Outside calf pain

[Cyclone6]

Just shows when nervousness can do.

I think this is also part of it for me. I do get sort of jittery before my first run.

Last time I went skiing, we went to Mt Hood Ski Bowl, which I have never been to before and I was not prepared for how scary those chairs are! (For anyone who hasn't been, they're little non-detachable two-seaters with no real arm rests, no bar, and they tend to bounce and swing a LOT) I started getting the calf pain while riding the lift because I was just so tense.

 

[Iwannaski]

My outer calf on just one side has been bugging the crap out of my and I think it’s that I was trying to hold my ski straight on that side on the lift!!!! And, that night I didn’t do my standard post-ski calf stretches.

You live and learn, I guess...

 

[marzNC]

Last time I went skiing, we went to Mt Hood Ski Bowl, which I have never been to before and I was not prepared for how scary those chairs are! (For anyone who hasn't been, they're little non-detachable two-seaters with no real arm rests, no bar, and they tend to bounce and swing a LOT) I started getting the calf pain while riding the lift because I was just so tense.

Just spent a couple days skiing in Colorado at Loveland and ABasin. Most of the lifts there don't have footrests. My calves are a little sore and all I did yesterday was sit around in airports and planes. Didn't have any calf issues skiing daily for six days straight at places with more footrests and high speed lifts so that the percentage of time spent skiing vs riding a lift with no foot rest was better.

I noticed a couple times on a long lift ride in the past week that my legs were tense. Very much an unconscious reaction to no footrest. Once I noticed, I could relax my legs with a little thought. What an instructor told me about being tense on a traverse was to consciously tense my legs, and then relax them. Meaning while still moving on the traverse. It works.

 

[Lyzzyski]

I am suffering slightly with similar ache BUT in the Achilles area. Once ache sets up after long chairlift ride or intense run I find if I take a short break loosen boot completely especially tongue when I I re-tighten ache subsides- I’m pretty sure this is Achilles tendinitis so I’m doing mild stretches biofreeze and finger crossing.

 

[Lyzzyski]

Forgot to mention most important new foot beds with custom heel lift : hoping to recover soon.

 

[Christy]

@Cyclone6 I don't know if this may be helpful for you, but I had a light bulb moment about this for my own pain. I remembered that I've had this outside calf pain since I got my current favorite skis, and that I never did my duct tape canting on these skis that I do with my other skis. Essentially I make little stacks of of duct tape to put on my binding under the inside of my right foot--it's my right leg that is super wonky and has the ankle eversion. (My bootfitter taught me this. It's the lazy and less effective way of canting). Anyway, I did this last night, didn't take my usual Tylenol before skiing today, and had no outside calf pain. The caveat is that where I was skiing was shorter runs than usual, but still, I've had it there recently. So you might think about boot canting--have you been evaluated for it, do you need it, have you ever tried the duct tape experiment.

 

[floatingyardsale]

I had an issue like that earlier this season when I was nervous (first actual runs of the season with a friend who was a much faster skier). I tensed up so badly I managed to cramp everything. Arches, quads, calves, everything. If the fit on your boots seems okay, I'm wondering if it just takes a couple of runs for your brain to remember that strapping boards onto your feet and heading down a hill is fun.

 

[Cyclone6]

@Cyclone6 I don't know if this may be helpful for you, but I had a light bulb moment about this for my own pain. I remembered that I've had this outside calf pain since I got my current favorite skis, and that I never did my duct tape canting on these skis that I do with my other skis. Essentially I make little stacks of of duct tape to put on my binding under the inside of my right foot--it's my right leg that is super wonky and has the ankle eversion. (My bootfitter taught me this. It's the lazy and less effective way of canting). Anyway, I did this last night, didn't take my usual Tylenol before skiing today, and had no outside calf pain. The caveat is that where I was skiing was shorter runs than usual, but still, I've had it there recently. So you might think about boot canting--have you been evaluated for it, do you need it, have you ever tried the duct tape experiment.

I think this could be part of it.

I had an issue like that earlier this season when I was nervous (first actual runs of the season with a friend who was a much faster skier). I tensed up so badly I managed to cramp everything. Arches, quads, calves, everything. If the fit on your boots seems okay, I'm wondering if it just takes a couple of runs for your brain to remember that strapping boards onto your feet and heading down a hill is fun.

This too! If my anxiety is worse, or if I have a sloppy moment, it makes it appear or get worse.

Things I've noticed that make it better:
-Pushing through and just skiing more runs. Eventually it goes away.
-tensing and relaxing the muscle intentionally as I ski
-Staying relaxed

Things that make it worse:
-Standing in a long lift line
-Skiing a long cat track/traverse
-Being tense or anxious

 

[Bowl]

My new Tecnica MV boots also pinch the side of my calf. I believe it is the side of the tongue is pinching my calf. Also I noticed the top of the cuff of the boots is very high, so when I roll my ankle, the top side cuff is putting pressure on me. I did adjust the cuff angle, but it is not enough.
On the other hand, I like the Dalbello's ID liner, which has no tongue, one big smooth blanket wrapped around, super comfy.