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Muscle aches outer lower legs

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Anyone get this? Get a good pressure on the front of the boots, feel like I'm actually skiing quite well, getting ankles/knees/thighs over, etc (often on easier to mid ground when confident to get speed and get skis more on edge) and I get a right burning tired pain in all the muscles down the lateral to front and lateral to rear of the outside ankle to 3/4 up towards the knee (not rear calf, definitely side-ish). Stiff and tired the morning after, so clearly the muscles are being used.
Makes a difference from burning quads, I suppose Laughing
Seems to have started after my knee injuries, so may be related to that; or not. I also have "excessively hypermobile, very high arches" according to a podiatrist whom I saw last week (though I have custom m insoles) - but I know that I do tend to clench and use my feet muscles a lot when walking, skiing etc, so could be that too?
Does it ring any bells as bad technique somewhere - or is it just a set of muscles which a skier should be using, and clearly I don't use in everyday life?
I had a private lesson a couple of weeks ago, asked the Instructor about it, and he could see nothing wrong with stance or technique. Boots were also comfy and pretty supportive at the time, not over tight (this has happened in 2 different sets of boots too).
Cheers.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The only time I've had calf pain is when my boots have been too loose around the shin.
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 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?
I'm not in any way qualified so it's just anecdotal, but taken from other's (physio) advice.

One of the squat excersise i do is to stand with feet just over shoulder width apart, and make certain that your feet are pointed dead straight ahead like skiing.
Don't splay them as it imparts bias onto different muscle grouping.

Now see if you get the same activation of those areas you are experiencing tension in. As comparison, try switching to feet splayed to gauge the different effects.

Also, I used those Scholl type flat wooden shoes in summer to make me grip and strengthen my feet. Make quite a difference to me with v-high arches Very Happy
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@ski3, good thought - yes, feet pointing straight ahead does pull (for want of a better word) in about the right area; almost feels like it's a long tendon. Funny, I try to walk with my feet pointing straight forward, and I do squats etc like that (and in other ways) too. But I do also have knees that like to tip inwards, so maybe it is physiological.
Going to see a physio next week re knees, and a biomechanics person the week after, so I'll try to remember to ask.

@SnoodlesMcFlude, not per se calf but, of course, I do struggle with loose cuff and narrow lower leg issues. Maybe this'll bulk 'em up... Puzzled
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That is where you have muscles that are used to move your toes. Working to avoid clenching your feet could well help.
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@kieranm, yes, that makes sense. I am a compulsive foot clencher and toe riser, presser and curler, in everyday life and in walking boots as well as skiing. Comes from the hypermobile bit, apparently, plus using the movements to stabilise my foot (and knee position) and balance. I wouldn't be surprised if it's connected, especially on ground where I'm not 100% confident or when my technique isn't 'flowing' or where a lot of effort is required. Also, I can't yet get a ski boot fit (or even an insole) which fully supports the foot, so I think I'm using the foot muscles for a lot of leg stabilisation and alignment when skiing more aggressively.
Funny, though: don't get the pain at all in snowboard boots, whilst boarding. Then again, I've snugged myself into them with diy packing and 2 pairs of socks ( Shocked ). Or maybe just different muscle needs.

Plan of campaign:
1. Physio
2. Biomechanics
3. Find someone accessible who can do Zipfits (or other solutions) and new properly-supportive footbeds (if the biomechanics people can't)
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
http://www.peakfitnessnw.com/exercise/one-small-muscle

https://my.ussa.org/sites/default/files/documents/athletics/alpine/2014-15/documents/MK-Ankle%20Strength_Sept2014.pdf


Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 6-02-19 23:27; edited 1 time in total
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@Tirol 164, you mean, gasp, I might actually be doing something right Shocked Shocked Laughing
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@Grizzler, @Tirol 164, well blow me down, you learn something new every day. Been going mad trying to work that one out, cheers!
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Posted on another thread, but saw a podiatrist, thinks it could be wearing arch supports when need outer foot support (tho' I'm reserving judgment on that one).
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Grizzler wrote:
Posted on another thread, but saw a podiatrist, thinks it could be wearing arch supports when need outer foot support (tho' I'm reserving judgment on that one).


Thats interesting. I get the same burn when boarding. I have high arches & wear custom footbeds! At first I thought I was pinching the nerve on the outside leg, but even after removing my boots it was burning & I could feel the muscle pumped & flexed hard!
I cant support the outside of my foot as it will twist my knee inwards, as I have femoral & tibial torsion.One twists inwards & the other twists outwards. Completely screwed knee because of it.
But I am tempted now to try without custom footbeds
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Mr.Egg, at your own peril Cool Seriously though, I'm just getting to the point of buying a load of stick on foam/felt and adjusting my insoles myself on a trial and error basis until I can get the best 'set up'.
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 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
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Grizzler wrote:
@Mr.Egg, at your own peril Cool Seriously though, I'm just getting to the point of buying a load of stick on foam/felt and adjusting my insoles myself on a trial and error basis until I can get the best 'set up'.


maybe try to find some sort of canter wedges so you get a sloping support? so you dont feel like you got a stone in your boot! Shocked
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Lowerleg pain is an early sign of heart or artery disease.

Get a checkup from the doc.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
It might be the muscle that runs down the outside of your shin (Tibialis Anterior - responsible for pulling up your foot towards your knee) needs strengthening and stretching.

Google: Strengthening exercises (like reverse calf raises); Stretches and Trigger points.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Old Fartbag, I need to stretch and strengthen everything Laughing And trigger points are old, old friends (and new ones too).
My TAs are large in any case. I think the main culprits are the peroneals - but could be wrong. I do wonder (just occurred to me Googling feet things) if I have some irritated tendons going on from the knee injuries, as one odd new thing post injury for a long time was a very noticeable tendon clunk in the ankle area, probably a peroneal tendon.
But it's all a guess. Need to find a hands-on physio who can id and treat (hope I might have found one).
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Whitegold wrote:
Lowerleg pain is an early sign of heart or artery disease.

Get a checkup from the doc.


I paid for an echocardiograph a few years ago.
Nothing wrong with my heart + i dont have water retention in my ankles.
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 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?
Here's my right leg, many years ago on about week 3, after approx 4 days of skiing:



It's mostly out of focus but you should be able to make out the large swelling ( Toofy Grin ) that was so painful it stopped me skiing for a day.

I've never really solved it but it's much better since I canted the whole of my footbed to the right. Foot people tend to scoff when I say I've canted the toes too but it works better so I'm sticking with it.
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@Grizzler, it sounds similar to what I get. I think I've worked out that as part of turning I put quite a lot of pressure through my big toe and the ball of my foot on my outside ski leg. Coupled to having quite flexible ankles and being 14.5 stone puts the little muscle on the outside of my calves through quite a workout. No "normal" day-to-day activity uses the muscle in such a way.

The only way I've found to try to strengthen it is to stand with the front of my foot on a little step or book and try to stand on tip-toe just through my big toes, slightly rolling my ankles towards each other at the same time. A couple of minutes of standing on tip-toe - typically when cleaning my teeth - twice a day for a few weeks before going skiing helps reduce the soreness.
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@jd_evans, that sounds plausible. Maybe explains why I'm getting bunion/arch or big toe joint pain a bit now, too. Not skiing/boarding mind you, but after longer walks and leg exercises. All feels to me as if I need to support and raise my arches more, tip the foot a tad to the outside: thought the podiartry biomechanics guy said and did the opposite...
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