Risks of Skiing Injuries

Dr. Rabat is a traumatologist with more than 35 years of experience. He specializes in foot surgery and is an expert in bunion, flatfoot and morton’s neurinoma.

Skiing and foot pain

We are talking about a very frequent subject, at the foot of the slope it is noted that many skiers suffer severe pain in the foot and in the cafeterias they take off their boots to relieve them.

In this sport boots are used that consist of a rigid shell on the outside and a soft boot inside, these boots are intended to protect the foot and ankle on the one hand and tightly imprison it on the other. The foot has to be firmly held inside the boot to allow, together with the knees, hips and the rest of the skeleton to steer and control the skis. In this rigid environment, the foot has to exert a lot of force to master the spatulas.

In high level skiing the pressure of the boots is much more intense.

The most common pathologies related to skiing

In the first place those related to pre-existing defects, such as bunions, hammertoes and especially what we know as “quintus varus” or “tailor’s bunion” which is that deformity below the fifth toe, a bunion on the outside of the foot that is nailed against the boot when the patient turns and “cane” causing severe pain that sometimes force to stop skiing.

This “bunion” tortures all skiers but especially the instructors and those who are dedicated to competition due to the large number of hours they spend on the slopes.

Is there any solution for the “tailor’s bunion” or “quintus varus”?

Often it is enough to deform the boot shell at the point where the deformity is, this must be done by an expert who works in all specialized stores.

Sometimes the pain is so severe that surgery is necessary. Every year we operate a good number of skiers of this ailment, who choose a time that allows them to arrive in time for the season.

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Here percutaneous surgery offers us the best solution, with a fast recovery and excellent aesthetic and functional results.

Other frequent pathologies

Continuing with the forefoot, Morton’s neuroma.

If a skier sits in the middle of the snow, with his boot off and massaging his foot, he can almost establish the diagnosis with certainty.

Morton’s neuroma is a thickening of the plantar nerves of the metatarsal, it worsens a lot with this sport, the force exerted by the boot on the forefoot causes an irritation of the nerve. The patient feels a burning pain in the metatarsal, often towards the third and fourth toe.

This pain is so intense that it forces the patient to stop and loosen the boot, and sometimes, as we said before, to remove it completely.

In these cases infiltrations are used, with great caution, orthopedic insoles and as a last option surgery.

In most cases, endoscopic surgery solves the problem with a quick return to sport and normal life.

We also see many patients with metatarsalgia, that is, pain in the plantar aspect of the metatarsal, which can be improved by incorporating the orthopedic insole in the boot.

What about the back of the foot?

Achilles tendinitis, both of the body of the tendon and its insertion, are also frequent, as well as plantar fasciitis.

Advice for skiers

In this sport, equipment is of great importance. Bad boots can destroy our feet or contribute to serious traumatic injuries.

It is important to buy the material in specialized stores, almost I would say monographic, also it is essential to receive the advice of the experts, in this sense if one loves this sport very much, the most advisable thing is to federate and, whenever possible to register in some club where it will always be able to be accompanied and advised.

Finally, in case of persistent pains in the foot during skiing, it is essential to go to a specialist before the problem becomes too big.