The importance of well fitting ski boots
A common theme we have been seeing this season is lower leg stiffness, soreness and in some cases, bruising. I want to start this blog off by saying this is not normal (although common) and you should be addressing this as soon as you notice it creep in, especially if it is affecting your ski days.
General stiffness and soreness is a common result of any activity, but the type I am talking about today relates back purely to the style, size and model of ski boot you choose to wear.
Oftentimes when we come on a ski vacation, it isn't likely for us to bring our own gear from home, which leads us to heading straight to the rental store! These boots are generic, and fairly hard to get your perfect match when you're just eager to get on the hill already. Without proper boot fittings, we can be left with torn up shins, inflamed calf muscles and stiff ankles. If this has happened to you, this is what you can do:
Check your layers - what socks are you wearing? Are they too thick/ thin? How tight are your boots around your shin and calf when skiing (not just when standing/ walking)? You might need to get rid of, or add a layer depending on which end you land on.
Ice! After a day of skiing, icing your ankles and lower calf is super beneficial to reducing that swelling and therefore preventing that stiff feeling we get in the late evening/ early morning.
Don't over stretch -- often ski boots put our ankles into permanent "dorsiflexion" which results in over stretched calf muscles. The more you stretch these, the further away from a pain free stride you will be! Try stretching or rolling out the front of your shin instead (a muscle known as "tibialis anterior").
I hope this helps your tired, sore and stiff calves and ankles after a long day of skiing! If you have any questions, send us a message on our instagram @amalarevelstoke and we will be happy to assist you!