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Lower leg injuries in classic skiing



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 11th 03, 01:25 PM
Everett
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Default Lower leg injuries in classic skiing

For the past year I've been battling a recurrent problem -- pulled
soleus/gastrocnemius muscles -- in my lower leg. The problem is
associated only with classic XC; skating doesn't bother or trigger the
problem, probably because it involves a push to the side rather than a
kick back along the axis of the leg. In any case, I had to give up
classic skiing entirely last January.

Thinking that the problem was due to insufficient strength, I spent a
lot of time running, ski striding, hiking, climbing, and biking during
the off season, and I was optimistic going into this season on snow.
But the first time that I tried to put the pedal to the metal the same
injury came back -- worse than ever.

My physiotherapist recommended that I see a foot specialist. I have
used custom orthotics for years, so I thought that I had addressed
that issue, but with nothing to lose, I went to see Terry Makos, the
boot fitter here in Canmore. He said that he's seen a rash of injuries
identical to mine in the last year -- all associated with classic XC
skiing. He has solved many of these problems by inserting heel lifts
into the boots, which effectively shortens the soleus/gastroc muscles.
We tried it an initially things went well. But when I tried a long,
easy ski the other day the injury came right back (I was limping the
next day). Terry and I are still trying to find a solution (more heel
lift), but if we are unsuccessful I'll just have to give up classic
and go with what works -- skating. I mentioned my problem to a friend
who gave up classic skiing a few years back (he only skates now); he
said that he also had similar trouble with classic sking and tried a
heel lift, but that the resulting forward lean of the body caused the
skis to plow, i.e., they didn't glide as well when double poling. I'm
willing to give up a bit of glide if I can just classic without
injury.

My questions for the group a Has anyone else seen this problem? Is
it associated exclusively with classic technique? What solutions
worked to resolve it? Is the glide penalty associated with a heel lift
real?

P.S. My classic boots are Salomon Carbon Pro Classics, but the problem
came on when skiing in my previous bright yellow Salomons, so I don't
think it's an issue with the new boot.

-Everett
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  #2  
Old December 11th 03, 02:04 PM
Onno Oerlemans
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Posts: n/a
Default Lower leg injuries in classic skiing

I've had this problem for years now, but I only get it from running. It's
very frustrating, because it's very painful, and comes on suddenly and, to
my mind, utterly unpredictably. I have no idea what I do to cause it, or
what I do to prevent it. It comes and goes, with no correlation that I can
see to stretching and strengthening. The only thing that helps is not
running, and, when I do 'have' to run again, to start slowly and on short
distances, and to build gradually. I can also feel the pull coming as I run,
in which case I stop before it actually 'pulls' completely. I do a lot of
running on tread mills....
I've often wondered why classic skiing hasn't caused me this injury. I
think it may have to do with the lack of jarring and sudden pulling you do
get with running. Once I've pulled it from running, I can't do classic
skiing for a few weeks because it's still too sore (and like you, skating is
fine even very soon after I reinjure), but classic skiing has never caused
it.
Ironically, my injury first occurred just after I got orthotics for
plantar facitis, and I've always vaguely blamed them, though with no real
proof.
This injury seems quite common, and is so debilitating (though for me
only for a week or so), that I'm surprised that the doctors and P.T.s I've
seen have so little to say or do about it.
This doesn't help you at all, does it, but maybe this thread can serve
the function of a support group.... As some encouragement, I can tell you
that after 8 years with this problem, it seems to be happening less
frequently.

Onno Oerlemans

"Everett" wrote in message
om...
For the past year I've been battling a recurrent problem -- pulled
soleus/gastrocnemius muscles -- in my lower leg. The problem is
associated only with classic XC; skating doesn't bother or trigger the
problem, probably because it involves a push to the side rather than a
kick back along the axis of the leg. In any case, I had to give up
classic skiing entirely last January.

Thinking that the problem was due to insufficient strength, I spent a
lot of time running, ski striding, hiking, climbing, and biking during
the off season, and I was optimistic going into this season on snow.
But the first time that I tried to put the pedal to the metal the same
injury came back -- worse than ever.

My physiotherapist recommended that I see a foot specialist. I have
used custom orthotics for years, so I thought that I had addressed
that issue, but with nothing to lose, I went to see Terry Makos, the
boot fitter here in Canmore. He said that he's seen a rash of injuries
identical to mine in the last year -- all associated with classic XC
skiing. He has solved many of these problems by inserting heel lifts
into the boots, which effectively shortens the soleus/gastroc muscles.
We tried it an initially things went well. But when I tried a long,
easy ski the other day the injury came right back (I was limping the
next day). Terry and I are still trying to find a solution (more heel
lift), but if we are unsuccessful I'll just have to give up classic
and go with what works -- skating. I mentioned my problem to a friend
who gave up classic skiing a few years back (he only skates now); he
said that he also had similar trouble with classic sking and tried a
heel lift, but that the resulting forward lean of the body caused the
skis to plow, i.e., they didn't glide as well when double poling. I'm
willing to give up a bit of glide if I can just classic without
injury.

My questions for the group a Has anyone else seen this problem? Is
it associated exclusively with classic technique? What solutions
worked to resolve it? Is the glide penalty associated with a heel lift
real?

P.S. My classic boots are Salomon Carbon Pro Classics, but the problem
came on when skiing in my previous bright yellow Salomons, so I don't
think it's an issue with the new boot.

-Everett



  #3  
Old December 11th 03, 03:09 PM
Chris Cline
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Posts: n/a
Default Lower leg injuries in classic skiing

--0-132709348-1071155266=:40822
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi Everett-
I sympathize with your plight-- I'm dealing with plantar fasciitis right now, and it's not going away without leaving claw marks on the door frame, either.

Reading your post, two things come to mind:
First, have you been working with your PT on stretching the soleus/gastroc muscles (and the achilles tendon, and all those other tendons right down into your toes)? At least in my case, I just *thought* that had been stretching those areas, but it turns out that they are pretty tight (which is causing the problem in my feet, in my case). Just a thought that maybe stretching before (after a warm-up), and ice, heat, and/or massage after skiing might help??

Secondly, thinking about classic technique, I'm wondering how it is that you can "pop" your tendons hard enough to pull the muscles. Have you worked with anyone to see if you have some funkiness with your skiing technique (like, maybe, pushing down or "pedalling" with your toes as you kick, rather than trying to kick off your whole foot)? Just seems that *maybe* you're somehow focusing all of the force of the kick in a way that transmits the force to your calfs.

Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be. Hope you figure out some sort of a breakthough!

Chris



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and sharing
--0-132709348-1071155266=:40822
Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii

DIVHi Everett-/DIV
DIVI sympathize with your plight-- I'm dealing with plantar fasciitis right now, and it's not going away without leaving claw marks on the door frame, either./DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVReading your post, two things come to mind:/DIV
DIVFirst, have you been working with your PT on stretching the soleus/gastroc muscles (and the achilles tendon, and all those other tendons right down into your toes)?  At least in my case, I just *thought* that had been stretching those areas, but it turns out that they are pretty tight (which is causing the problem in my feet, in my case).  Just a thought that maybe stretching before (after a warm-up), and ice, heat, and/or massage after skiing might help??/DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVSecondly, thinking about classic technique, I'm wondering how it is that you can "pop" your tendons hard enough to pull the muscles.  Have you worked with anyone to see if you have some funkiness with your skiing technique (like, maybe, pushing down or "pedalling" with your toes as you kick, rather than trying to kick off your whole foot)?  Just seems that *maybe* you're somehow focusing all of the force of the kick in a way that transmits the force to your calfs.   /DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVGood luck, I know how frustrating it can be.  Hope you figure out some sort of a breakthough!/DIV
DIV /DIV
DIVChrisBR/DIVphr SIZE=1
Do you Yahoo!?br
a href="http://pa.yahoo.com/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=21260/*http://photos.yahoo.com"New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and sharing/a
--0-132709348-1071155266=:40822--




  #4  
Old December 11th 03, 03:30 PM
Kenneth Salzberg
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Posts: n/a
Default Lower leg injuries in classic skiing

Just on the off chance, have you included a regime of stretching along
with your strength training?
-KS

************************************************** *********
Kenneth Salzberg
Hamline University

School of Law (651) 523-2354
1536 Hewitt Ave.
Sisu Skier - 50K Club St. Paul, MN 55104
************************************************** ****************





  #5  
Old December 11th 03, 05:48 PM
Onno Oerlemans
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Posts: n/a
Default Lower leg injuries in classic skiing

One more thing: when my calf pull was first diagnosed, a P.T. thought that
cycling might be a contributing factor. Her thinking was that cycling can
work the muscle without stretching it much, so that it shortens and
tightens. Switching to a sport like running after long period of cycling can
then suddenly put a lot of strain on the muscle, stretching it in ways it
hasn't been stretched. It seems reasonable, except that I haven't really
noticed a correlation between when I cycle a lot, or even when I stretch a
lot, and the onset of the injury.

Onno


"Kenneth Salzberg" wrote in message
ne.edu...
Just on the off chance, have you included a regime of stretching along
with your strength training?
-KS

************************************************** *********
Kenneth Salzberg
Hamline University

School of Law (651) 523-2354
1536 Hewitt Ave.
Sisu Skier - 50K Club St. Paul, MN 55104
************************************************** ****************







  #6  
Old December 12th 03, 04:01 AM
Mitch Collinsworth
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Lower leg injuries in classic skiing


One thing that's puzzling me...

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003, Everett wrote:

My physiotherapist recommended that I see a foot specialist. I have
used custom orthotics for years, so I thought that I had addressed
that issue, but with nothing to lose, I went to see Terry Makos, the
boot fitter here in Canmore. He said that he's seen a rash of injuries
identical to mine in the last year -- all associated with classic XC
skiing.


Did he say this like it was a new phenomenom this last year? I.e. has
he been doing the same work in the same area for years and all the
sudden last year he got a rush of XC classical injuries that he rarely
saw before?

The reason I ask is if it's a new thing, then maybe there's another
piece of the puzzle, like some new boot that all these folks use, or
a new craze to use shorter or longer poles, or there being an increase
in the number of classic ski races in your area, or, ... something.

Would be hard to pin down w/o surveying all the injured parties.

-Mitch




  #7  
Old December 13th 03, 03:43 AM
Hank Garretson
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Posts: n/a
Default Lower leg injuries in classic skiing

At 05:36 AM 11 12 03 Thursday, Everett wrote:

For the past year I've been battling a recurrent problem -- pulled
soleus/gastrocnemius muscles -- in my lower leg. The problem is
associated only with classic XC; skating doesn't bother or trigger the
problem, probably because it involves a push to the side rather than a
kick back along the axis of the leg. In any case, I had to give up
classic skiing entirely last January.


I haven't followed responses to your query, so maybe I'm repeating, but ...

Indeed your problem could be from the "kick back" part. I suggest your
classic kick should be directly DOWN, not back. A quick impulsive kick
down that launches you onto the new glide ski.



Ski Exuberantly,

Hank

Mammoth Lakes, Calif.








 




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