How a ski boot works

Firstly, it would be impossible to ski without a ski boot. Why is this? A ski boot is basically an extension of the lower leg and foot and is designed to limit flexion about the ankle joint; forward, aft and side to side in what is called the 'mid-stance' of gait. This limiting effect of the ankle's natural range of movement means the energy can be transferred to the skis so as to facilitate the dynamics of the ski.

Basically a ski boot has three flex patterns:

• forward
• rearward 3 flex directions, Nord SM12, orange
• lateral (side to side)

Flex direction	Recreational	Freeride	Race
forward	Soft	Medium	Medium to stiff
rearward	Medium	Medium to stiff	Very stiff
lateral	Soft-medium	Stiff	Very stiff

Finding the right ski boot for you
Ski boots are designed on a 'neutral' shape, profile and alignment; however no two feet are the same in shape, profile and function - that is where Profeet's expertise comes in - selecting the best boot and providing the ultimate in support for your foot with a profeet custom ski insole (orthotic).

Who needs flex? [ read more ]

The stiffer the boot the greater amount of leverage and energy that is transferred to the skis and so the less tolerance the boot will have for poor technique.

The faster the turn, the greater the forces experienced by the ski boot and skier requiring a stiffer boot. The slower the turn the greater the need to flex the boot allowing you to lower your body's centre of gravity to increase stability. Flexion about the ankle joint is vital for effective and efficient ski control, so buying a ski boot with the right level of flex will encourage technical progression.

The ultimate fit combines the right level of support and retention while enabling the ankle and boot to flex appropriately depending on skier ability, ski goals and personal biomechanical makeup.

The foot is king [ read more ]

The foot and ankle form the key link between the snow, skis, ski boot and the body. Its acts a sensory organ providing the body with both natural balance and feedback about pressure, orientation and alignment. If the foot is not well balanced and pressure evenly distributed under the sole of the foot, the information going to our brain is 'muffled' and inaccurate. So to compensate our bodies need to work much harder to maintain balance and produce movement to turn and control the ski. This often leads to poor technique and very fatigued muscles.

If we are fitted into a ski boot in an unsupported, collapsed weight bearing position as is the case in an off the shelf pair of ski boots; our body will fight itself to attain alignment resulting in inconsistent pressure to the foot, reduced circulation; minimal bio-feed back; in-efficient muscle function from collapsed skeletal structure and difficulty in controlling the ski from incorrect fore/aft placement.

The ankle joint acts like the steering wheel linking body to the skis. If the 'steering wheel' is tilted one way or the other; this transfers the energy/pressure to the edges of the skis and creates turn shape. If the ankle steering wheel is either locked or too sloppy the ability for these precise movements is badly affected and what happens is that larger grosser movements are needed from the upper body to affect the same results. Do you consider yourself physically fit but feel stuffed by mid-morning? Well you could be running a marathon unnecessarily when all you need is a good set of custom insoles to place the 'steering wheel' in the optimum position.

Biomechanics of a Skier [ read more ]

The dynamic sport of skiing requires fore and aft pressuring (ski tip to tail) to affect the flex of the ski, aiding turn initiation and adding power out of turns. Lateral movements through the ankle, knee and hip to provide us with edge control. Rotational steering movements about the lower limb are integrated to alter turn shape.

The knee provides powerful, quick edging and pressuring through lateral angulation and flexing, whilst the hip provides great power through angulation. The foot and ankle offers fine-tuning adjustments through the turn, particularly through minor pronation (rolling in) about the ankle.

At profeet we are able to assess foot characteristics, postural alignment, muscle function and imbalance as related to skiing biomechanics with our foot pressure scanning equipment and video motion ski simulator. This information is used in a unique way to construct your custom insole to offer optimum foot/body alignment.

What happens if I am not properly aligned? [ read more ]

Ski alignment is the ability for the body to work in synergy with the skis and boots. It is important to have the motion, shape and dynamics of the body working with the shape, flex and profile of the ski boot. If the body is not well balanced and aligned over the boots and skis it will expend an enormous amount of energy in trying to compensate to maintain effective alignment and position over the skis. Alignment can be influenced by either poor fitting boots or if the bones and muscles of the body are not well balanced and aligned. Our body's main goal is to produce movement, maintain balance and conserve energy. Good ski boot and body alignment allows this to happen.

Alignment takes into account the positioning of our Centre of Mass (your trunk and head is the bulk of your mass) and how it sits over our skis. For greatest efficiency we would wish our skis to sit flat and to be equally weight bearing upon both feet, allowing a subtle increase of pressure occurring towards the inside edge as we flex the ankle and knee to enhance ease of turning and efficiency. Alignment should consider balancing the skier:
Left to right between both feet to keep the Centre of Mass in the middle.
Fore and aft to allow for even weight distribution.
Laterally in the boot (canting) for a flat ski surface.

Our ability as a skier to achieve perfect alignment is effected by our bones and muscles. Our make-up will vary dependant upon activities, sports and patterns of movement throughout our daily lives. It is normal for a fair amount of variation to occur; adaptation is our body's response to create efficient equilibrium to our repeated movement patterns. It is common to have subtle leg length discrepancies, postural sway and pelvic rotations in our body.

Are you familiar with one turn being more confident than the other? Which way do you turn to stop? Imagine starting off skiing into a challenging slope, which way do you turn first? Try imagining your first turn to the other direction, or stopping on the opposite outside ski...feel the resistance!

At Profeet, our Pressure Mapping technology provides us with detailed information of your weight bearing, together with observational techniques of the body to help recognise shifts in your body. We can analyse before and after images to ascertain the best level of additional lift for fore and aft balance, plus examine subtle weight changes for left to right imbalances in leg length and pelvis discrepancies.

How it fits
Your custom fitted ski boots should fit like a glove but remember skiing is a high energy sport and your feet may change slightly each day depending on many factors such as fluid retention, fatigue, sweating rate, altitude, moisture stuck in the liners and how much pinot rouge you drank the night before.

Your boots should offer you the correct level of both retention and support depending on your ability and skiing style. The retention comes from the liners, buckles and shape/profile of the shell where the support comes from the flex dynamics of the shell and also from your custom moulded insole. For the boots to work effectively the foot needs to be placed in the right position so the boot and ankle joint flexes in the correct way and the foot and liner are in snug contact with each other like a strong hand shake - firm and even.