# Foot cramps, is it my boots, or is it just me?



## Anthony (Apr 6, 2009)

How long have you been riding.. is ti your equipment.. how old is it? nowhere near enough details..


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## latemp (Apr 6, 2008)

latemp said:


> When I spend a long time on my toe side, my foot seems to always cramp. I try to use my ankles, but it seems like the shin area of my boot gives and I have to tippy toe a little bit to twist the board. Y'all think my boots are maybe too big, or am I just doing something wrong, or is that normal?


Burton freestyle boots and bindings, gnu 11up board. Been riding bout 2 years altogether, and this is my first everything. Pretty much always somewhat had this problem, but the runs I were doing before were short. With the longer runs now I'm really feelin it


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## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

Overtightening your bindings can also make your feet hurt if the boots are relatively soft.


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## latemp (Apr 6, 2008)

I've tried tightening and loosening the boots and bindings.....it jus seems to come from me having to tippy toe in my boots. Is that give in the shins from the boots being soft?


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## Anthony (Apr 6, 2009)

I thought that it was binding related also.. how is the stance setup? have you always ridden with the same setup? different problem but I had huge issues with muscle fatigue in my legs and it ended up just being a binding issue.. I kept adjusting them till I found the setup that was most comfortable.. my incorrect stance was causing undo pressure on my legs.. is something about your setup putting too much pressure on your foot somewhere? are your boots tight? how do they feel just walking around?


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

are your bindings centered over the middle of the board? If you're positioned too far heelside, that could cause your "tippie toe" issue. Even if they are centered, you could try moving them farther toeside. Will give you more leverage and hopefully help avoid the crampage. That is, if you have the space to make adjustments without dragging.


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## latemp (Apr 6, 2008)

I just have the default setup. 15/-3. My board doesnt allow for any movement towards either edge. Boots feel fine walking around. I was noticing today tho, my feet do have a little room to move around. If they're too big, I can't see them being more than 1/2 a size too big. Does placement further or closer to the tip do do anything?


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

your binding disc doesn't have a certain way it can face so that you can adjust heel/toe distance? if not, then nothing I can recommend that won't cost money.

I'd say the 1/2 size in boot wouldn't be the culprit as much as your boots themselves. Go into a shop and try on some different models. See if you can't find another brand that fits more snug.


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## latemp (Apr 6, 2008)

Nefarious said:


> your binding disc doesn't have a certain way it can face so that you can adjust heel/toe distance? if not, then nothing I can recommend that won't cost money.
> 
> I'd say the 1/2 size in boot wouldn't be the culprit as much as your boots themselves. Go into a shop and try on some different models. See if you can't find another brand that fits more snug.


Actually it does now that I look. But i have large bindings with gas pedals all the way out, so they're bout at the edge anyway


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

try adjusting it toe side and see how it feels. boot + bind up on the couch and try leaning against the couch (facing each way) and seeing at what point your toe/heel actually touches the carpet/floor. I did that and fiddled and I found that even though I've got large bindings, I've got more room to work with than I originally thought. Worth a shot.


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## Jeklund (Dec 14, 2009)

Your boots are probably too large and when you go toeside your heels are lifting up and your toes slide back (Kind of like when you pull your foot out but instead your insole is pulling out of the shell) a bit which will cause the cramps. I would try getting some J-Bars or even a heel shim could help as they will both pack in your liner giving it less room to move. A 1/2 size is roughly a 1/2 inch and that can make a difference as your foot will be able to move around and place your feet in a less than ideal spot.


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## latemp (Apr 6, 2008)

Jeklund said:


> Your boots are probably too large and when you go toeside your heels are lifting up and your toes slide back (Kind of like when you pull your foot out but instead your insole is pulling out of the shell) a bit which will cause the cramps. I would try getting some J-Bars or even a heel shim could help as they will both pack in your liner giving it less room to move. A 1/2 size is roughly a 1/2 inch and that can make a difference as your foot will be able to move around and place your feet in a less than ideal spot.


Do you know where I can get some? And which are better? Ive been searching o line and I see people talking about them are trying to stop their heel from lifting, some saying it lifts even though they bought the smallest boots they can fit. My heel definitely lifts a lot during toe sides.


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## pencap75 (Dec 10, 2008)

*Bindings with canted footbed*

There are many factors that can cause foot pain.

For me, it wasn't until I started using canted footbed (Ride NRC, Contraband) that my foot pain went away, especially around the small toe.


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## gr0mmitgirl (Jan 17, 2011)

It's gotta be your boots. Maybe you need more arch support?


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## Jeklund (Dec 14, 2009)

latemp said:


> Do you know where I can get some? And which are better? Ive been searching o line and I see people talking about them are trying to stop their heel from lifting, some saying it lifts even though they bought the smallest boots they can fit. My heel definitely lifts a lot during toe sides.


tognar.com has a great selection of boot footing items, I've been meaning to get some for my boots for awhile but my problem isn't really painful it just makes me work a bit more. The good thing about there stuff is it's not too expensive and for $30 you can buy a variety and find what helps you the most.

As for whats better it really varies buy each situation but I would probably start buy just trying a heel shim and if doesn't help then start using trying out the J, C and entire ankle wrap pads. Basically depending on how much heel lift you have would determine what pad you would use, the more padding you add the more heel retention your going to get.


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## latemp (Apr 6, 2008)

I went again for about half a day to pinpoint everything. Basically it seems like on harder toe turns my heel comes up a lot, and I feel my foot slide back a little bit. To maintain the turn I'm basically on my tippy toe on the leading foot, and after being on my tippy toe, the arch of my foot starts cramping up a lot. I looked online at boot sizing and I saw an article say your toes should touch the front when u get them. Well my boots fit the same way my shoes do with a little gap. When I get back in town I'm gonna stop by a board shop to see if they have anything that might help, like some of the stuff suggested. And next time I go, if I find what I need for my boots my plan is to try that out and maybe rent some tighter boots to see how they feel.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Sounds like your boots are abit big, maybe a foot bed and butterfly/c/j bars. First...get your boots centered in the bindings by moving the heelcup...then center bindings on the board. Ankle strap might need to be raised up higher around the cuff of the boot...for better leverage. Lastly, try to avoid using tippy toes by bending your knees more...bigger joints/muscles = more leverage and less fatigue.


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## conwayeast (Nov 6, 2008)

You should look into new insoles. i.e. Superfeet, Aline, and there are others. New insoles will make a huge difference.


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## dksmith17 (Oct 13, 2010)

This happened to me when I started. I tried doing calf raises when I worked out and it seemed to help out quite a bit. Calf raises help you strengthen your foot in addition to your calves.


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## latemp (Apr 6, 2008)

i actually been using my knees a lot more lately (just took an intermediate class that taught that). i feel the difference using my knees, its just it feels like whats ultimately happening is, i'm loosing a lot of the energy i'm trying to put to the board in the boots somehow. when i'm dropping my knee into a toeside, i'm not sure if its the inner lining moving or what (i did try tightening the lining), but my shin is moving a lot in the boot, and once my shin is forward already i have to tippy toe a little bit to get enough to turn. i will try moving my ankle straps too for next time. but i already do calf raises in my workout now. hopefully the shop in my city will have something


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