What should I bring to my ski consult?
The season is in full swing now, with some exciting snow falls forecast for the coming week. Perhaps you have already done a sneaky early-season weekend and you're planning a few more. Or maybe you've got your trip coming up soon. Either way, you need to be able to make the most of the snow when it's there, which means having your boots ready and comfortable to go at the flick of a buckle. So now is the time to try them on and get any problems you might have sorted out so you're not wasting on-mountain time dealing with sore feet. Don't wait until the night before your ski trip. If you need some work done to the shell of your boot, you won't be going home with it within that hour of your appointment. The more time we have to work with, the more likely we are to give you fantastic feeling feet before you even get to the mountains.
In honour of being prepared, here's what you need to do to ensure you get the most out of a podiatry ski consult:
SKI BOOTS
Do you own you own ski boots? Then definitely bring them. Even if you think you'll be buying new boots soon, bring your old ones along. Being able to see you standing in a ski boot gives a really good understanding of your ski ability and comfort in a boot. It provides insight into issues you might encounter, whether that be equipment or technique issues. Being able to see this allows for a more thorough assessment and planning for you boot fixes.
If you don't own boots yet, that's not a problem. We can still assess your anatomy and stance and prepare a ski orthosis for you. Why do I need ski orthoses, you say? See our earlier post about why everyone needs them.
FOOTBEDS / ORTHOSES
Bring along any footbeds or orthoses you've been using in your boots. Any symptoms or difficulties you've had make much more sense when we can see your equipment. We can also see what has worked well for you if you've really liked your footbeds.
SKI SOCKS
What do you put in your boot? Your foot and your sock. These are all that should ever be in your boot - never wear compression leggings or thermals down into your boots. They should be folded up above the boot. Any seams, folds or bunching can cause blisters, bruising and blood flow restrictions that are not your friend on the mountain.
We want to see what type of sock you're wearing in your boot, as I'm afraid that not all socks are created equal.
KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT
We want to get to know allllllllllll about you. Which includes knowing what ski you are on. So whilst we don't need you to bring your ski in to the clinic, we do want to know what you're riding on. This tells us so much about your personality, your favourite foods and whether you're a tea or coffee drinker. Okay, so that might be pushing it a bit far, but knowing what ski you're on is important for us to determine if they might be contributing to any problems you're having with your feet.
So please know the make and model of your ski and what length they are. Just write it on a bit of paper if you think you might forget, or snap a pic on your phone. We particularly love a selfie with your equipment. All hero-shots welcome!
KNOW YOUR ISSUES
So whilst we do care about you and want you to be happy, we don't need to know your issues with your car or pesky neighbours. We want to know what the issues are with your boots! Please tell us everything you can about your boots and feet and how they get along. This can be trickier than you think. It might have been 6 or 12 months since you last put them on. You can recall the emotional pain they caused you but not the specific site of the pain or which toe went black. Sometimes people can't even remember which foot it was, but they know it ruined their holiday. So please have a really good think about what caused you problems last time you wore your boots.
Try putting your boots on at home - this often stokes the fires to ignite that memory of what the issue was, where and when it started.
Other things that are helpful to think about are:
Do you turn one way easier than the other?
What muscles ache the most at the end of the day? Calves, thighs, back, hips?
Any repeat snow injuries- What really hurts when you get home?
Do you have trouble initiating or completing turns?
You always have to be on one particular side of the t-bar
Bend forward too much
Any thing your ski instructors regularly say to you
If the pain is fresh in your head (and heart) think about these different types of sore
Numbness Vs Cold· Pins and Needles·
How long does it stay for?
Does it build up or start instantly?
Do you have any coping mechanisms?
Undoing your buckles
Taking them off at lunchtime?
Having three shots of butterscotch schnapps at every bar you ski past?
Cramping?
Burning?
These are all really important in putting together the pieces of the puzzle to give you your best ski fit. The more relevant information you can provide us with, the better the outcomes for you. And in real terms for you, that means an amazing ski trip in the mountains and love for the best sport on Earth.
So what are you waiting for? Be prepared and book in today. Find how to book here.
QUICK RUN DOWNem>
Book your ski podiatry appointment well before you're going skiing (not the night before)
Bring your boots and ski socks to the appointment
Know your ski make, model and length
Think and define where your problems are in your boots/on your foot