Help - another side of calf/boot pain issue

[Jenny]

Me too, I'm 5'11 and look ridiculous with my leg:torso ratio. I'm all leg. And while some may say that's good genes, I say it's impossible (read completely impractical) for sports. And seeing as I'm an athlete and not a super model, it's a hurdle.

I didn't put heel lifts in my latest pair of boots, but I did see myself ski on video last week and that, combined with this thread have reminded me to see to that!!

I look like that 2nd picture too, only worse (and less male, obviously....) .

But aren't long legs good for hurdles??

 

[B.E.G.]

Toe lifts?

 

[Jeepmum]

So sorry to go off topic here but what on EARTH is that animal in the picture? Is it a cat? An armadillo??

 

[mountainxtc]

But aren't long legs good for hurdles??

:ROTF:

LOL!! That pun totally went over my head !!

 

[B.E.G.]

So sorry to go off topic here but what on EARTH is that animal in the picture? Is it a cat? An armadillo??

ROFL! It's my Bengal cat (one of them). I think that one is Dante.

 

[mountainxtc]

Toe lifts?

Aha, there's the image to complete the set!! Toe lifts. Give them a try. You'll be able to tell how much lift you need by adding 1mm at a time until you are aligned with the shoulders over the knees in the squat test.

 

[Jeepmum]

Oh they're gorgeous! Something with the shadow in the picture made it's tail not look like a cat tail, and with those unique markings...

 

[B.E.G.]

Hmm interesting! I would never have thought of toe lifts on my own. So can you tell me, what exactly would the toe lifts do? Do I have too much forward lean then, evidenced by my knees being behind my armpits? Is it a result of softer flex? (since I just had my boots softened) or something else?

Thanks!

 

[B.E.G.]

Oh they're gorgeous! Something with the shadow in the picture made it's tail not look like a cat tail, and with those unique markings...

LOL you're right! I didn't notice the shadow before - my cat looks deformed in that pic

And thank you!

 

[Jeepmum]

Not deformed! Just armadillo-ish!

 

[mountainxtc]

Hmm interesting! I would never have thought of toe lifts on my own. So can you tell me, what exactly would the toe lifts do? Do I have too much forward lean then, evidenced by my knees being behind my armpits? Is it a result of softer flex? (since I just had my boots softened) or something else?

Thanks!

The toe lifts would align you better so it will be easier to get centred in the fore/aft plane. Yes, according to Ron LeMaster, you have too much forward lean for your build.

 

[marzNC]

Great thread! Learning a lot.

 

[B.E.G.]

I'll talk to my bootfitter tomorrow about this - thanks!

 

[litterbug]

Well at least I've got one proportion right--my armpits are just a hair behind my knees. When I take 'the position', that is.

 

[frenchgirl]

Shouldn't this exercice be done on the ski? Since a lot of women's skis have a heel lift in the bindings wouldn't that change the outcome?

 

[mountainxtc]

Shouldn't this exercice be done on the ski? Since a lot of women's skis have a heel lift in the bindings wouldn't that change the outcome?

Skis are not flat, so no. It's principally a biomechanical thing. Ron didn't touch on binding ramp angles but I'm sure that would also be something to factor in. B.E.G. may need a bigger toe lift if she has ramped bindings. But I won't give an opinion on that because I don't know much about the technology and reasoning behind ramped bindings.

 

[frenchgirl]

Here is a good discussion of fore-aft balance:

https://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/86475/fore-aft-balance

 

[litterbug]

Great thread, frenchgirl. Also interesting that even Masterfit bootfitters have different kinds of training. One remark in particular stood out--the idea that if something is misaligned, the effect on balance & position may be different at different angles of flexion in a joint. I never thought of that, but it makes sense. I'm really interested in how the body works, so all this is just fascinatin'.

 

[B.E.G.]

I don't think my bindings are ramped? They're the Rossi Freeski 110 XL I believe.

 

[mountainxtc]

Just skimmed that epic thread. Looks like some good information. This is particularly relevant to me right now as I have a back injury that I believe is a direct result of compensating for lack of fore/aft alignment. I was lazy with this pair of boots and didn't add lifts. To compensate, I had to exaggerate a rounded back and bend at the waist a lot to centre myself over my ridiculous legs. I'm paying for it now :(

B.E.G. I don't know anything about Rossi bindings so you'll have to confirm ramp angle with a pro.