AT LAST… the snow is falling in Europe. We can now get excited about our white winter exploits, but remember that as well as the excitement we must get the body prepared for the pounding that we give it.
For many of us for a ski holiday means having uncomfortable and sore feet, and as a a result we can come up with excuses to make that early stop for hot chocolate just to undo your boots. This needn’t be so.
Getting your feet BOOTFIT is absolutely essential in order to enjoy your holiday. You can achieve this in several different ways:
- Exercise your legs & core muscles at least 4-6 weeks prior to leaving for your holiday. Read our article on Skiing Preparation.
- Wear your ski boots around the house for small periods at a time to get your feet used to being enclosed within an unnatural rigid shell.
- Consider getting a Snow-thotic (an orthotic custom made for your ski boots) – this can make a considerable difference to your comfort levels whilst skiing.
Think of a custom orthotic like a well fitted sock. The orthotic will fit the contours of the feet providing support where needed, cushioning to the right areas, and will hold the foot in the right position in the boot, allowing for the boots to be buckled up gently. Remember, we are not tightening the boots as if we were racing. Closing the buckle should not require any thing more than 2/3 fingers of effort.
If on the other hand (or foot) you used a sock that didn’t fit, it would cover your foot, keep it warm, but not fit well, it’s like wearing a boot where there has been no custom intervention. The foot will go in the boot ok, but to provide the support and hold needed to control the ski, the bindings will have to be clamped down harder and this may mean that there is pressure where it shouldn’t be, restricting muscle function, cutting off circulation and leading to achey calfs, painful arches and burning balls of feet and numb toes. It doesn’t paint a good picture does it?
Incidentally, if you had your ski boot lining custom made, and spent the whole time watching what the technician was doing, chances are the solution you have may not work the way you intended. It is important that the technician puts your feet, ankles and knees into the correct position and moulds the orthotics while you look straight ahead. Looking down completely changes your posture.
Also, just like with running orthotics, it is important to get ski orthotics reviewed every couple of years.
If you are unsure how to go about getting your boots sorted, why not give our snow sport specialist a call to discuss the options available to you.