# Feet and calf pain?



## mag⋅net⋅ism

I def can't comment on your technique, but I find that a great way to avoid that or alleviate muscle soreness and fatigue is to stay hydrated. I found that when I ride with a camelbak and can take a drink anytime I need to my muscle-cramping and soreness both on the hill and the next day are greatly reduced. Water helps deliver oxygen to your muscles, and the burning is a build of of lactic acid. It's definitely a good idea to stay hydrated both on the hill and the day before. Snowolf posted something somewhere else about quickly switching back and forth between heel and toe to avoid muscle fatigue. I hope that helps.


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## SB4L

By "Catwalks" I am guessing you mean Cat-tracks, at least that's what I've always heard... But yeah in my experience, this usually happens to me because of a few things:
a) I haven't stretched out properly before riding
b) It's the first day riding in more than 3-4 days
c) my boots are either too tight, too loose, or bindings stance is off
d) it's early season and my legs aren't fully back into it.

Usually D) is the main reason - after about 20+ days into the season this seems to happen to me a lot less. Also as magnetism pointed out, hydration is a big factor on top of these things.

Definitely keep switching between edges, or if possible, try riding switch. Sometimes on a slanted cat-track I'll ride switch to save my ankles from not being able to carve and switch edges.


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## Technine Icon

This is fairly normal. It happens alot when u stay on the same edge for a long time. The way to fix this is to drink more, eat right, stretch, and work out your legs.


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## wrathfuldeity

Its often newbs have not figured out to ride toeside with their quads and knees...they don't bend their knees enough...sink down bend those knees. What you are probably doing is riding "tippy toes" to maintain toeside edge. Use your bigger joints and muscles, i.e., knees and quads instead of calves, ankles and feet.


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## Guest

wrathfuldeity said:


> Its often newbs have not figured out to ride toeside with their quads and knees...they don't bend their knees enough...sink down bend those knees. What you are probably doing is riding "tippy toes" to maintain toeside edge. Use your bigger joints and muscles, i.e., knees and quads instead of calves, ankles and feet.



This.

While some of what you are experiencing could be chalked up to muscle fitness and endurance, a larger part is which muscles are doing the movements. Rather than applying the pressue through the ends of your toes, try pressing the whole front-half of your booth onto your toe edge by pushing the knee out and against the tongue and laces of your boot.


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## Music Moves

wrathfuldeity said:


> Its often newbs have not figured out to ride toeside with their quads and knees...they don't bend their knees enough...sink down bend those knees. What you are probably doing is riding "tippy toes" to maintain toeside edge. Use your bigger joints and muscles, i.e., knees and quads instead of calves, ankles and feet.





Mpagano9 said:


> This.
> 
> While some of what you are experiencing could be chalked up to muscle fitness and endurance, a larger part is which muscles are doing the movements. Rather than applying the pressue through the ends of your toes, try *pressing the whole front-half of your booth* onto your toe edge by pushing the knee out and against the tongue and laces of your boot.


Yeah, I usually tell people that the hips are very involved. There are certainly pelvic actions that take place after bending your knees, almost like a pelvic thrust (no porn intended). But seriously, it is an all-body movement.

Also, if you're ever in the gym, I've found settings on an arc trainer (not elliptical, but arc - different machines) that hit the areas frequently used in snowboarding. Strong/durable abs are also key.


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## Guest

Thanks to everyone for the great input. I'll work on bending at the knee rather than the ankle.


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## Guest

I used to have the same issue.
Untill I got inserts for my boots.
There amazing


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## jmacphee9

this happens for me on long cat tracks as well, i just switch edges ever so often to relieve the stress a little bit..


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## bobepfd

Once you learn to ride better you'll spend less time on one edge and more time flat or switching it up. If you stay on one edge for an extended period of time you're going to feel the burn no matter what. Try going down the hill on your back edge and tell my your quads aren't burning. Also you can try to ride them switch once in awhile and work some other muscles.


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## Guest

snowboardxlife1 said:


> I used to have the same issue.
> Untill I got inserts for my boots.
> There amazing


What kind of inserts did you get?

For me it's always my left foot that feels like it's getting twisted up whether im riding regular or switch as long as it's on the toeside. It seems a lot weight is transferred to the outside of my foot therefore straining the muscle just above the ankle on the outside.. it feels like my left foot is trying to squirm out of the boot but my right heel is always comfortable and well planted..
can anyone explain this?

i've consciously tried to fix this problem whilst riding but i just can't figure it out.. what am i doing wrong? is it my boot? my stance? Thanks, any help would be very much appreciated


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## legallyillegal

Increase your forward binding's angle.


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## Guest

thanks i tried that but it just felt like it was digging into my calf.. it just made the pain worse because i tend to rest it whilst on my heelside. Anyways i tried some Superfeet inserts which held my foot and ankle in place better but it cut of the circulation in my toes. Considering trying custom orthopaedic inserts but they're quite expensive.


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## Guest

It's probably cutting of the circulation to your toes because you aren't talking out the original footbeds in your boots. You have to take those out and replace them with the superfeet ones. And if that isn't it then you could always just cut the toe part off and just use to heel part.


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## Guest

legallyillegal said:


> Increase your forward binding's angle.


I was thinking decrease the front binding angle. If I get my front binding turned too far forward the inside of my foot will start to burn 1/2 way down the first run and all day long until I go back to about 15 degrees.


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## lilfoot1598

phylisss said:


> What kind of inserts did you get?
> 
> For me it's always my left foot that feels like it's getting twisted up whether im riding regular or switch as long as it's on the toeside. It seems a lot weight is transferred to the outside of my foot therefore straining the muscle just above the ankle on the outside.. it feels like my left foot is trying to squirm out of the boot but my right heel is always comfortable and well planted..
> can anyone explain this?
> 
> i've consciously tried to fix this problem whilst riding but i just can't figure it out.. what am i doing wrong? is it my boot? my stance? Thanks, any help would be very much appreciated


I have the same problem and it's really starting to piss me off. I always get the cramping next to my ankle bone on my right foot (I ride goofy), and sometimes along the bottom of my foot and along my small toe, and only on toeside. My front foot also feels "twisted up" and my back foot is always completely comfortable. This isn't the burning feeling that a person might get in his or her thighs or calves after holding one position for a long period of time - it is a burning, painful cramp that often lasts for up to 15 minutes after sitting down to rest the foot.

I tried moving my front binding position from +18 to +15 and finally to +12, but I haven't noticed much of a difference. I don't want to go any lower than +12 though. I have noticed that I am putting extreme pressure on the toes of my right foot, so I think that, for me at least, it's a problem with technique. I've been trying to put more even pressure on both feet and use my hips rather than my ankles and feet to get myself onto my toe edge. 

I've also wondered if my boots are contributing to the problem, since I have the lowest end Burton boots which are slightly big for me. I've considered buying some Superfeet since they're so highly recommended...


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## Guest

lilfoot1598 said:


> I've also wondered if my boots are contributing to the problem, since I have the lowest end Burton boots which are slightly big for me. I've considered buying some Superfeet since they're so highly recommended...


Big boots - hurt. When I was first starting out, I had a pair of loaners from a buddy that were just a size too big and they killed my toes, while learning toeside even.. I got a pair of boots that fit, bottom-of-the-line generic boots albeit and I was carving in no time. 

I've had the same crappy boots ever since! I cannot wait to get some quality boots and see the difference they'll make.


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## Guest

danmyersmn said:


> I was thinking decrease the front binding angle. If I get my front binding turned too far forward the inside of my foot will start to burn 1/2 way down the first run and all day long until I go back to about 15 degrees.


thanks i should try that.. just a bit hesitant to do so because i'm wondering how this would affect me when riding switch...  and i'd imagine the more angled your stance the harder it may be to switch from heel to toe and vice versa.. true?


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## Guest

lilfoot1598 said:


> I have the same problem and it's really starting to piss me off. I always get the cramping next to my ankle bone on my right foot (I ride goofy), and sometimes along the bottom of my foot and along my small toe, and only on toeside. My front foot also feels "twisted up" and my back foot is always completely comfortable. This isn't the burning feeling that a person might get in his or her thighs or calves after holding one position for a long period of time - it is a burning, painful cramp that often lasts for up to 15 minutes after sitting down to rest the foot.
> 
> I tried moving my front binding position from +18 to +15 and finally to +12, but I haven't noticed much of a difference. I don't want to go any lower than +12 though. I have noticed that I am putting extreme pressure on the toes of my right foot, so I think that, for me at least, it's a problem with technique. I've been trying to put more even pressure on both feet and use my hips rather than my ankles and feet to get myself onto my toe edge.
> 
> I've also wondered if my boots are contributing to the problem, since I have the lowest end Burton boots which are slightly big for me. I've considered buying some Superfeet since they're so highly recommended...


its nice to know im not the only one here.. i hope we figure this out soon... i tend to get more pain after having been to the park.. is that the same for you? i'm thinking maybe its the impact from landing jumps as well as not having the option to rest on my heels as often as i'd like for some relief.

Since my last post i have bought new boots, 32 Lashed 2008/09. They're one size smaller than my normal shoe size but they feel really comfy and snug for my wide feet. They offer more room in the toe box which helps my blood flow to my toes. Overall the new well-fitted boots has slightly reduced the pain in my ankles by reducing the squirming around and therefore the possibility of an ankle twist. Much less heel lift too 

I've been on the Superfeet foot bed for a few days to see if it can help correct my ankle issue.. and no it hasn't really made much of a difference.. im finding that it makes my feet slip slightly towards the front. I may try a custom foot bed as I have an unusually high arch.

I have also reduced the width of the stance on my snowboard which i believe has also helped but still doesn't stop me from feeling the strain for the next two days.

I'm the same and trying to improve my riding technique and consciously making sure to distribute my weight evenly.. even then it still hurts.. please let me know if you find out how to fix this issue.. i don't know what else i can do.

When you're on your toe edge do you find your back foot heel lifting more than your front foot? I'm suspecting that has something to do with it but i can't seem to correct it without losing control.

Thanks any help would be much appreciated  i hope all that made sense


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## Guest

Mrs.Queez said:


> Big boots - hurt. When I was first starting out, I had a pair of loaners from a buddy that were just a size too big and they killed my toes, while learning toeside even.. I got a pair of boots that fit, bottom-of-the-line generic boots albeit and I was carving in no time.
> 
> I've had the same crappy boots ever since! I cannot wait to get some quality boots and see the difference they'll make.



Hi,

Thanks for the advice. I have now replaced my old boots and the comfort has definately improved


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