 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Just after a quick bit of advice really. I've got a pair of Head boots from 2008, and have skied about 5 weeks since then to now with them, however I'm still getting pains along the side of both feet. I've had them heated up and adjusted which has made a bit of a difference, but I still get the pain. Usually, I'd think this is just poor fitting and take them back, but after two or three days skiing, the pain completely disappears and they become the most comfortable boots for the rest of the duration. I don't tighten the boots excessively at the start of the week, and usually have them loose-ish until the pain goes.
Obviously, I lose some of the first few days skiing to my full ability due to the pain, which is fine if you're out there for a season, but not if you're there for a week or a long weekend. Is it simply a matter of getting the boots blown out a bit more? Or is it natural to have a bit of pain until your feet get "used to it"?
Any advice is greatly welcome,
Chris
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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chirs.. DO NOT have them blown out any more
the fact that the pain disappears after a day or 2 suggests that it is foot/flexibility related rather than boot related or poor fitting (no fitter can be responsible fr your flexibility)... try a load of calf stretches prior to going skiing, if the calf muscle is tight it will pull the foot into a pronated position (part of which) involves the foot rotating externally and pressing into the sides of the boot.
do you have a footbed in the boots? this will help to limit the rotation..... or a heel lift may help to stop the problem in the first place (but is not a substitute for stretching)
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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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Try wearing them at home for a few evenings before you go?.
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Thanks for the replies gents.
Basil - I do wear them for an hour or two before I go if I can, and it does make a bit of a difference. The pain usually arrives when I'm actually skiing though.
CEM - That's a great help, thank you. It did seem strange that the problem went away after a couple of days. I have a custom footbed in the boot, was highly recommended one by the retailer. I'll try and do some stretching before I head off to Val Thorens for a week over Christmas, I want to be ready to see as much of "Les Trois Vallees" as I can while I'm there.
Once again, thank you all!
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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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Chrisssyg, just another thought, do you own skis or rent them??
the binding delta angle can vastly affect how you stand in the boot and exaggerate the problem...a flatter or toe height set up can reduce this
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I own my own. A pair of Salomon Sentinels with Salomon STH12 bindings, and a pair of Armada JJ's with the same bindings (I use quiver killers - cheapskate haha) so I haven't noticed a difference between the two pairs. I had no idea this could be adjusted! I'll have a look into it. Something I can adjust myself? Or is it better to get a professional to do it?
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I had the same problem for a long time with my head boots. I was wearing standard ski socks and tried having the boots adjusted etc etc. I took advice to buy really thin Falke ski socks, they are available in most ski shops and cost about 15 euro a pair which seems rediculous but it worked straight away. No pain at all. Still have the boots and never want to change them. Weird experience really.
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Chrisssyg, pu the boot in the binding, measure sole of boot to sole of ski at both heel and toe (on the flat part of the boot sole) what is the difference? this can be altered with a little trickery
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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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Tim - Thanks for the tip on the Falke socks, I've been using some pretty thin socks, but if these are thinner it might just help that little bit.
I've not got my skis with me at Uni unfortunately, but I'll have a look at this when I get home next and see if I can have a play with the bindings.
Thanks again for all your help guys!
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Chrisssyg,
I had similar problems and bought the thinnest pair of socks I could find. Smartwool with no padded bits anywhere. ie thin shin, heel and entire foot. The boots were great after that!
Like others, I thought £15 for socks was ridiculous - but since then I've bought another half a dozen pairs for £8 a pair in America. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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CEM, How does Binding delta angle help when the foot is cast into an angle by the said boot?
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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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SMALLZOOKEEPER, by tipping the whole boot forward and upsetting the centre of mass and balance, starting from a slightly more upright position (even with the foot in the fixed position of the boot) can change the balance point and the loading on the foot (especially if there is a lack of ankle joint ROM)
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I'll try and do some stretching before I head off to Val Thorens for a week over Christmas
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my routine for calf stretches is incorporated into tooth-cleaning. I have one of those electric toothbrushes which buzzes after 2 minutes. Which is exactly the right length of time to do the 4 calf stretches (each leg straight back, then each leg bending the knee forward, to stretch both the upper and lower calf muscles) 30 seconds each. Job done, takes no time.
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You know it makes sense.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, by tipping the whole boot forward and upsetting the centre of mass and balance, starting from a slightly more upright position (even with the foot in the fixed position of the boot) can change the balance point and the loading on the foot (especially if there is a lack of ankle joint ROM)
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Ah so you are saying perhaps that the Binding delta is too much, not suggesting he changes or starts there without first looking at ROM within the boot. That would make no sense.
The OP suggests nothing that leads me to believe this is a delta or ROM, at least starting here seems to be a little "Epic", Ab-duction or footbeds or boots being the wrong shape seems a more likely place to start.
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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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not saying it is the first thing, but one of the many things that could be causing the problem
the OP suggested that the problem comes on at first but goes away after a day or two, that would suggest lack of flexibility, as after a few days the pain goes away as the calves stretch out with skiing, this could be shorted out by possibly stretching the calves, a heel lift, a different footbed, a different boot or checking the delta and changing it a little if it is too steep, all different ways to get the pain to go away, which one is right, neither you or me or anyone else can tell without seeing the whole set up and using those great tools the eyes and the hands 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The last post being way more useful I think that the first then perhaps?
Why wouldn't just having the boots stretched in that area be a good thing to do? It would remove the possibility of a physical barrier being the issue and allow us to look further into a physiological issue once a simple adjustment has been tried, the stretch on the shell being non permanent.
Seems like something that would be easily dealt with over the period of a few days near a mountain or back and forth to an Urban area of plentiful natural beauty to test and readjust.
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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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To add to this, I bought a pair of Solomon boots a couple of weeks ago. I had a custom footbed and the outers and inners heated and moulded. The fit was fantastic. No movement to speak of and no tight spots whatsoever.
Flip forward two weeks and trying the boots at MK. They felt like different boots, even though I was using the same Smartwool thin ski sock. There was tightness across the width of the foot and generally, I couldn't wait to get them off.
When I think about it, the suggestion of tight calf or foot muscles seems spot on for me and the difference between first fitting and then wearing them was I had walked between trains, underground etc and around the show. Obviously, legs would have been exercised and relaxed.
(Sorry if this is deemed off topic or hijacking).
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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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There was tightness across the width of the foot and generally, I couldn't wait to get them off.
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This however is synonimous with the forementioned lack of flexion, tight calves etc.
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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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Thanks for all your help guys. It's given me some things to consider, greatly appreciated.
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