Skiers

Functional orthotics are designed for the foot’s various phases required for walking or running. To move, adapt, flex and stretch. And to be worn inside flexible yet supportive footwear! A hard, plastic ski boot prevents these movements, hence your foot, leg and everything above needs support from a ski orthotic to function comfortably and transfer power to your ski edge.

When skiing, the foot is “fixed” inside the ski boot, in a mid-stance phase, meaning that the foot is in total contact with the ground. During the mid-stance phase of walking, the foot is mobile and flexible. It is supposed to “pronate” to reduce shock to the leg, knee and back. This is the position the foot is in when it is “fixed” inside a ski boot. It is because the foot is flexible inside a ski boot that foot pain and loss of turning efficiency come into play. In a ski turn the foot must bear a load up of to 4 times your body weight!

Boot fit problems occur as the foot is forced to pronate causing foot pressure against the boot shell. Typically this pressure occurs at the base of the little toe, the inside ankle bones and heel. Also, because the foot is flexible, the muscles and tendons of the foot are “fighting back” to resist the pronatory movement causing aching in the feet and legs. As such, skiing requires a very specific style of orthotic!

** The Forest Podiatry can also provide a boot fit check and adjustment