Sever Ankle/Shin Pain - Ski/AT Boots

Been skiing for 30 years now... racing about 10 of those... have had a mirad of injuries/issues skiing over the years but this one has got my scratching my head...

Got new boots a year ago... they were incredibly comfortable and for all intensive purposes still are. Had two days under my belt and went for a ski trip, skied four days on, one off, three on, six off, three on. By the end of the first three day leg my left ankle/shin felt as though there was something sharp sticking into it or that there was like a welt/growth that was being pressed against the front cuff of the boot and it hurt. Moving the tongue around would help at first but by this past Monday it was more triage than anything. When I inspect the tongue of the boot for something sharp pressing into my calf I can find nothing, when I inspect my left leg/ankle vs my right I can't find any inflammation nor can i find anything painful to the touch. I can't recreate the pain outside of the boot and actually skiing. I'm thinking maybe its some sort of koflaxia or something but I have no clue. Seem to maybe involve the tongue pressing down on a part of where my ankle connects to my calf but like I said can't find any issues. Sometimes even when I'm leaning back I get the pain too..

Many ski and rest days later the problem is getting worse. Its a very sharp debilitating pain. As if there's a small tumor on the front of my calf that when preasured by the boot hurts like hell but then disappears when you take the boot off. Very weird and hoping someone might have had somenthign similar in the past. . .

I would go to a reputable boot fitter and see what they can do. It sounds like just some unusual pressure on the shin which over time builds up to pain. A good boot fitter would likely find a solution.

Second the idea of starting with a good boot fitter.You might also want to see a doctor about that lump/"tumor".

Oh, it's "for all intents and purposes", not "intensive purposes" - sorry, that just claws at my eyes.

Marc801 wrote:Second the idea of starting with a good boot fitter.You might also want to see a doctor about that lump/"tumor". Oh, it's "for all intents and purposes", not "intensive purposes" - sorry, that just claws at my eyes.

Thats the point it feels as if there is a tumor but I can't find anything buldging on my leg or in the boot cuff. But when I put the boot on and walk/ski my leg feels like its on fire/sharp pain. And thnx for the correction... doly noted ;-P

I am a ex-ski boot fitter with over 10 years exp., here's my 2 cents.

First red flag, you use the word comfortable.

First question, did you get fitted or did you just buy boots based on your own information? If you did not get fitted stop all investigating and go to a reputable fitter.

The sharp pain on your shin, when did this become noticeable? if it wasn't until the 3rd day I would say tighten the boot strap at the top of the cuff, a lot of discomfort can be caused by boot being too loose when skiing. The pain could have been caused from it being to loose and your shin repentantly beating into the cuff could cause a sore spot that feels like its from something in the boot when its not. If the pain is caused by a part of the boot I would suggest getting it evaluated. Ski boots are malleable with a little heat and a ton of pressure, you can form the shell of the boot to accommodate areas of discomfort.

There is so many other factors that need to be physically evaluated to determine the root cause your issues.

Sounds a lot like you have "shin bang" which is a pretty common affliction for freeride skiers. This is caused mostly by back seat skiing. But as the name suggests it is made worse by your upper cuff is either too loose, you are not getting enough give out of the tongue/boot flex, or combination.

First thing, get out of the back seat. It is a muscle stain from trying to get forward. Second is get a booster strap and replace that stock Velcro. It has elastic in the strap so you can crank it down and still get some flex. Thirdd, take up some volume in the tongue. Any decent shop/fitter can help you out.

Then most important, take some anti-inflam and pain killer before you head out. It will take a while to get better and you are not doing any lasting damage, but hurts like a beast. So if you want to keep skiing this season you are going to have to suck it up a bit.

There is a bunch of ”remedys" offered up on the web, so just search out shin bang and try them out until you get some relief. But it will not go away quickly, just make it tolerable.

Super Fluke wrote:I am a ex-ski boot fitter with over 10 years exp., here's my 2 cents. First red flag, you use the word comfortable. First question, did you get fitted or did you just buy boots based on your own information? If you did not get fitted stop all investigating and go to a reputable fitter. The sharp pain on your shin, when did this become noticeable? if it wasn't until the 3rd day I would say tighten the boot strap at the top of the cuff, a lot of discomfort can be caused by boot being too loose when skiing. The pain could have been caused from it being to loose and your shin repentantly beating into the cuff could cause a sore spot that feels like its from something in the boot when its not. If the pain is caused by a part of the boot I would suggest getting it evaluated. Ski boots are malleable with a little heat and a ton of pressure, you can form the shell of the boot to accommodate areas of discomfort. There is so many other factors that need to be physically evaluated to determine the root cause your issues.

ha I know.. comfy can be quite the red flag when it comes to boots. Comfy because the fitter spent a lot of time with me on them ;-) Custom footbeds, shell work etc. Went to a highly reputable boot fitter but unfor does not live anywhere near me. Last year never had any problems, same setup, skiing etc. As for shin bang... its def not that. This is at the base of my leg where it connects to the ankle. I was thinking some sort of inflamation but then there would in theory be swelling and tenderness which I can't locate. As for being in the back seat, I only mention that as I feel the pain sometimes when I lean back while standing not really skiing. When I'm driving on the cuff is when I feel it most. Its very weird but seems to be related to the tongue pushing on the top of my ankle/lower calf. I have no faith in any dr in my area of CT either for this sorta thing.

Btw I really appreciate all you guys' input... so thank you!

I used to be a professional ski boot fitter, custom foot beds, orthodics etc.

It honestly sounds like the boot is slightly too big (yes too big) for your foot. Your foot is sliding forward ever so slightly in your boot and hitting your shin right where your ankle and shin meet instead of sitting back in the heal pocket of the boot correctly which would evenly distribute your weight on the entire boot tongue.

A couple things, your shin bang if bad enough, will NOT go away for at least a few days, so give it a break (or deal with the pain and keep skiing).
Skiing in the back seat can contribute, but is not likely the root cause, besides it's nearly impossible to be in the front seat while skiing powder (as opposed to racing on groomed snow). Once you have a noticeable welt on your shin, it's very hard to get rid of besides taking time off.

I would shell fit the boot to see how much room there actually is in the boot without the liner.

• * Shell Fit
• * To make sure you’re in the right size boot, do a “shell fit.” Liners will compress with use and the overall fit will get looser, but the shell size won’t change.
• * To do a shell fit, first remove the liner from the shell. Start with the boot completely unbuckled and on the floor with the toe facing away from you while you sit or kneel behind it. With your dominant hand firmly grab the top of the liner. With your other hand grab the top of the shell with your fingers between the shell and the liner. With one swift motion push the liner forward and away from you. Voilà! The liner is now out of the boot.
• * Step into the shell and slide your foot forward until your toes just touch the front of the boot. Now check the space between your heel and the back of the shell. Most skiers should be able to fit 1 to 2 fingers in this space – this translates to roughly 15 to 30 millimeters. This is a general rule of thumb - high level racers and freeriders often prefer a tighter fit, with only about 10 millimeters of space or less. A shell fit that is larger than 2 fingers/30 millimeters will normally prove to be too loose once the liner compresses from skiing.
• * Now center your foot side to side in the shell and see if you can fit a finger between the shell and both sides of your ankle. If your ankle bone is actually contacting the shell you may need to try a different boot, have a boot fitter modify the shell, or build you a footbed. **"

If the shell fit is within reason, then look into getting a footbed. Ideally a custom footbed is best but freaking expensive! You can definitely find something less expensive from an outdoor retailer, but you will have to trim it to fit correctly.

If needed I would actually take out the boot board (underneath the boot liner) and add some thin shoe insole pads to the boot board itself to take up some volume. (only if needed)

Point is you want to take up enough volume to keep your foot from being able to slide forward and create a hot spot where your ankle meets your shin, without making your boot too tight altogether.

This typically takes a good bit of trial and error which is exactly what a good boot fitter would do, but you pay for that service at a premium. Start with a good footbed, it's the best and most effective place to begin.

I would try adding volume to the tongue as a very last resort. The only time I've taken up tongue volume with some type of foam padding was to help alleviate shin bang from hucking big cliffs and this was on an already correctly fitted boot.

Good luck, it typically takes me anywhere from 4-5 hrs to get my ski boots to fit just right

It could be as simple as something wrong with the tongue in the liner itself. I've seen the plastic in the tongue of the liner crack or break and create a nasty pinch point on the tongue. Good luck!

BobGray wrote:It could be as simple as something wrong with the tongue in the liner itself. I've seen the plastic in the tongue of the liner crack or break and create a nasty pinch point on the tongue. Good luck!

Thanks Bob for the reply... ya honestly that was what my first impression was... that there was some sort of point poking object into my shin, like a bump or some hot spot in the tongue. Like maybe the foam broke down and there's a plastic edge now exposed. I've inspected the tongue several times now and for the life of me I can't find a single inconsistentcy along the area of the tongue that's where the pain is. I can confirm shell sizing is correct... I was there when I bought them and these guys knew what they were doing and were very thorough.

Tightening the cuff makes the pain way worse but the pain really only occurs when I'm driving the boot forward while skiing and there's preasure on the lower calf. I would describe the area as corrsponding with the lower calf buckle.

BTW its the Atomic Waymaker 130. I'm considering maybe trying the intuition liners... but that would be a last resort as I really had no issues at all last year and loved these boots. The guys that did my boot fit are known as one of, if not the best, in New England. Used to see Benny up at Stowe but he's really not doing good work anymore. Churn and burn thing...

hmm, maybe a stress fracture in your shin or a bone spur (osteoarthritis)? How may days do you have on the boots so far? Most liners don't hold up very well past 100+/- days skiing on them. Intuition liners are the best I've used besides comformables (which are way over priced). Maybe *try* using some tongue specific foam padding, but it's really hard to get it just right?

Having broken my ankle several times and had bone spurs removed, it might be something in your ankle/shin and not the boot :(

BobGray wrote:hmm, maybe a stress fracture in your shin or a bone spur (osteoarthritis)? How may days do you have on the boots so far? Most liners don't hold up very well past 100+/- days skiing on them. Intuition liners are the best I've used besides comformables (which are way over priced). Maybe *try* using some tongue specific foam padding, but it's really hard to get it just right? Having broken my ankle several times and had bone spurs removed, it might be something in your ankle/shin and not the boot :(

Probably 40 days... Boots don't feel packed out and foam in tongue feels good.

That's kinda like what I was thinking, ever heard of any sort of irritation from like overuse? I waws also think like what I think I've heard termed Koflaxia once... from tying your mountaineering boots to tightly.

Morgan Patterson wrote:...ever heard of any sort of irritation from like overuse?

It's happened to me - on a 12 day ski trip.
Assuming the "130" in the name of your boot model refers to flex, is that too stiff for you and your skiing style?

Thanks again for all the help guys... spoke to my bootfitter late yesterday, he said he thinks its a problem with the tendon coming from my big toe, i think he said it was the Tibialis Anterior and possibly some inflamtion or tendonitis... he suggested trying to put some spacer on the tongue of the boot so that there little to no preasure on the lower tongue where the pain is located. Makes sense...

I am experiencing this exact same thing. I've had my boots for 4 years and this season every day I go out I can hardly ski by the end of the day because the pain is so sharp. It's not shin bang - I've had that before and this is different. It is a very sharp pain near the ankle/shin. I've also inspected my tongue and boot over and over but can't find anything sharp sticking out, and as soon as I take my foot out of my boot the pain is completely gone.

Have you found any remedies for this? Did the spacer you mentioned you were going to try work?