Have you ever suffered from severe shin pain, shin swelling and/or shin bruising from snow skiing?
GIRL I feel ya!
Shin Bang has been a real problem for me for way too many years.
HOWever, with a few quick affordable tips, shin bang can be corrected and managed for life! FOREVER! THE END, bye bye shin bang…be gone!
***If you are just here for the true funny ski stories, please scroll down and enjoy a few laughs on me!
I remedied my shin bang. Because of the following tools and tips, I just experience the most epic six days of skiing almost completely pain free! Check out these tricks for preventing a painful debilitating irritating problem.
PADDING – I purchased
a pair of COVEY SHIN PADS from AMAZON. My only regret is not purchasing several pair. These rectangle pads were perfect and not too bulky. I slid them down between my leggings and my sock. These thin shin guards mimic a somewhat thicker neoprene beer coozie. The shin guards provide a perfect padded layer of protection. If you find yourself mid ski vaca mode and in bad shape, you could actually add two pads on each leg. These pads worked like a charm for absorbing movement and protecting my precious little shins from harms way. I had serious doubt that these would even work or touch the pain but I stand corrected. Covey shin pads will never not be apart of my ski wardrobe. They were amazing in EVERY WAY!
TIGHT! You want the best ski boots money can rent or buy and you want to wear them TIGHT! Like from the get go you want the boots cranked down almost circulation restriction tight! Best way to do it is to have your friend, ski instructor, spouse or child pull the straps tight and buckle up as tight as you can manage. Take turns if needed. YES IT’s a JOB! Yes’ it’s a hassle but it’s so worth IT!
SIDE BAR…Once you start walking and skiing, the boot will naturally loosen due to the cold and the movement. It’s highly likely you will need to readjust and tighten the boots after a run. From the moment you hit the slopes you should notice the difference in ski control. It should be. super obvious! If it’s not, use the BOOSTER. STRAP. I wore the booster strap from the. get go. The tighter the boot the better.
The booster strap was absolutely an A++ bonus buy! This was an instrumental Amazon purchase! I had Mr. Chicken Fry pull this strap right located across the top of my boot as tight as he could pull it. It solidified my shin into the boot. I felt secure and tight.
I also was careful to never undo the straps or top buckle. Even if I left the slope, I would only loosten the buckles located on the top of my foot to release a little pressure when walking. Otherrwise, I kept my boots buckled and strapped in until it was time to quit. (we usually skied at least 4-6 hour stints) The goals is restrict rub and movement on the shin.
The PERFORMANCE SOCK was an unmatched AMAZON must have. The value and true performance of this sock was above my expectation. It is not only soft and cushioned but I loved the breathable fabric and compression. My toes were warm and the pads fit perfectly into the designated space.
We rented ski’s from CHRISTY SPORTS MOUNTAIN VILLAGE TELLURIDE. Order your rentals in advance online and save 20 percent!!! I always choose the DEMO package. I want the most technically advanced equipment on the market The Mountain Lodge made it so super convenient. CHRISTY SPORTS is located inside The Mountain Lodge resort. We checked into the condo, walked up a flight of stairs and were fitted for ski’s in a nano second. It was an awesome private experience. No waiting in line because our paper work was waiting and ready. It was a five star connivence.
EQUIPMENT. As I said renting or buying top of the line ski boots is imperative. I consider myself to be an advanced skier. At first, I. tried a 152 BLACK. PEARL…which is suppose to be an incredible ski. However, I couldn’t control the ski’s. I think they were a little too long for me as were the poles. Therefore after two runs, I changed them out for HEAD Total Joy ski’s! a TECNECA 75. Ski boot. AHHHHH! IF you rent your skis, talk to the fitter about shin bang. Explain to them your needs and wants so they can fit you into an appropriate boot.
FORM. If you are a beginner it’s vital to learn and practice good form. Using proper form can be a game changer. Lean forward while sinking back in your. heels. Keeping the knees soft and bent as you press the shins forward into the boot. Using the correct technique will prevent friction and banging into the boot when sliding or stopping.
The goal is to lean into the turns, swivel your hips. the opposite way and work the mountain. Bend, swish, pole, bend. swish pole, bend shish, pole bend swish….
Watch your lines, turn, bend turn, bend, find your rhythm and the rest is pure bliss! Like anything practice makes perfect. The more you do it and practice all the steps…lean forward, bent your knees, lean into the turn, keep your skies together and down, arms loose, chest lifted head. up. It’s a whole thing!
My skies were so close you could measure them with a toothpick.
Now I personally believe that all of the things listed above can and will keep you almost pain free. I would been totally shin pain free however, my little ski change screwed me up. As I meant zoned earlier, I had some bad to the bone. ski’s but they were too long for the ski conditions…. I was also. super sick and on all kinds of medicine. Point being, I had two rough very hard runs. SO SUE ME!
It’s important to note….
The thing with SHIN BANG is..it happens immediately. It’s a day one deal. And on day one when the damage is physically being done you are blindly unaware it’s happening. Shin bang is a silent creeper killer. On my first two runs, I had one super hard flip fall but bounced back. But this was without the pads. Once I exchanged my skies for shorter skis, added the pads, I never missed a beat.
TRUE STORY –
My second fall was technically NOT A FALL! This is day two third run of the morning. I’m still shaky coming off heavy meds such as antibiotics, steroids, decongestants, ibprophen and such. I was in line with my trade and true ski parter Mr. Chicken Fry and we were boarding an old two chair lift mid mountain. Chicken Fry and I were standing still and began to move forward following the chair. I was on the left looking left waiting for our chair to arrive. Once the chair arrived, like always I went to sit down and the old beat up lift took steam and my rear end missed it (barley) and off the stoop, I fell! Like a mic, I dropped 10 feet (according to Mr. Chicken Fry) and landed my fall.
Now at this point I’m having several emotions. One, I feel like a super champ because I didn’t die! I also didn’t break a limb or require mountain emergency assistance. However, when I look back…as I’m skiing off, I realize the chair lift has come to screeching halt. I come to the reality that I’m the reason it’s stopped. I’m that girl. The person who stopped the mojo. The reason all people are to moving. Now, I’m so super embarrassed. 1) it’s a BASIC chair lift and I don’t miss. WHAT THE HECK? 2) I look up and Mr. Chicken Fry is swinging from the chair in the air on the lift with his mouth wide open. He’s looking at me shaking his helmut and I’m looking at him with a big grin. Attendants are checking to be sure I’m ok which I was FINE!
FEELINGS HURT…I skied around and up and got back on the lift with a stranger. Now this stranger had a front row seat to the shit show that just happened before his very eyes. I felt like an ametuer. I approached the chair huffing and puffing from the trek..saying “I SWEAR, I HAVE NEVER FALLEN on or off a ski lift in my entire 40 years of skiing! The stranger seemed impressed that I didn’t break a bone as was my husband. OK OK so maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought.
From what I remember it was a slow slow slow motion near miss/fall stupid episode. (IT HAPPENS). ALL is fair in love and snow skiing.
Now my only retribution came later when Mr. Chicken Fry and I rode singles up a long chair lift. I was in the rear. When I skied off the lift, I noticed Chicken Fry was dusting himself free of snow. I said “oh boy, hot stuff, what happed to you?” He said “I almost ripped my butt hole open”. Perplexed as can be…I said, “WHAT do you mean?” Apparently there was a bungee cord on his ski jacket and it somehow caught on to the bottom of the chair lift. When it was his turn to ski off the lift, he was tossed backward and onto his ASS! The whole chair lift came to a stop and needless to say all is fair in love/war and snow skiing.
Love SKI, and be free!
ANGI XO
