If your feet ache or are cramping after skiing, it’s usually due to the overexertion of the muscles on the bottom of your foot – they’re working too hard to maintain control of your skis. This is also a problem with the fit of your boots.
In this post
How do I stop my feet from hurting in ski boots?
Ski Boot Fitting Feel Check List
- Good quality thin ski socks.
- Only the sock is in the boot.
- Toes touch the end at first.
- Toes are comfortable once flexed forward.
- Snug but not crushing your foot.
- Legs and shins are secure.
- You can only fit two fingers down the back of the boot.
- No heel movement when flexing forward.
Why do my ski boots hurt the bottom of my foot?
If the arches of your feet have started to burn or cramp more and more over the years, the likely culprit is packed-out soles. If your boots are old and your feet usually hurt, it’s probably the soles. If you aren’t ready to find a new pair, then a new custom insole can do the trick!
What is ski boot syndrome?
Abstract. The extensor tendons and peroneal nerve can be compressed at the ankle by the tongue of the ski boot. The resulting neuritis and synovitis may be severe enough to mimick an anterior compartment syndrome. Treatment consists of conservative methods but the paresthesiae may remain for long periods of time.
How long do ski boots take to break in?
How long does it take to break ski boots in? It normally takes 3-4 days to get the liner of a ski boot to pack down a little and bed in to your feet. This will depend a little on how hard you ski, and what you have been used to wearing.
How tight should ski boots fit?
Ski boots should be snug, but not too tight that they are painful. With your foot in the liner in the shell, there should be enough room around the toes that you can wiggle them back and forth, and the toes should be slightly touching the front of the boot when the heel is all the way back.
How do you tell if your ski boots are too stiff?
A boot that is too stiff will result in the skier leaning back. But there is a catch; often the softest boots are very poorly designed and are very wide. Find a soft flexing boot that is not too wide, and not made out of poor quality plastic.
Are new ski boots supposed to hurt?
How Should Ski Boots Feel? The truth is, although ski boots are rigid and clunky, the right fitting boots should not hurt your feet. Ski boots are meant to be worn tight, but not uncomfortably so.
How do I know if my ski boots are too big?
Put your feet in the boots with a ski sock on, and put your toes all the way to the front so they are just touching. What we want to measure is the space behind your heel and the shell. If you have more than 2cm (a little less than an inch) behind your heel your ski boots are too big.
Should you size down in ski boots?
Ski boots usually run true to size. We don’t wear the same size ski boot as we do tennis shoes because a ski boot needs to be well-fitted to ensure proper performance. That means your ski boot could be half a size to a full size smaller than your regular shoe.
How do you break in ski boots at home?
Buckle them up snugly as you would to go skiing and spend at least an hour this way. Flex them back and fourth and side to side, but be careful not to put too much wear on the boot soles (i.e. don’t walk down the driveway to get the mail).
Will ski boots loosen up?
Ski boot liners will compact and stretch a small amount. Over time ski boot liners are designed to be broken in and mold to a skier’s feet and bed-in to the shell. Ski boot shells will not stretch on their own but can be stretched by professional boot fitters.
Should your feet go numb in ski boots?
A common cause of boot compression is when the boot is actually too big and people do up the instep buckle too hard to secure the foot. All this does is to apply pressure to the top of the foot where the nerves and blood vessels run, causing numbness and a lack of circulation.
Can tight boots cause nerve damage?
Pinching of the nerves from tight shoes or repetitive stress can cause irritation and damage to the nerves that run towards the toes. In some cases the nerves can be damaged by trauma.
Can ski boots cause bone spurs?
The painful lumps and bumps associated with boot irritation can, unfortunately, put you out of commission if not addressed appropriately. Bunions, hammertoes, corns, calluses, and a variety of other bone spurs and prominences can become extremely painful when placed in the confines of a hard boot.
Why do ski boots have to be so tight?
Negative space or lose ski boots makes skiing much harder and you’ll not feel as in control as you should be. You don’t want to feel your heel or foot sliding at all inside, you should only be able to move your toes. The rest of your foot should be snugly fitted. Loose-fitting boots can also rub and cause blisters.
Should I heat mold my ski boots?
Accelerate your liner’s break in time: Backcountry boots come with a thermo-moldable liner—it should be heated by the shop and molded to your foot before you ski. Most alpine boots don’t have a thermo-moldable liner. However, your shop may be able to warm your liner to accelerate the break-in process.
Why do my feet hurt skiing?
When people with unstable feet ski, the intrinsic muscles start working exceptionally hard to help stabilize the foot. Eventually they just run out of adequate blood flow to support their activity and the searing pain in the arch begins.
Do you lean forward in ski boots?
Most current model boots have a 14 degree forward lean (Entry level designs often have greater forward lean angle) with no way to move the cuff rearward, consigning skiers with more than 14” in circumference calf muscles to ski the rear of the ski, out of balance.
Do I want a stiffer ski?
Generally speaking, skis that have a stiff flex will feel stable at speed and have good precision on hard snow. Stiff skis grip better on hard snow, too, because they maintain full-edge contact and don’t bounce off the snow. However, a ski that is too stiff will buck you around and burn out your quads.
How do you soften ski boot flex?
To reduce flex by 6%, remove the top rear-cuff screw of each boot with a 3mm key and insert clip (supplied with boots) in its place. Push the clip in and tap with a hammer. To reduce flex by12%, remove the bottom rear-cuff screw of each boot with a 3mm key and insert clips (supplied with boots) in their place.