Feet hurt with custom footbeds - also size differential in feet

[valli]

I bought Tecnica boots and custom instaprint footbeds about a year and half ago. I've probably only skied in them 15 times and now they area breaking in a bit more and getting more uncomfortable, not less! The boots seem to be the correct fit and flex, the length is good (at least on my bigger foot on the right), and they fit my high instep well. The footbeds were made by a master bootfitter in our area and are the unweighted style, and seem to fit the boots well. But the bottoms of my feet ache like mad, especially in the arch area. Unless I really crank the boots down I tend to get some lift in the heel area, but if I crank the buckles down the bottoms of my feet hurt more. I skied without custom footbeds when I rented equipment in Big Sky, and while I pronated more, my feet didn't get so sore. Any suggestions? Also, what do you do if your feet are a half size apart in size? Finally, any suggestions for bootfitters in the SF Bay Area or Tahoe?

 

[Christy]

Did you ask your bootfitter about this? I too found my custom footbeds uncomfortable (at best), especially under the arch, and I'm taking them back in on Friday. Apparently there are things they can do.

 

[altagirl]

I'm curious about the logic behind unweighted footbeds. Mine were made weighted and are very comfortable - I mean unless they're made by a doctor to correct something, why wouldn't you want them to be in the shape of your foot when it's weighted? (I'm not a bootfitter or anything, I just don't get the logic...)

Anyway, if they hurt, I'd take them back. However reading that you're having to crank the boots down that much to keep your heels from moving around sounds like that's probably the biggest issue. That squishes the arch of your foot and will definitely cause cramping.

 

[Lori_K]

Also, what do you do if your feet are a half size apart in size?

My husband has feet that are nearly a full size different! Left is a 12, right is a 13. He just got new boots this year, and they sized him for his smaller foot. Thus, the right boot has needed a bit of work getting it stretched and blown out to fit the larger foot. After several trips to the bootfitter, he is pretty happy with the fit.

It sounds like your boots might have been sized for the larger foot. You may want to go back to the bootfitter (or another recommended fitter) and see if they can do anything to help.

 

[PowDiva85]

it sounds like your custom orthodics are too rigid. If I had a dollar for every pair of superfeet corks that I took out and replaced with regular superfeet or a stock insole I would be able to afford alot more skis... With out getting into all the details take those dang things OUT. Pronation is a natural part of foot movement and it should not be absolutely prevented. One of the people who taught me boot fitting always says "if god wanted our arches to be filled he would have made them that way". If you were in my shop I would take out your insoles and find the correct superfeet trim to fit and I would try a bit of heel lift to snug up the heel.

 

[WildKitten]

I learned a very valuable lesson this year. Not every master boot fitter can make orthotics.

I had a master boot fitter work with me this year on new foot beds. Due to a neuroma and high arch (among other things) I need custom orthotics. After 4 or 5 tries at foot beds we both gave up and I returned to wearing my old custom foot beds.

It took him three tries to recreate my neuroma bump correctly (he had never seen one before). He was unable to give me enough arch support and his foot beds caused me to have pain in my good foot. Overall it was a very frustrating and time consuming experience for me, and I'm sure for him too. He even had my old foot beds to guide him!

This person has a sterling reputation and I would never say anything against him, he really tried to help me. BUT, some of us need foot support and correction, not just molded foot beds.

If I were you I would definitely go back to the boot fitter and see if he can solve your problem. If not, like me you may need to find a boot fitter who specializes in orthotics.

I think that the majority of people have feet that are different sized. My left foot is 7 1/2 my right foot size 8. I do feel the difference in my boots so I snug the left boot a bit tighter than the right.

 

[frenchgirl]

Did you ask your bootfitter about this? I too found my custom footbeds uncomfortable (at best), especially under the arch, and I'm taking them back in on Friday. Apparently there are things they can do.

I had the same problem with my right foot. My footbed are semi custom in the sense they can be heated. My right arch is higher than my left but somehow it cannot tolerate high arch sole. So my sole was too high and my bootfitter kept working at it to lower it. But after a while I decided to get the pink superfeet and no more problem. So I have the SOLE brand on my left foot and the pink superfeet on my right. I also think that the SOLE brand was too stiff. I cannot imagine how custom must feel as I think(maybe wrong here) that they can be pretty stiff.

 

[volklgirl]

Problem #1 is that your boots are either too big altogether, or too wide for your smaller foot. Always fit your smaller foot and have the other boot stretched, bumped, or ground. By cranking on the buckles to keep your heel planted, you're compounding the problem with your pronation. Have the fitter pad your smaller foot (probably a spacer under the footbed and a saddle pad around the back of the liner).

Then have your footbeds reevaluated. I've used my Superfeet Cork for almost 20 years and still love them. Mine were also made unweighted and I've had no problem with them at all. That doesn't mean there may not be a problem with them, though.

 

[KatyPerrey]

Bud Heishman is one of the best boot fitters around!! Not sure how close Reno is to the Tahoe area but if you do go see him tell him I say "Hello".

Snowind Sports
2500 E. 2nd St, Reno, NV 89502-1220
p: (775) 323 9463
https://www.snowind.com/

Snowind Sports is a full service ski shop that specializes in ski boot fitting.

 

[Sassy]

I have a horrible time finding anything to fit my feet, especially boots for any activity. I'm flat footed and am a bit knock-kneed which causes a misalignment of my knees over my shins and hence knee pain during strenuous outdoor activities. My boot fitter used ALINE footbeds. They are of a stiff gel consistency and absorbs shock. They also have a peg system that can be custom fitted. The guy who fit me for boots dropped a laser as I was standing in the boots to see how misaligned my knee was in my natural stance. It wasn't centered over my foot which is what caused a lot of stress on the inside of my knee. He then added pegs to (it took two tries) and dropped the laser again with the footbeds in my boots. My knee was aligned properly, I can wear my boots all day (literally) without any pain and my knees are fine while skiing. Can't say for certain if the footbeds will do the magic, but I believe it did for me!

 

[valli]

I don't think I'm going to be able to go to a smaller boot size, because I'm in a 23.5 and my right foot measures a 24 and my toes get a little crunched if I'm walking around much. I also have developed a neuroma on my bigger foot (from wearing unsupportive shoes, not skiing), so it's painful if it's compressed too much. I'm wondering if something like the zipfit liner would help with the heel lift, since I think the boots fit relatively well in the forefoot area. The Aline footbed also sounds interesting, since the instaprint are pretty firm. I also had some softer instaprint insoles made for my running shoes, and they are fine, so I'm thinking of swapping those insoles into the ski boots as a temporary fix. I did call the boot shop and I'm going back to see if they can do something. I would also like to get better alignment, since I am tend to get knockneeded and when I did my lesson with Ursula Howland at Big Sky that was the first thing she noticed and commented on.

 

[WildKitten]

I also have developed a neuroma on my bigger foot (from wearing unsupportive shoes, not skiing), so it's painful if it's compressed too much.

My neuroma was absolutely KILLING ME and one of the reasons I sought out custom foot beds in the first place. We happened to be in Telluride at the time and went into Boot Doctors. That little "bump" they placed on my foot bed has completely eliminated my neuroma pain.

My boots are almost 4 years old now and getting packed out. When the boot fitter looked at them this year he put in comma shaped pads in my heel area to help lock them down. They work great.

 

[volklgirl]

Ditto on the neuroma metatarsal spreader. For the first time in YEARS, my foot is absolutely painless in my ski boots.

Yes, the Zip Fit will help with heel lift and/or slide problems. I have exactly the same problems as you, except my neuroma is on my shorter (but wider) foot. My right foot is a perfect 23.5, but my left foot is 24.0-24.5 depending on whether I'm measured weighted or unweighted, and I'm a HUGE pronator. Using my existing footbeds, my fitter sized me to the smaller foot in a 23.5 boot, then both boots were bumped and ground to add extra toe room and accomodate the length on my longer foot. Until the Zip Fits, I had saddle pads (2 layer, even!! ) on the liner of my smaller foot, as well. I now have the best fitting, most responsive boots I've ever experienced in my 20+ years of skiing.

Oh, and definitely get your alignment fixed to save your knees!!!

 

[valli]

Well, I went back to the bootfitter and he did some work. He took off a little under the arches and added a small heel lift to take up some of the extra space in the heel area. We agreed they fit well in the forefoot/instep area, and he thinks part of the problem is that I'm cranking down my buckles to prevent heel movement so that I'm putting excessive pressure on the bottoms of my feet. He also is making a little metatarsal spreader to help with the neuroma. He put me and the boots onto a set of wobbly devices designed to measure my alignment, and he said the footbeds seem to be adequately correcting the problem. When I used the demo boots in Big Sky I was definitely pronating more according both to the instructor and the rubbed spot on my anklebone, but with my footbeds I don't so much, so I want to see if we can make them work. I asked him about the zipfit liner and he said he's carried them but most people find them uncomfortable and he doesn't really use them except for racers. I asked him about putting a saddle pad around the heel and he said he usually prefers not to do that because it can push the foot forward, and I'm already making toe contact with the front of the boot.

With the heel lift I seem to have less motion and don't to buckle down so tightly, and I guess I'll just have to see if the lift has a beneficial or negative effect on my skiing position. I've heard that for some women heel lifts can help you get forward more easily (sometimes an issue for me), and from others that heel lifts can cause you to brace and end up in the back seat. Any thoughts from the divas on heel lifts?

 

[altagirl]

Heel lifts didn't work for me - they caused a lot of problems with my stance. I ended up eventually having to replace my boots when I ran into this problem. Though by that point they were pretty old, so I just gave up, so maybe there are other options. I just couldn't find anything good.

 

[volklgirl]

I asked him about the zipfit liner and he said he's carried them but most people find them uncomfortable and he doesn't really use them except for racers.

Hmmmm. I'm finding mine incredibly comfortable and warm!

I asked him about putting a saddle pad around the heel and he said he usually prefers not to do that because it can push the foot forward, and I'm already making toe contact with the front of the boot.

We cut the very back part of mine out for the same reason.

With the heel lift I seem to have less motion and don't to buckle down so tightly, and I guess I'll just have to see if the lift has a beneficial or negative effect on my skiing position. I've heard that for some women heel lifts can help you get forward more easily (sometimes an issue for me), and from others that heel lifts can cause you to brace and end up in the back seat. Any thoughts from the divas on heel lifts?

Sounds like a good fix for now. Some of us need heel lifts, others don't. It really is a very personal thing and depends highly on your body type and skiing style. Let us know how they work for you.