Question: Heel lifts, toe lifts or what??

[tinymoose]

I love my spoilers. They help keep me forward, and take up the space in the cuffs that my scrawny legs don't fill. I currently have the spoilers from my stock liners velcroed to my intuition liners.

vanhoskier, do they normally put the lifts (heel and toe) outside the boot, or was that just for demonstration purposes?

 

[MissySki]

This past weekend I tried out some thinner foam that DH got at work under the footboard of my boot. It was better in that I wasn't as squished or too far forward as the last time with my heel lifts up there, BUT I got the same burning under the balls of my feet after a few hours. Sooooo I'm assuming it may be that doing this inside the boot won't work and I'll need to see what a fitter can do for me next season to work this out. I'm hoping that maybe just remolding my vacuum boots in a different stance could reset my alignment in the boots and help the fore/aft issue without adeding stuff, but we'll see what happens. One fitter I spoke to seemed to indicate that it could be how we fix my canting issue so why not the fore/aft also? lol

So for skiing this weekend we are going to try putting some softer foam under my footboard that hopefully will lessen the issue of burning in my foot and then try adding some tape to the outside of my boot or onto my binding for now to raise me up some more up front.. Good thing I have an engineer for a husband who likes to tinker with my boots during these times lol and can get lots of different materials at work to play with as well as I wouldn't know where to start!

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

I tried heel lifts in my boots last weekend since something felt off to me and I felt like I was struggling to get forward for some reason. While I felt good actually skiing, they put too much pressure on my forefoot I found and after I skied in them my legs down by my achilles and up behind my calf were sore which they never have been before. I have hypermobile ankles, so heel lifts are not needed for that particular reason. I just figured I'd give them a try since the boot fitter had given me some to solve a different issue (shin pain).

 

[vanhoskier]

I love my spoilers. They help keep me forward, and take up the space in the cuffs that my scrawny legs don't fill. I currently have the spoilers from my stock liners velcroed to my intuition liners.

vanhoskier, do they normally put the lifts (heel and toe) outside the boot, or was that just for demonstration purposes?

Spoilers probably work well for your "man legs."

The toe lifts, etc. are put under the footbed in the boot.
However, some boot fitters will do a stance analysis and put shims under the bindings to adjust the ramp angle as well.

 

[vanhoskier]

This past weekend I tried out some thinner foam that DH got at work under the footboard of my boot. It was better in that I wasn't as squished or too far forward as the last time with my heel lifts up there, BUT I got the same burning under the balls of my feet after a few hours. Sooooo I'm assuming it may be that doing this inside the boot won't work and I'll need to see what a fitter can do for me next season to work this out. I'm hoping that maybe just remolding my vacuum boots in a different stance could reset my alignment in the boots and help the fore/aft issue without adeding stuff, but we'll see what happens. One fitter I spoke to seemed to indicate that it could be how we fix my canting issue so why not the fore/aft also? lol

Do you get the same burning sensation no matter what pair of skis you're on? The ramp angle of the bindings could be affecting your fore/aft balance as well. If you notice slight differences on different skis with different bindings, this would be telling.

Your fore/aft balance CAN affect your lateral alignment as well. Everything is interconnected!

It sounds like you need to see a boot fitter who's also a pedorthist. I know that Green Mountain Orthotics has pedorthists on their staff (they are at Stratton); and Jim Lindsay at BOOTech in Aspen, whom I met at Snowbird last week, is well-versed and meticulous at solving alignment issues.

 

[MissySki]

Yes I have the burning under the ball of my foot regardless of the ski I'm on. The only thing to stop the burning was changing the thickness and density of the foam I was using as a makeshift toe lift. This weekend we went to a much softer foam and I had no burning, but I also felt like it didn't do as much as I wanted it to. However, it got me through 2 more days of skiing so I can't complain.

Interesting how you say the fore/aft could also affect the lateral alignment, I hadn't really thought about it, but it does make sense for it all to be connected. It also makes me feel better rather than think I have all of these seperate annoying issues cropping up. Boy do I really want to get someone like a pedorthist to examine my alignment issues as you suggested. Perhaps I will swing by Green Mountain Orthodics in the fall and see what they think. I think it all comes down to my noodly right foot that is also my shorter leg etc etc etc. I am curious what they would think of it, and how we can stabilize that side better.

My only concern is when I called them up this year with a question on canting, they appear to not have any experience at all with my Fischer vacuum boots, so I'm not sure which way to work this. Do I go to a pedorthist first or do I go to a Fischer vacuum fitter first? I know I need to snug up my fit overall on the right foot again which could potentially also fix some alignment issues if done well, but if a pedorthist wants to add stuff to my boot somewhere, it'd probably be best to do that first and then remold later so the fit is that much better and more comfortable since it'll be inclusive of whatever.. especially if there is any issue with my right footbed like I am suspecting lately.

I guess the best thing would be for me to find somewhere that is a vacuum boot dealer and also has a pedorthist on staff! I'm going to have quite a bit of research to do this summer!

 

[manymoreshoes]

Heel lift can make some forward lean and that works for somebody well(like me), but if it's too much it also break the balace, and your body will keep itself back, that make a backseat.

 

[Gloria]

When I have had toe lifts done they screwed an additional piece of plastic under the toe of the boot and then ground down the top of the toe piece to fit in the binding. This method works well because it doesnt mess with the fit inside the boot and you dont have to modify bindings on several skis. The internal modifications always left my feet burning too. I had mine done by a pedorthist who was able to add the plastic in the correct width to correct my posture.