 Poster: A snowHead
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I have a problem, whenever i go skiing i tend to get this quite nasty pain across the wide part of my feet. It isnt there all the time, it gradually develops and often leaves me rolling about on the side of the piste in moderate agony feeling well p***ed off and it ruins the whole experience!
I have previously put it down to poor fitting boots, but i have hired loads of different sized/make boots (went through 3 on my weeks holiday last year!), and am quite sure that my new boots fit pretty well to be honest. Last time i went a couple of weeks ago to Scotland, my girlfriend (who is a much better skiier than me in terms of technique...im much beter at bombing inanely down the slope, poles flailing and with about as much style as a cowpat...it take great skill i tell ya  !) reckons it may be my technique, e.g. im 'pushing' too much with my toes and giving myself cramp.
As such, i started to use my knees more in my turns rather than my feet, and im sure it helped, but by then i had already swallowed a load of painkillers, so im not sure if it was that or the pills!
does anyone else have this problem?
I figure the best thing might be to have a lesson (i havent had one since i was about 10...and prob need one anyway!) but was wondering if anyone else had any idea what it might be...given that im fairly sure its my technique as opposed to bad boots 
thanks, 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tom, the pain across your foot is normally the main symptom of a lack of arch support. If you're renting boots, and don't want to buy, then the best option is to get some Superfeet insoles. They'll cost around £30.
That will give you better arch support, and will also help hold your heel.
Lessons are always good advice!
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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?
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tomski01, I think that if you do have lessons, your idea of a properly fitted boot might change entirely. By all means, have lessons before you make another purchase.
You may get very reasonable advice on what changes to make to your boots from the instructor; I would value that advice more than something you've read on an Internet forum.
EDIT: WTFH snuck that reply in there at lightning speed. My second paragraph is not meant to disparage it in any way.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As someone who suffers similar problems I'd say Wear The Fox Hat, has the right idea arch support is very important
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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tomski01, Many people do suffer from pain in various parts of their feet. If you're satisfied that it's not poorly fitting boots then a properly made insole can help, but get the lessons first. I had two clients this week who had pain, but after a lesson, and a changed stance they had no pain. Conversely I have another client whose boots were super until she got into a better position, and now she's visiting the boot doctor to get a new pair!
Even if you rent boots you can get insoles made and take them with you. Just take out the rental insoles and replace with your own. Make sure the person who makes them is properly trained and qualified (also recommended, for example by your ski teacher).
Good luck. 
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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.
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| comprex wrote: |
EDIT: WTFH snuck that reply in there at lightning speed. My second paragraph is not meant to disparage it in any way. |
That's fine, I'll disparage it for everyone then Pain in that area does not suggest lack of arch support at all. Some professional help is certainly called for though. Having conformables made by a bloke called Dave who thinks he's a boot expert but's actually a shop assistent probably isn't the answer either.
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ise, yeah, I accept that, that's why I said that it is "normally the main symptom"
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ise, I agree, but in each ski resort in France there's normally one person fully trained by Comform'able to fit the whole inner boots as well. They have better equipment, and will be able to fit the insoles properly. A local ski teacher should know who the best person is. I've have 3 pairs of comform'ables and the most recent were fitted by just that bloke here in LDA - what a difference!
However even moderately fitting insoles will be better than the ones that come in the boots (especially if they're hire boots).
NB: My feet were completely wrecked by a specialist podiatrist and now, 2 years later are almost OK again, so I sooooo don't agree with all this alignment stuff. 
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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.
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I agree with everyone else - It's not the boot fit so much as your footbed fit. Get that sorted, that'll be the main hurdle overcome. Thereonafter it's about boot fit, and lessons.
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I got my boots and footbeds fitted at Footworks in Cham and they are excellent. The signed photos of all the pro skiers who get their boots fitted there is a good testimony. i believe Precision in Val d'Isere are also meant to be v good.
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You know it makes sense.
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easiski, are podiatrists supposed to provide footbeds for the foot moving in motion - i.e. sports motion? I'm starting to wonder whether they're more focused on providing fixed orthotics to people with one leg shorter than the other (don't take that the wrong way, but that's one of the things they do!)
Should people with fairly normal biodynamics wot need only a bit of tweaking to make sports more comfy (i.e. 99% of snowheads) be consulting a podiatrist about footbeds for their ski boots? Personally, I'm with you about getting it done in resort -a French bloke in Tignes (substitute favourite Alpine nationality/resort) who's many years of applying his professional skiboot fitting skills to more feet than we've had hot dinners is gonna get my vote every time.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Manda, go for the one who has been out on the slopes with you, just cause he's based in a resort doesn't mean he can see what you look like when skiing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've just had some custom foot beds made while I was in Canada. my feet are pronate which means I ski on the inside edges and dint put the skis flat, if I skied on one foot I couldn't ski in a straight line. I had foot beds made by Ultimate in Banff. They measured the flex of the foot various angles of bones etc and then mapped the soles of my feet with a computer and pressure pins to find the contact points and contact pressures whilst in a "skiing stance". The foot beds were then milled by computer (not heat formed) and after milling various checks were made to ensure they were correct. when they were fitted in the inner of my boots alignment and canting checks were then done cost was $214 inc GST which I'm claiming back = £90.00.
The result I can ski in a straight line on one leg I felt more control in the turns and can edge the skis more effectively. Skiing is less effort and I have a lot more power in the turns than I did before, definitely worth the 4 hours of measurements and fitting.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tomski01, I found some/quite a lot of relief with Superfeet molded cork insoles, but still get some cramping when feet not warmed up and skiing very hard and fast. Which I attribute to putting weight on outside of feet.
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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?
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where do you get these superfeet things?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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cool, just bought some online from Ellis Brigham, might use them in my trainers as well, might solve my weird hip thing too!!
thanks everyone, lets hope it helps somewhat anyway 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just to be accurate, the ones I've got were heat moulded to my feet while they (my feet) were dabgling in vacuum packed plastic bags. I believe MPs would get arrested for similar activities... I don't know hoe well the off the shelf ones will work?
Will be interesting to get your feedback!
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David Murdoch, I've used the off the shelf ones for at least 6 years, and they've done the job for me.
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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.
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Wear The Fox Hat, must try them for my trainers as I think they make appropriate ones for running.
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Moving away from footbeds, I have exactly the same problem with cramps in the middle sole of my feet. I got it a lot a a beginner and now I get it on the first day till I tell myself 'stop trying to grip the snow with your toes!'
I think your girlfriend is right. There is a tendency when you are struggling for balance to curl your feet, I think it comes from an instinctual 'branch' reflex whereby, as a monkey, it would stop you falling out of the tree by grabbing the branch with your foot.
Also I did get molded footbeds whiched helped a bit as well.
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