Dealing with Feet Issues

If you’re anything like me you have not been nice to your body over the years.  Years of skating, football, basketball, snowboarding, etc. have taken their toll on my feet.  A couple of years back I developed plantar fasciitis in both feet.  What really set it off was landing on a knuckle at Copper Mountain, I felt the shockwave from my feet to my neck!  Dealing with this was a huge set back for me, I got to the point where I felt like I could not do anything.  I stopped skating, I rarely hit jumps or rails on my snowboard, couldn’t hike…yes I got fat!  I saw numerous doctors, received cortisone injections, had MRI’s done, etc.  I finally was able to get some physical therapy on my feel and made some changes in my footwear.  It took me 2 years to finally get my feet feeling good again.  I can skate again, I can hit jumps on my snowboard, etc.

Some things I did that have helped my feet improve and to prevent this from happening again;

  • Test out snowboard boots – Boots are not cheap, I used my boots for way too long.  If you ride a lot you’ll need to replace your boots often.  I learned this the hard way.  Do not let your boots get really packed out, trust me on this one. For me boots with added cushion made a big difference.
  • Test bindings – I talked to a bunch of shop guys and industry people and bought bindings with a heavily padded base to help cushion impacts.  Spend the extra time and money to get some good bindings.
  • Insoles – I have numerous insoles I switch into the shoes I am wearing.  Dr. Scholl’s active series and Footprint Insole Technology is what I use.

2 thoughts on “Dealing with Feet Issues”

  1. Snowboarding is hell on the feet. Like you, I’ve had so many problems and almost gave up the activity due to painful feet, ankles. I can’t recommend enough getting some custom footbeds made. My fallen arches made it a necessity. Other problems that have cropped up that aren’t mainstream are PTTD (Posterier Tibalis Tendon Disorder).

    It felt like I needed to crack my ankle but it wouldn’t crack. It got so painful that when I took my boot off, I couldn’t place my full weight on it or even drive for a few hours. Several failed diagnosis from sports medicine doctor and chiropractor finally forced me to a reputable orthopedic surgeon. They diagnosed it quickly and got me on a PT regimen. It still acts up but now I know what it is.

    1. That sounds awful, feet issues are miserable. I almost hung it up as well, I’d be hobbled for days after riding. Some things that have helped me a ton and rejuvenated me…yoga, new quality boots often, footprint insoles. Yoga has core moves that stretch you feet and ankles, I wish I would have found yoga many years ago. Not all boots are created equal, I used to buy whatever boot was cheap. No more…I spent the extra money to get a good boot…makes a huge difference. Check out our review of Footprint Insoles, these things are really amazing. Hope some of this helps, I know how frustrating this can be.

      Hang in there,
      Dave

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