Foot cramps

[Cyprissa]

Hey Divas! Anyone here dealt with crippling footcramps while skiing and training? It only happens sometimes in my ski boots and also sometimes when I am working out. I notice it most when I’m doing things like burpees and anything where I’m jumping or high intensity. If I am at home and take my shoes off, the cramps go away and I never have any issues barefoot. I’ve tried lots of styles of athletic shoes without much success.

It’s worse in my ski boots when I tighten things up to where they should be. I haven’t found a master bootfitter to check my boots but a reputable shop with decent fitters punched out my bunion area and gave me some heat moldable insoles which helped a lot. They also recommended that I only wear the thin, almost nylon like race socks which also seems to help. My boots are made for a high volume, wide foot which is definitely what I have based on measurements.

I have a wide toebox and high instep, so basically problem feet for sure. My arch is normal and I think my feet themselves are fairly strong. I’m definitely a barefoot type person and now that I’m not working I live in Birkenstocks and Dansko clogs. Since I stopped wearing heels my bunion has ceased developing and actually looks a bit better.

After reading, it seems like tight fascia could be a problem but I’m not sure. Anyone have any thoughts. Sorry for the book.

 

[Tvan]

I have issues with foot cramps when I’m barefoot. My chiropractor says that my issue is related to my calves which get very tight when I run. He does a lot of myofacsial release on my lower legs, which seems to help.

 

[Jilly]

I get the cramps too, but more so in the arch. I've been blaming it on wearing flip-flops....so Tvan's calf issue makes sense to me for my problem.

@Cyprissa - I would get to a boot fitter. What boot are you in? Make and model?

 

[Cyprissa]

Thanks ladies! I definitely suspect tightness in my lower legs and my plantar fascia too since the problem isn’t limited to my ski boots. I’ve tried some alternate lacings for athletic shoes and that hasn’t helped either.

I’m in the Salomon Quest Access 80 W and I think while it is wide enough, it probably isn’t big enough for my instep which is why I have to be super careful about how I buckle it. I’m not sure there is a fix for that. I was in some Dalbello boots for a high volume foot and still had the cramping. It’s is under my foot from the ball to my arch. I feel like I HAVE to take the weight off them immediately and then remove my boots or shoes and massage my feet. It comes and goes when I am skiing but generally Always happens with high impact exercise if I’m wearing shoes.

 

[SallyCat]

Yes on foot cramps. According to my PT, most of my foot problems are related to tight calves. I was given a few basic stretches (easy enough to find online; do the one where you bend your knee, especially) and got myself a cheap foam slantboard. The slantboard came in a set of two, so I keep one in the car and stretch before activity.

A golf ball "massage" may also help; you know, just running your foot over the ball while sitting at a desk or wherever.

 

[marzNC]

@Cyprissa : what do you know about foam rolling? I find it very helpful for tight calves and the IT Band. I also use a slant board for stretching ankles or do equivalent stretches using a handy wall.

Do you have custom heat-molded footbeds for your ski boots?

 

[Little Lightning]

Sounds like your foot is like mine. I mostly get cramps 1st run after lunch when skiing and during the night. Always in my left foot. The night cramps have subsided a lot but I'm not sure why.

A PT I worked with when I was recovering from Peroneal Tendonitis described my foot type as Pes Cavus. This type of foot tends to supinate rather than pronate. She measured how much my arch moved which was very little. She stated that after market insoles for this type of foot is very rare. She recommended neutral shoes with little or no arch support. If the shoe had arch support it should be cushioned not rigid. That explained why every pair of shoes I owned caused pain to my ankle and leg during the period of trying to recover from the peroneal tendonitis. The shoes were designed with lots of support. I couldn't walk in them without pain. I went on a search for the shoes the PT recommended. There is a web site for runners called Run/Repeat. They have a very good description of the type of shoes I needed which helped me recover from the injury.

I exercise barefoot and have never had a problem with cramping. I work with a personal trainer who discovered that I literally was not using the left side of my body. I could do any single leg exercise on the right with no problem but was a total failure on the left. All summer he worked with me building strength in that left hip. I've only skied 2 days this season but I didn't have the after lunch cramps that I normally had. I also used my left leg in my turns which I hadn't done in years. The only thing I can figure out is something about the way I was skiing somehow put tension on my left leg/foot causing it to cramp.

My ski boots are the Dalbello Krya's, no orthotics. Yes to stretching the calves. Foam rolling helps too. Often my massage therapist spends extra time on my IT band.

No one, physical therapists, boot fitter, etc. had an answer for my ski boot cramping. Strengthening my left ankle/hip seems to have helped, although I'm not a 100% sure. Like you, I don't have a problem barefoot.

 

[Mary Tee]

My feet cramp when I get dehydrated. Also, when I get on something I am not really comfortable with, I tend to clench my toes and need to make a real effort to relax. If I don’t realize I am doing this, before long I am cramping.

 

[Cyprissa]

@Little Lightning our issues sound pretty similar. I definitely tend to supinate not pronate based on the wear on the heels of my shoes. My best run ever was 6 miles in my Onitsuga Tiger 1966 running shoes which have nothing but cushion. I mostly workout at home so I can be barefoot in comfort. I also do yoga twice a week but it’s clearly not enough for my tight legs. At one point last season, I actually took my footbeds completely out and skied with just liners which eliminates the cramping but leaves the boots a bit sloppy and hard.

The footbeds I have are not custom but the thinnest heat moldable ones with very little support because I knew that the ones with firm support didn’t feel good. Mostly, I was looking for something to lock my heel in and provide a bit of cushion. The ones that came with the boots were too squishy. I will check out that site.

@marzNC I have a foam roller, a stick and a firm massage ball but honestly I don’t use them as much as I should. I’m sure it would help tremendously. I need to give it a shot and see how much it improves.

@Mary Tee I will try to be more cognizant to see if I clench my toes next time I ski. I was on familiar terrain this last weekend for the most part and stayed on red pistes but the conditions were extremely variable so who knows.

 

[SkiBilly]

I agree about the tight calves being an issue. I have done lots of stretching and have a much better dorsiflexion in my feet now.

My tip would be to eat foods high in magnesium and also take a supplement...this helps to relieve muscle cramping. Also have you tried taping your 3rd and 4th toes together? This might help too.

 

[Tvan]

+1 on the suggestion of magnesium. Definitely helps!

 

[Little Lightning]

Here's my current favorite shoe. https://www.salming.com/us/running/women/shop-the-look/enroute-shoe-women,-black/c-788/p-31541 Wider toe box and fits comfortably over high instep. On the expensive side but there are often sales, especially when new models come in.

 

[2ski2moro]

I had cramping in my arches a long time ago and discovered my problem was boots that didn't fit properly. A proper boot fitting with custom footbeds completely solved my problem.

A very wise Diva explained it to me this way. When your boots are too wide, you tend to try to tighten them by buckling them tighter. Makes sense. However, by tightening your boot, you are NOT pulling the sides in, you are crushing down on the top of your foot over the arch. This pressure is stronger than your arch. The result is that the arch flattens out and stretches the plantar fascia ligament on the bottom of your foot. It causes a dull ache, then cramping, then outright pain.

A proper custom footbed cradles your arch and prevents the ligament from stretching because it is supported from the bottom.

If your foot goes numb, that's another sign that your boots may be too big. If you have to buckle your boots too tightly over your arch, you can compress blood vessels and nerves, too.

I'm no expert, but it worked for me. (Also a supinator with some IT band problems)

 

[ski diva]

^Yes to this. I had cramping in a boot I had years ago, and it turned out the problem was that the buckle on the top of my foot was pressing on a nerve, and that's what was causing the cramping. A good boot fitter could do you a world of good.

 

[Cyprissa]

I haven’t been able to find a good bootfitter here sadly. If we go to Kronplatz later this month I’ve heard there is one there BUT we are probably taking the train because of visiting relatives so my mobility will be limited. Ugh...frustrating.

 

[Jilly]

Not exactly sure where you are in Europe - but check here:

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/bootfitter-by-region-international.16794/

 

[Cyprissa]

@Jilly thanks! I’m in Italy between Venice and Verona so no one on the list. I’m heading up to Kronplatz in a few weeks and it looks like there is a fitter there, although not near my resort of course. His name is Fede...seems to have a few good reviews but not a ton of info: https://www.fedebootfitting.com/about-1

 

[Little Lightning]

The theory here is that to large of a boot is causing foot numbness. I wonder if some people buy their boots to small. Here's my reasoning. My old bicycle shoes are a size 37. Matches the length of my foot. There are 2 velcro straps with 1 buckled strap at the ankle. When I ride in these shoes my ankle hurts. If I tighten the buckles snuggly my feet go numb. This is common problem with cyclists. So last summer I confidently go off to a bike fitter to have my fit checked. He made some suggestions for the bike then told me I should get larger shoes! Huh! my tiny size 5 foot needs a larger shoe? He measured the length of my foot and then measured the width of my foot. Based on the measurements he said I needed a size 39 shoe. But won't I swim in a 39, I asked? He said no, length doesn't matter but width does. So grumpily I head out for larger shoes. Many of the shoes I tried on I did seem to swim in, especially in the heel. Finally, I found a pair of Sidi's in a 39, my preferred shoe anyway. Voila! not only did they fit my heel but I can snug them across the top of my foot without numbness or pain. They hold my foot securely, no ankle pain. I can wear thin cycling socks or thicker socks in cooler weather no problem.
So I wonder if this theory holds for ski boots? Would a next size up give me the room in my forefoot and instep allow me to buckle a boot more snug without top of the foot pain or numbness?
Just a thought, next time I try on boots it's worth a try.

 

[Cyprissa]

@Little Lightning yes! I watched some boot measurement tutorials and checked my instep and read a blog post from a bootfitter about the issue. He was fitting a guy with a similar complaint to ours and he turned out to have a monster instep. He ended up putting him in a Salomon boot two sizes above mondo to fit and he claimed that he mostly sizes people down in Solomon because they run long. My instep is not that extreme but it definitely seems like it could contribute. My boots are Solomon and I’m currently in the size that fits my mondo point exactly but they might not have enough volume even though the width is an issue. I don’t have a problem with my cycling shoes (Shimano), although I think they may be a size up to accommodate width, but maybe athletic shoes do it too even though they are softer?

 

[Jilly]

What Salomon boot?