few days of skiing it subsides. After talking with an instructor he reckons it was from not having my shoulders forward enough and using the calf muscles to pull yourself too upright. After a recent week of skiing and concentrating on positioning I feel I've improved somewhat. I do plenty on the crosstrainer machine and pretty fit otherwise.
However I went to the local snow dome yesterday and it was as bad as ever today. Is there another cause of calf overuse? Does gliding strain them much?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I would think poor form usually affect the quads more than calves. I'm susceptible to tight calves, more from cycling than skiing. I find stretching and foam rolling them helps a lot. They feel quite sore and constricted after a long ride if I haven't been good with my stretching routine.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@king key, have you had your boots professionally fitted or checked? They could be leaning to far forwards putting to much strain on the calves as one example of where it may be equipment related. Lots of things can be done inc shims in boots etc etc. I have to stretch my calves twice daily (whilst doing my teeth) as I suffer from tight calves from running and playing hockey.
I feel it's unlikely to be the boots as it's been an ongoing issue for 30 odd years and I've used upteen boots during this period. I currently have a pair of Salmon X Pro 100 boots heat moulded to suit and custom footbeds by Profeet (very comfy). I'll try stretching the calfs more (a bit lazy on this sort of thing )
Horribly painful until u are used to it. Helps blood circulation. Let the muscle melt into it if u can bear letting ur weigh just sitting on the roller. U should also do quads, it band on the roller. Each more painful than the other. But keep at it, it really does help.
Get the black foam roller. U may want to try something call "the stick" also. Any runners store will have it.
Thanks, I've never come across this technique before.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
If you are tight, it will hurt a lot at the start. I can do it for 5-10 few minutes now. But need to roll, my quads and it band more often. U can also roll your lower back to loosen tightness there. It's quite a useful thing to have.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@king key,
The advice will depend on how old you are>
If you are fit and do cross train its seems a little odd.
Things that spring to mind are
you are doing no calf work ( especially soleus)
poor biomechanical setup with boots
need work on ski technique/position on skis
an unusual cause like poor blood flow ( more likely is a smoker and over 55) or neural ( any age)
Jonathan Bell
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Thanks again.
Just to fill in the blanks, I'm 52, non-smoker, non-drinker, use the crosstrainer every other day in the 2 months leading up to the skiing season. Prior to this I prefer cycling as my main means of keeping fit. I don't find the crosstrainer strongly uses the calfs, rather find the machine gets you generally fit without focusing on any particularly group. I consider it my cardio and stamina workout routine. I'll confess to being lazy with regular stretching.
I bought one of the foam rollers as suggested above, kin'll! it's an instrument of torture. I've started doing some exercises at strengthening the calfs and I'll persist with the roller. Any other tips??
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@king key,
Sounds like you need some calf strengthening.
Skiing really uses the soleus, which helps with fore aft balance and control of foot/lower limb position.
Foam roller may facilitate with stretching, but it sounds more a strength issue if you are otherwise healthy.
If it doesn't settle get it looked at properly
Jonathan Bell
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Update.
Thank you all, the issue with the calfs seems to be getting much better. I've been doing regular stretching, exercising the soleus (never heard of this muscle until it was mentioned here ) and using that instrument of torture roller. I went skiing for 3 hours yesterday at Hemel and for the first time ever no calf pain the following day.
So once again many thanks.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Update number 2.
Had a week in Chatel and for the first time in 30 odd years of skiing no calf pain.
Many thanks for the diagnostics.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Now the real fun begins! Just make sure the first cliffs you huck have soft landing zones.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Is there another cause of calf overuse? Does gliding strain them much? 
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