Jump to content
Note to New Members ×

Extreme Foot Pain Question


Ginsu

Recommended Posts

Back in October of 2005 I bought the Suzuka boots, size 30. Every time I use them I would experience crippling pain all over my foot. I had the boots fitted in Bend Oregon at a Foot Doctor / Boot Fitter. I have custom orthodics and I've had 2 previous Raichle/Deelux hard boot models. These are the only ones that did this. I tired various boot buckle adjustments and stance changes to try to pinpoint a source. My best guess is that the boots are too narrow and or short for my feet. I have a Mondo size of about 30.4. My street shoe size is now a 13.5/14. My feet are 4.5 inches wide. So I'm not sure if the newer boots are just to narrow for my feet or if I've got some other foot problem? I've been to 2 foot doctors and a orthopedic doctor. None could find a problem.

So my questions are; 1. Would a 31 boot give me any added width? 2. Has anyone else heard of or had this problem?

The pain is so bad I cannot continue and the last few times I had to stop every 20ft or so and rest. The pain doesn't stop until about 10mins after the boots come off. But theres no pain just wearing the boots only boarding in them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure if the pain I used to get a couple of years is the same but sounds similar. I also use a pair a Mono 30s bu tI am a size 12 street shoe. My pain felt like it was my arch was being crushed flat - not enough support in the center of my foot beds - fixed simply by building up the underneath side of my foot bed in the center.. You might just try that with a small peice of foam and see if it increases or decreases the pain. If it does give you any feedback then I'd mention this to your Foot Bed maker and do it professionally. Hope this helps -- it is no fun when the pain exceeds the enjoyment level. :biggthump

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure if the pain I used to get a couple of years is the same but sounds similar. I also use a pair a Mono 30s bu tI am a size 12 street shoe. My pain felt like it was my arch was being crushed flat - not enough support in the center of my foot beds - fixed simply by building up the underneath side of my foot bed in the center.. You might just try that with a small peice of foam and see if it increases or decreases the pain. If it does give you any feedback then I'd mention this to your Foot Bed maker and do it professionally. Hope this helps -- it is no fun when the pain exceeds the enjoyment level. :biggthump

I have orthodics from a foot docotr and the change from my old one to new one didn't change the pain. The pain I get is all over my foot not local to the arch but the top and sides of the foot and the ankle. It almost feels as though there being crushed. Som may think I may have the boots to tight but it doesn't seem to matter, tight or not when I board I end up in pain. That's why thought maybe it's a width issue with the Suzuka?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could this be muscle cramping in your foot? I get this and it hurts like crazy...but only when I get on long runs-I'm used to 300 ft vertical runs. Mine goes away after a few days of "out west" riding.

It doesn't seem like a cramp as the pain increases as the minutes go by and if I don't stop riding it gets to a critical point of basically failure where I can't stand or control because the pain is so severe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's a width thing then you should try a set of Head Stratos Pro's or UPZ's. They are much wider.

The closest bootfitter is in Taos. There USED to be a SureFoot there but it seems to have closed down a year or two back.

I can "home mold" your liners for you. Done it a couple times now and I'm pretty comfortable with the process. If you already have orthodics then you're 1/2 way there.

Did you do the shell test in your current boots? I'm wondering if the shells are too big because that can lead to these types of problems as well.

I think Suzukas are really narrow so that could definately be your problem. I started on SB224s, then SB325s, and now I use Heads. The width difference is night and day. I can actually last all day in my Heads where I could barely last two hours in the SB's and as I understood it those were wider than the newer Suzuka/Indy/Lemans shells.

Anyways these guys guarantee their stuff, and you can board there starting March 18th!!! That will actually be nice since they can make boot changes and you can go take a run or two and see if more fitting needs to be done.

http://www.bootdoctors.com/taos/taos.htm

I personally don't think there is anything a bootfitter can do for you if you are in the wrong shell/size though. I spent 1/2 my last day at SES with a recommended boot fitter in Aspen on my SB325's, and he made them better, but still not perfect. The difference was lasting four hours without having to get my feet out of the boots versus two hours. Looking back I wish I would have sprung for the Surefoot works and been done with it. Footbeds + Foam liners from them will run you like $400+, but I think it's gotta be worth it for comfy feet. Actually if things go right I might just do that at SES this year to get my Heads fitting perfect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By shell test do you mean the two finger thing?

I first tried a pair of 29's but the fron of toes we getting crushed. With a 30 liner my toes already feel compressed so I'm hoping it's the fact my foot compresses so much from my flat footednes that my size 13 monsters are now nearly 14's and the width is to great for the Suzuka. I'll have to look at the Heads/UPZ are they Intec usable boots?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No the nearest place I know of that has ANY HB gear is in Angel Fire, and from what I hear he doesn't have much.

Your best bet is the internet unfortunately. Check www.alpinecarving.com for the UPZ vendor. Theres a few pairs on Ebay in early/late season.

For Heads you can get them here at BOL, and some places have early/late season deals on last years models (Startingate for example).

Your best bet would be to find somebody to swap boots with via the forums here. Or buy some used shells while your trying to figure things out?

I don't know of any shops that sell HB's and do full bootfitting. Bomber would probably be the closest thing since they can mold your thermos, but I'm pretty sure they will be the first to tell you they are not "proper" bootfitters that can stretch, etc.

Take note that there is no official BTS support with UPZ or Head, but there is a mod for the Heads that is easily done. I did my Heads in less than 20 minutes and that was 18 minutes for the first and like two minutes for the second. Not sure on BTS mods with UPZ? Haven't seen it done yet. I would definately hang on to your BTS though as it's the best system I've tried so far and it always seems to be crazy demand around here for them. They are sold out right now according to the front page...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'ld look at the possibility of too wide. The Dee Luxe Asymetrical boots are A LOT wider than the 21/22/23/24/25 series boots that are really narrow. If a boot is too narrow, you notice pain normally directly after stepping in. I have ski boots (plugs) that are so narrow that I get pain just having them on in front of the telly. But while skiing the pain is not so bad actually.

Also using a soft liner (standard liners) could be the problem too. Put in a foam liner or Intuitions/Thermoflex to see how that works out. Being in the need to close down the buckles with force because the boots are too big is IMHO the biggest contender for having feet that hurt. The harder the liner the fewer problems in my eyes (if it is fitted well).

Or maybe you close down the buckles on the shaft to heavily, so no more blodd gets in, that would hurt as well (as long as a bit gets in and out).

What was your old boot and what liners did you use?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'ld look at the possibility of too wide. The Dee Luxe Asymetrical boots are A LOT wider than the 21/22/23/24/25 series boots that are really narrow. If a boot is too narrow, you notice pain normally directly after stepping in. I have ski boots (plugs) that are so narrow that I get pain just having them on in front of the telly. But while skiing the pain is not so bad actually.

Also using a soft liner (standard liners) could be the problem too. Put in a foam liner or Intuitions/Thermoflex to see how that works out. Being in the need to close down the buckles with force because the boots are too big is IMHO the biggest contender for having feet that hurt. The harder the liner the fewer problems in my eyes (if it is fitted well).

Or maybe you close down the buckles on the shaft to heavily, so no more blodd gets in, that would hurt as well (as long as a bit gets in and out).

What was your old boot and what liners did you use?

The current ones I have are the 04/05 Suzuka size 30 with Thermoflex. The 2 previous boots were Raichles with Thermoflex also. No problem with either. They were the SB series. Prior to that I had tried the 29's but that was much to short. Recently I also had to go up in street size to 14 due to toe jam and side pressure. So that's why I keep thinking size is wrong because it seems my foot has flattened out and widened. BOL has a 30.5 Head in stock so maybe that extra .5 would be what's needed along with added width? All I need to do is sell the Suzukas. Would I need to buy Thermoflex liners for the heads or are their stock partial Thermo liners good?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you had no pain go for the Track 325 - that's the same shell fit. Don't go for head or UPZ I would say, they are as wide or wider than the Suzuka.

Wouldn't the extra width be better though? Is the 325 shell you mean the same as the old SB shells?

If someone has a Head or UPZ in size 30 maybe you could measure the width for me and I can measure my Suzuka and then we'd all know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes the SB shell was using the same molds as the new track 325. Also choosing a too wide boot (which will result in you needing to lock it down a lot more) is not beneficial. I don't know you foot, but I'ld say more people suffer from too wide than too narrow shells.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...