I am at a loss...

[td]

Greetings to everyone in the Northeast from Colorado. I am a realtively new skier, in that I have skied about 1 full season.I have an issue with foot pain that nobody can seem to figure out. I was hoping this group of veterans may have heard of something or had this issue themselves.

When I ski and make turns and exert pressure on my feet I get tremendous pain. Notstandard pressure pain like you would expect , but excruciating devastating, vomit inducing pain!

I have tried many things and consulted with many experts and I just tried again today and if anything it is worse. Here are the things I have tried so far:

1. I had a very cheap pair of boots first time around so I got standard 1 size fits all foot beds.

Results: No change.

Visited Podiatrist told him of my problem. he told that since I had flat feet that there was little I could do. He taped my feet and I went skiing.

Results:

Same issue. It sucked.

Took cheap boots to reccomended boot fitter in Boulder , Co and had consultation. Traded old cheap boots in for brand New Nordicas.

Results:

Same issues very very painful on the outside edges of my foot. Impossible to ski a full day.

Took new Nordicas to bootfitter in Fort Collins, Co recommended by several fellow skiers. Got custom footbeds using the pressure sensitve measuring system and had the canting adjusted on my boots.

Results: Worse ! I tried to day and only made 2 runs before literally being unable to finish. I almost thought I would have to call ski patrol but I gutted it out.


Here is the strange thing for me. With in 15 minutes of taking my boots off the pain subsides with very little residual soreness. There is a little tenderness but that is it. The footbed guy wants me to come back to see what we can do, but I am really starting to get discouraged! I only have this issues when I exert pressure in turns.

I would be eternally grateful to anyone who had any experience or suggestions on how to approach this problem.

TD

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

"vomit inducing pain" wow that is serious. You've only been at it a year, why not switch to snowboarding. The boots seem alot less painful and at least you'd still be on the hill.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

"vomit inducing pain" wow that is serious. You've only been at it a year, why not switch to snowboarding. The boots seem alot less painful and at least you'd still be on the hill.

I second that motion! :idea:

 

[td]

I am thinking of going the daleboot or strolz route. Daleboot is more econmically feasible due to location, any thoughts ?

 

[jayo]

try going to see an ORTHOTIST, there's 3-4 clinics around Ft Collins that have very good practitioners, and bring your boots. They should see you for a free consult, may need a prescription from your MD. It sounds like you have some fairly serious mechanical problems to address, these guys know feet and biomechanics, with any luck, in that area, one will be a big skier and know exactly how to treat it. good luck.

 

[stomachdoc]

Have you had an x-ray of your foot? Sounds like a stress fracture (I had when I used to run--ouch!!).

 

[bigbog]

td,
You need to do some skiing with the boots...it takes a little while for the liners to pack out!...and then get the true fit. ...However I don't know what this "exerting pressure(on the feet).. during a turn" is...? Your feet should be stabilized and neutral while on the footbed, in the boot. Are you gripping with the toes at all??
I'm a lonnnnnnng way from being an expert /instructor, lots of others here are far better....but lessons are always nice. A couple inexpensive but terrific books are "The Athletic Skier"(Warren Witherall???) and "The Skier's Edge"(Ron McMaster). The group over on Epicski.com is nice too....although at times, some dialogue gets a little too much... :lol:
Steve

 

[td]

thanks

All good stuff from everyone, thank you. I have a couple of questions though..

Would a stress fracture always hurt ? 15 minutes after I ditch the boot I am fine and can jump up and down on my foot,

What is a ORTHOTIST ? I will look taht up and see if I can get an appointment.

By pressure I mean even to stop or initiate the turn. I have taken a couple of lessons, but I will try a few more perhaps. Couldn't hurt at this point.

 

[ctenidae]

Question- is it broad, deep muscle/bone pain, or sharp, localized, even pin-point pain? I ask, because getting a diagnoses of "Flat feet, nothing we can do" from a podiatrist makes me think you went and saw Dr. Nick (sorry if he was your cousin or something).
If it's hurting only when you put pressure on the outsides, it could be a small fracture, but it could also be Planter's warts. They're usually hard to spot, because they stay under the skin, but they hurt like the dickens when you stomp on them. I had them on my heel once, many moons ago, and (the sqeamish should turn away here) I cut them out with a razor myself after a variety of docters said 'I dunno". They form a plate under the skin with a tail that seems to find the nearest nerve and strangle it. I don't recommend hacking your foot up, but if the pain is like hot needles being jabbed in your foot, you may have a case of Planter's warts. Something to look into, anyway.

 

[bigbog]

Once the liner begins to pack out, you can have a bootfitter grind away any "hotspots"....if the shape of the shell is a match for your foot, you should be fine from then on...

 

[LordHedgie]

td,
Are you gripping with the toes at all??

Steve,

I find myself frequently gripping with my toes, especially when I'm nervous or in difficult terrian. It seems to help me refocus my weight forward instead of moving back, but I can't help but think it's a bad habit. Am I correct in that assumption?

 

[td]

more thanks !

The people on this forum are wonderful! thansk for all the advice. To answer a few of the questions:

It is not a shooting nerve type pain more extreme muscle or muscle spasm pain, almost a burning sensation.

I do grip my toes when I ski. I am beginning to think I am 'muscling" the turns flat footed instead of using the skis they way they were intended. I am definitely going to take some more lessons.

What do you mean by the linings packing out ?

 

[stomachdoc]

Plantar fasciitis (not Plantar's Warts, which are visible) is a possibility, but is always the bottom of the food, usually the "pad" in back of the toes. You should see your doctor, or another Podiatrist, who should absolutely order x-rays of your foot.

 

[BrockVond]

When I ski and make turns and exert pressure on my feet I get tremendous pain. Notstandard pressure pain like you would expect , but excruciating devastating, vomit inducing pain!

see an orthopedic specialist asap and get it xrayed. I've had stress fractures in the past that sound like what you're experiencing, but it could be other things or a combination. And don't be afraid to get a second opinion or to request an MRI if nothing turns up in xrays. Sometimes it's really hard to spot stress fractures.