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#1
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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