Prepping feet for ski season?

[newboots]

My boot fitter also told me of the pressure on top of the instep. My boots fit better, but I still get minor numbness in the two little toes on the end.

 

[Sparky]

I’m not sure if your foot issues are a factor or not, but for me it was totally just getting back into ski boots again. So after my first three days of the season, my feet hurt so bad I switched to different boots I have as a backup that I know are a little roomier. It was my big toes that would go numb and then an achy pain near my arches and on the outside of my feet. I’d ski for less than an hour and have to go in and rub them out. I’d go back out and less than an hour later they’d hurt again and I just called it quits. After three days in my “backup” boots, which had its own issues, I switched back to my normal boots and they were totally fine and just about as comfy as I remember them! Maybe just very minimal numbness in the toe on one foot that was barely noticeable, and at least not enough to stop me from skiing. I have also been trying to rub my feet out on the way to the hill and that also seems to help. And I know I have done that in the past early season, so for me, I think it’s just a matter of getting my feet used to ski boots again. So hopefully that’s the case for you as well and you just need a few more days and some good foot rubs and you’ll be fine! Yes, it sucks in the meantime though. Good luck!

 

[SallyCat]

Scattershot set of ideas from having a lot of the same issues: metatarsal pads may help, but also having boots that have the right last width and flex can take a lot of pressure off that part of the foot. If your foot is sliding around or collapsing onto the ball of the foot because the flex is too low or the fit too lose, that's going to cause pain.

Bootfitters can grind material off the top of the foot part of the boot to prevent circulation loss without compromising fit in other areas. Is your arch support sufficient?

I had custom footbeds made, but they were molded with me standing with my full weight on them, which mimicked and molded my pronation. Which is to say, the insoles locked my problem in place rather than providing support for it. A $50 pair of non-custom insoles solved the problem.

Don't buckle the buckles on your instep.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution soon!

 

[mustski]

Currently, it’s always my toes. In the past, I’ve had pain and numbness in the balls of my feet. I am very hard to fit - especially my left foot- because I have bone inhibited dorsiflexion which really encourages my heel to lift. One caveat about the Boot Doc liners is that it’s a one shot deal. Unlike zip fit and intuitions, there is no adjusting or remolding later. I tried intuition, but they did not help me because they mold to your feet but do not fill space between your liner and the shell. Both zip fit and boot doc fill those empty spaces. This does not compensate for a too big shell or a badly fitting shell. For those of us where there is no shell that fits, it gets us closer to what the rest of the ski world experiences.

A couple of thoughts:
Have you tried unbuckling your three lower buckles for the ride up the chair?
Unbuckling different variations- ie:toe and instep only, etc.
When you tighten up at the top, unbuckle everything but the cuff, flex hard a couple of times to pull the heel well back in the boot. Remain flexed while you tighten up the ankle. Then tighten up the toe enough to hold the foot stable and leave the instep as loose as possible.

Ski a few runs (on whatever terrain is below your comfort level) with your boots bucked super loose? This gets blood into your feet and helps for the next few hours.

If the foot is moving around or the shell is wrong, none of this will help much but it will give you good information for your boot fitter.

Is your bootfitter some one who really understands what he/she is doing? All fitters are not created equal.

 

[MissySki]

Ugh @knolan12 I’m sorry, I know how frustrating boot issues can be! I second the part about giving it a few days before heading to a fitter, just because I always feel different weird unpleasant things in my boots when coming back from a summer of flip flops and non-confinement.. my feet don’t take kindly to going back into ski boots after that, but they usually shape up a lot after several days back. I know it isn’t local, but just wanted to mention that my bootfitter in Vermont is also a pedorthist, might be good to go have someone like that evaluate your current setup and get their input with the problems you’ve been having just to see what they would recommend. Of course I’m sure there are plenty of others like this as well, but happy to give you the referral if you were interested and were going to be in the Okemo area anytime this season. (I ski in Maine, but I always go see him for any real difficulties I’m having.)

 

[Abbi]

This is really helpful to read! For your numbness, where does it start? And how quickly do they go numb?

Today it seemed to really be in my big toes. Last season, it was balls of the feet and middle toes which I've been told is most likely Morton's Neuroma. The edges of both big toes are kinda tender now so I'm wondering if I might need a little more space or if that's going to just cause me to slide around a bit. Really appreciate the tip on the Boot Doc liners, I'm going to go look into those. And completely agree about it being psychological when it comes to the trails. Like I know I can ski it, I just wasn't trusting my feet

Auuuuugh! I am so sympathetic! Especially about the Morton’s neuroma. I have one of those beasts! When it’s acting up it feels like a pebble, and that means you can feel it with your fingers, between your second and third toe. My boots are spending the Christmas holiday at the boot fitter. He will expand the width a bit and we are also playing with the flex and some of the actual construction of the boot. My foot bed does have a neuroma pad on it. That can help to lift just behind the neuroma which can take the pressure off it. My first one came from my foot doctor. The rest we have figured out. The biggest problem with ski boots and foot issues, especially the Naroma, is the hard plastic especially when cold does not give and can even pressure the sides of the feet which makes it worse. Best of luck working with a good boot fitter.

I understand the not trusting the feet thing as well. When I can’t feel it or worse it’s in pain then I don’t trust where the skis are going to go.

 

[newboots]

I use the same bootfitter that @Abbi does (and I suspect @MissySki too). I've been to others and what a difference a great bootfitter makes! Night and day. He is in a shop near Okemo. PM me for recommendation!

 

[knolan12]

Thanks for all your advice and insight!! I read all your responses out loud to my husband.

We were supposed to go skiing last Sunday and the plans changed, so I'm hoping to get back out there soon. I want to go one more time using the different suggestions before I meet with any bootfitters cuz I'm hoping maybe it's just getting used to boots again. Then if it's still an issue, I'll make the journey. I'll reach out @newboots and @MissySki!

 

[MissySki]

Well, @lisamamot and I went into the Ski Monster to check things out today, and both ended up leaving with new hybrid AT boots!!! We both worked with Dylan, one of the owners, and had a great experience. Funny enough, we both tried on multiple different boots, but ended up picking the same ones in the end. I went in skeptical, but I ended up feeling really comfortable that there would be nothing gained from going up to Vermont for the same boots. I will also be bringing in my skis to be remounted with my AT frame bindings for free since I bought a boot there and they’ll cut skins for me, unexpected bonuses.

It took until yesterday for me to finally get back to Ski Monster to have my frame bindings mounted and skins cut, will be picking up on Thursday. Looking forward to at least taking a few runs (most likely lift served haha) this weekend to see how the boots feel and the bindings.. I want to know that before tiring myself out climbing haha. Omg though, what a major PITA it is to get parking close to the shop when you are lugging a bunch of gear!!!!! I was by myself after work, and it took my going around in circles of the numerous one way streets too many times to get a spot a block away. Then I was carrying my boot box, binding box, and skins box piled on one arm with my skis over the other shoulder.. walking through throngs of people who literally didn’t seem to give a second glande to or think it was odd to see a woman carrying all of this ski gear through the city. I personally would have thought it really strange if I’d been on the other side. I guess I could have made two trips, but that seemed too much of a hassle.. I’m not the most patient person ever with parking stuff like this. Believe it or not, this inconvenient parking situation is exactly what made me take so long to go back with so much gear, along with not getting out of work early enough the past month to be motivated enough to go deal with it on the way home since it’s in the opposite direction I need to go. When I go pock up on Thursday I was told to just double park out front because it’ll be fast, sounds good to me! I am so NOT a city person, aside from driving in and out each day for work.. I’d go back to Ski Monster for boot work for sure, but I think I’ll leave the skis to the mountains where shops have parking lots!

 

[nopoleskier]

Stupid me stubbed my toe really good (bad) it's shiny from the cbd arnica on it.. Better get better ASAP . Haven't tried to put a ski boot on... Ugh

 

[MissySki]

Stupid me stubbed my toe really good (bad) it's shiny from the cbd arnica on it.. Better get better ASAP . Haven't tried to put a ski boot on... Ugh

Ouch!!!

 

[newboots]

Ouch, Mel, that looks terrible! You must get better by Friday; I'm SO looking forward to skiing with you! (Selfish, yes!)

What's the brand of CBD/arnica?

 

[nopoleskier]

It sure is ugly! It hurts in the am. then aspirin helps pain, but having to stand on it most of the day makes my foot swell :-( Fortunately (or not) I have an insanely high pain tolerance especially when skiing is involved. IT"S GOT TO GET BETTER!!!! ASAP!!!!

I got the Cbd/Arnica salve at the Warren Country Store. $$$ but seems to work for pain and I'm putting 'The Rub" arnica ointment on and eating arnica tablets.

My work appointment tomorrow just got cancelled so I'm going to ski Gore tomorrow.
See what happens. I SO WANT TO SKI w/ you all Friday!!!!

 

[VickiK]

Oh no!! Hope it gets better soon.

As for me and my bunion/inflammation, it is still a part-time issue in street shoes but not in ski boots, probably because my foot is not rubbing within the boot.

 

[Jenny]

It sure is ugly! It hurts in the am. then aspirin helps pain, but having to stand on it most of the day makes my foot swell :-( Fortunately (or not) I have an insanely high pain tolerance especially when skiing is involved. IT"S GOT TO GET BETTER!!!! ASAP!!!!

I got the Cbd/Arnica salve at the Warren Country Store. $$$ but seems to work for pain and I'm putting 'The Rub" arnica ointment on and eating arnica tablets.

My work appointment tomorrow just got cancelled so I'm going to ski Gore tomorrow.
See what happens. I SO WANT TO SKI w/ you all Friday!!!!

Ouch, indeed!

 

[mustski]

@nopoleskier OUCH! that looks terrible. Heal quickly.
@VickiK at least it doesn't hurt in ski boots.

My neuroma is acting up and the 2nd toe is starting to trigger. It hurt quite a bit yesterday so I amped up my stretching and it went ok today. I really don't want a surgery!

 

[newboots]

@VickiK - maybe wear an old pair ski boots instead of street shoes?

Uh, just a thought.

 

[knolan12]

@MissySki I always tag team a trip to Ski Monster during the week with my husband. I work in Back Bay so I can zip on over and then he'll meet me with all our gear driving in from Quincy. Only downside during the week is that last time it took him an hour to get from Neponset Circle to the Ski Monster sooo still isn't great haha I do find on the weekend parking is a lot easier (as long as there isn't a Bruins or Celtics game haha).

Also, went to my foot appointment again yesterday. We think there's definitely some improvement in the type of numbness I felt when I went skiing so she gave me some stretches to help as well. I'm going Sunday to Pat's Peak and I booked a private lesson. I think I partially need to get out of my own head so I requested an instructor with a lot of patience haha I'll be curious if any of their feedback ends up helping and it turns out my form just stinks hahaha

Sorry to hear there's fellow foot issues going on with the divas!

 

[Mary Tee]

Stupid me stubbed my toe really good (bad) it's shiny from the cbd arnica on it.. Better get better ASAP . Haven't tried to put a ski boot on... Ugh

ohh that looks really painful...hope it doesnt keep you away from Belleayre Friday.

 

[bsskier]

Ouch! I wish your toe gets well soon!