Painful Shin Bang - So Frustrated

[The SnowShow]

So my problem is painful shin bang that shows up after skiing a whole day, making it really painful to ski a second day right after (even after icing it and popping some advil). I have a Nordica Speedmachine 12 boot that was fit for me by Surefoot. I also have a world cup level Booster Strap.
I've been to Larry the Bootfitter in Boulder 4 times this year, and everything they've done I feel should have helped (custom footbed, extra padding on liner, added neoprene pad on tongue, 1/2" heel lift) but nothing has stopped the shin bang. I ice it for days after skiing and it still comes back after 6-8 hours of skiing. I am so fucking frustrated it's not funny....does anyone here have any advice or ideas how to deal with this? I cannot afford a new boot for this season, so any ideas on how to tinker with this one (which everyone has said is the right shell size) would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks!

[Vinman]

maybe it is not the boot maybe it is how you ski...??? too much backseat=bootbang.

[toiletduck]

maybe it is not the boot maybe it is how you ski...??? too much backseat=bootbang.

or too front seat - used to do this myself, was brutal.

[sierraskier]

I went on a cat-skiing trip last weekend and charged hard for 3 days - by day 3 was getting some boot bang issues and just found this thread

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ight=shin+bang

in which shasti gives a great explanation and potential remedy.

[Jethro]

Thats a fairly stout boot. The question is, is it too stiff. If you are flexing into it and it does not move, shin bang will be worse. Has you boot fitter thought about extending the V shaped cuts on each side of the lower shell down. This will let the boot flex a bit more and might lessen your shin pain. Letting the boot flex might work better than slapping pads in it.

I am 6'-4" 225 lbs and I am in a 28 shell doberman 130 with a surefoot conformable liner. I thought this boot was stiff when I got it, but for my height and weight it works well now.. three years later. If the boot will not flex much, your knees, hips and back have to do more work to absorb the shocks of skiing. I have made the mistake twice of getting too stiff a boot. It sound to me like a softer flex might be kind to you.

[The SnowShow]

Thanks for the insight everyone. Personally I don't think it's my skiing - I'm pretty damn good about keeping out of the back seat - however, maybe the addition of the heel lift is a bad one? Maybe it's putting me too far into the front seat? I feel it has gotten worse since they put it in....thoughts?
I will try what Shasta recommends though - thanks for that link.

Maybe the boot is too stiff. However, if I go to 100 or 110 flex (mine's 120) won't my skiing get sloppy? I'm 6'-5". 210 on Goat 190s.....worried with less flex the ski will not perform well if the boot can't support it and my height/weight...

[Jethro]

I did not know you were that tall and heavy. You are real close to my size, and I know smaller skiers on stiffer boots who have no problems. I am a bit over 6'-4" and a few years ago I was 210 lbs. I would definitely not go softer You have the leverage and weight to flex the boot, so toughening your shins might help. The advice from Shasti sounded good also. Can you tell if your shins are bruised or if they have shin splints?

[The SnowShow]

Sounds like for one, I should take out the heel lift, so I'm not pushed towards my toes...by taking it out, I can try what Shasta is talking about. Sounds hard to keep your toes pointed up towards your shin through rough bumpy terrain....

[The SnowShow]

I tried what Shasta was talking about...had a hard time keeping my toes pointed upward through rowdy terrain...any tips?

[brosia]

Haven't tried it myself, but someone recommended putting some thin shin guards on my shins to protect impact from the boot for my tib-fib break. That'll only work if there's enough room and if it doesn't push you back into the backseat. Might be a temporary fix.

[lookinback]

watch out for a potential stress fracture. I was having some really bad shinbang about a month ago from skiing around 8 days in a row. The pain wouldnt go away after I took a few rest days. Trip to the doctor later I found out my left leg is broken in three places. Make sure you havnt developed shin splints which can easily lead to a painful stress fracture.

[The SnowShow]

Hi,

the pain goes away after a day or two with icing...seems like it's just the boot that's not the right fit for me, and I'll have to live with it this year...can't afford a new boot now.

[Driver]

watch out for a potential stress fracture. I was having some really bad shinbang about a month ago from skiing around 8 days in a row. The pain wouldnt go away after I took a few rest days. Trip to the doctor later I found out my left leg is broken in three places. Make sure you havnt developed shin splints which can easily lead to a painful stress fracture.

I did a 25 footer a week ago and compressed pretty hard forward, shins been killing me ever since but I think it's getting better. Wake up in the middle of the night with shooting pains. Hoping this doesn't affect my skiing this week, but we'll see...

[calisnow]

Reviving an old thread here. I also have the Speedmachine 12's. Only mods at this point are cork footbeds. I'm 6'0 165 lbs and have no shin bang problems. But I DID have bad shin bang with my old Langes (got the Speedmachines 3 seasons ago).

Shin bang seems to be a mysterious problem - I still have no idea why I had it in the Langes but not these boots.

As another poster said you can have the boots softened up. Frankly your skiing might be better with softer boots if that means no shin pain.

Even if you can't afford new boots right now, maybe you should demo a few others before the season is over and see if they also give you shin problems. If not - maybe you should save up for them and pick 'em up next season.