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swollen shins and sole pain

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I might be setting myself up to be told off for this one - here's the situation: end of 06/07 season a new pair of Alpina Eve10's fell into my lap for a song. Too good to refuse. I only managed a day or two on them before season end.
I've been skiing with them for 3 days now and have a list of issues that I'm hoping I can DIY.
I wear 1/2 orthotics and haven't made any adjustments to their setup except to loosen the clip screws as much as possible - so I'm doing them up on the first clip that grips on top of my feet but, hopefully, giving as much room as possible too, and my ankle and shin straps a little tighter to prevent movement (up/down).
1. My shins are swollen. Just above the ankles for about 4cm and side to side - they look like enormous bee stings. (Gone down o'night thankfully but still tender)
2. My inner ankle bones feel bruised (is this because the orthotics have risen me out of the specialised femme fit? The boots are designed to be extremely snug around the back of the ankle)
3. 1st run of the day gives me extreme sole pain but it goes by the top of the next lift.
4. Width pressure at base of toes by mid morning (gone by mid afternoon).
Annoyingly the boots always feel fine by mid afternoon but by then my lack of fitness has caught up with me and my body wants to head home.
Can't is set to 0.
Flex is set to Soft.
Your advice please?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Just tried the 1st run without my orthitics in. Excrutiating! The soles of my feet were throbbing and my leg muscles are killing. Have put Orth's back in. Would rather have sore ankle bones. Also heel rise was too great without them and had front to back slide going on. Yuck! Help.
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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 think I've sorted out my shin issues by keeping the clips as slack as possible in the morning and gradually tightening them throughout the day.

Well, I'm back now, so no chance of trying anything though I'd still be happy to receive any suggestions about why the soles of my feet hurt so much for the first few runs of the day and what I might be able to do about it. Crying or Very sad
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flowa, I had pain in my sole (around arch) this morning, but because the second clip wasn't tightened sufficiently. Disappeared as soon as I tightened it.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Cheers Helen Beaumont, unfortunately I'm getting it from toe to heel completely evenly on both feet. The boots are secure (no movement) but not overtight. It's such a mystery Puzzled
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flowa, there could be a number of things happening, but initially i would look at the cuff cant of the boot and whether or not thr orthotic is doing its job properly [ an orthotic designed for day to day use will not always work well if at all in a ski boot]

other things that could cause the problem could be but are not limited to the outcomes of the below


have you got the orthotic on top of the stock insole or have you removed that?
when you stand barefoot and bring your legs together what touches first your knees or your ankles? [are you knock kneed/bow legged, even a little bit can have an effect]
can you squat down and sit on your calf muscle with your feet flat on the ground?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
CEM, This all seems very helpful.

Firstly, you're right, my orthotics are for day-to-day use so perhaps I should talk to my podiatrist about special skiing inserts? I wear them to aleviate pain in my medial cuniform in my right foot which is bruised and has given me chronic pain since using rubbish rental boots in Jan 06. I also take 75mg Dicolfenic twice a day to keep the inflamation down and help with the pain..... which makes me wonder how on earth my shins could have swelled with all that in my system rolling eyes . They're even swollen today and I haven't had ski boots on for 2 days now???

To address your other points:
Have you got the orthotic on top of the stock insole or have you removed that? I removed the stock insole immediately I got them. There is a flat-bed in there that the Orthotics sit on.
When you stand barefoot and bring your legs together what touches first your knees or your ankles? Without Orth's - my knees. With Orth's - even. (Sadly, in both instances though, the real first touch is my upper thighs Embarassed )
Can you squat down and sit on your calf muscle with your feet flat on the ground? Yes, no trouble - I'm hypermobile in all my joints.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
flowa, some people get fluid retention with anti-inflammatories like diclofenac - I wonder if that could be why you have swelling?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Nick L, I get the same problem with my lower leg when skiin (and taking drugs). I had presumed it was fluid from the knees "leaking" down Embarassed
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Nick L, Frosty the Snowman, ah-ha, that could be it! I wondered why I've put on so much weight lately...... (any excuse will do)
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I had problems last year with my ankle bone getting bruised in boots that were 3 years old and worn for 6 weeks previously !!! I ended up going to a boot fitting place in Banff where they made a doughnut thing on the inner between the outer and that took the pressure off and stopped the bruising!! ( I went fully prepared that I was going to have to buy new boots but this sorted the problem out !)

If your boots werent fitted properly you may have to take the hit and buy new or alternatively a good fitter will be able to sort the problem out !
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 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.
Helen LS, cheers - I'll give the doughnuts a go: actually I do that for my cuniform and now feel like a Homer for not thinking to do it for my ankles. D'oh!
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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
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
Ah! I had the chance to try both pairs of boots on the weekend and I'm now convinced that the ones causing the swollen shins are just totally unsuitable for me, ergonomically. I even stopped the pain killers days earlier to see if it had an effect on the swelling and I still got the swelling and sore soles!

Think I'm going to have to sell them Sad. What a shame, their performance is soooo good. Oh well, back to the softies Sad.

I'm seriously contemplating a special trip to Chamonix to get a proper fitting from SmallZookeeper and finally be done with all this boot phaff nonesense.
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