Wee Tip Encore
Feb 9th 2009GailHandy Hints
For all those getting excited about coming to Les Gets, Morzine and St Jean d’Aulpes for their February holidays, this is for you. We hava just had another 50cm of new snow, more forecast this week.
Remember, firstly, you need to keep your ski boots tight, not so tight they cut the circulation though, I usually tighten in phases, first clips, then when I have walked to the lift, then at the top of first run etc, as the day and week goes on, you usually find your feet shrink a bit with skiing everyday. Gradually tightening I think lets your circulation adapt, I see people having problems with pain in their feet, when they tighten too fast, too soon, (remember good ski socks, never use the sports sock with the ribs, you will have friction rib marks on your shins for a month after, painful, Thierry will be happy to advise/sell you some at Nevada Sports in Les Gets
However, don’t on the other hand think skiing with your boots a bit loose is a good thing either, remember the ski bindings nowadays are designed to release on various falls, backwards, sideways etc, which has vastly reduced the broken legs. However, the force when you fall needs to be directly translated via the boot to the binding, therefore, if your boots are too loose, there is a delay, possibly resulting in another injury, such as ligaments as your leg bends with the force insted of ejecting out of the ski binding.
Also with the snow being a bit deeper, remember it transforms, that’s to say it goes a bit heavier as the warmth of the day/sun hits the pieste, so don’t be thinking its the same one run after another, watch those knees and turn like you mean it!
One further thing whilst I remember, I see alot of clients after injury, first day, first or last run and after they have had lunch, you can work out why, just take a little more care at these times.