Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Hello, I am in pain and my ankle is currently quite weak compared to before the accident and still want to find shoes that are suitable for my current condition. Does anyone have any sample suggestions? Thank.

After a severe twist a few years ago my Doc suggested barefooting and minimalist shoes. My recovery was quick, my feet, ankles, and calves strengthened, and I grew a foot size from 43 to 44. I wear the majority of my ski boots without insoles (or very thin one). I haven’t rolled an ankle in years partly due to strengthening and partly due to getting rid of footwear with arch support and any kind of heel. My feet are stronger, healthier, and I haven’t had a blister in several years either.

I have no idea what you need, but I have been wearing an ankle stabilizer like this in my various ski boots.https://www.amazon.com/Med-Spec-Ankle-S ... th=1&psc=1

corygarvin wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 01, 2024 4:14 am

Hello, I am in pain and my ankle is currently quite weak compared to before the accident and still want to find shoes that are suitable for my current condition. Does anyone have any sample suggestions? Thank.

Inspiredcapers wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 01, 2024 1:34 pm

After a severe twist a few years ago my Doc suggested barefooting and minimalist shoes. My recovery was quick, my feet, ankles, and calves strengthened... haven’t rolled an ankle in years partly due to strengthening

Do you want to recover (A), or do you want to make the "weak ankle" permanent (B)?

B. Get cushy supportive footwear so it does the job instead of your foot, so the foot never heals, accept your new gimp status.

A. Pain or discomfort? Pain is "I need to go see a doctor to fix this." Discomfort is "annoying but tolerable or manageable." If pain, see a doctor. If discomfort, DO PHYSICAL THERAPY.

After an injury, the body goes in to "re-build and re-program mode" and discomfort is part of that. GET WALKING, preferably EVEN motion (roller-walker, shopping cart) versus a cane.

LOW INTENSITY
LONG DURATION (build up to it and beyond)
Progress from walking 1/2 a block and back on sidewalk, to miles for hours in grassy, rocky and un-even terrain.
That is how you re-build and strengthen ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
Motion is lotion.

Is it fun? No, not a first.
Is it worth it? YES.
I'm sure IC would agree.

Yes TallGrass, it was definitely worth it and going beyond where I was before the injury was an added bonus.

If weight bearing is an issue go somewhere (ocean, lake, pool…) where you can use flotation as an aid. I spent a lot of hours doing this, it was worth every moment.

There's nothing wrong with strengthening your ankles, and injuries get better over time. I know because I broke both my ankles, once skiing and once on a motorcycle crash. That being said your gear choice also matters. I don't know what you're skiing, but wider skis with stiffer boots will greatly help with stability when it comes to weak ankles. A ski almost as wide as your boot(approx. mid 80mm under foot or more) will give you as much stability as your boot alone, as opposed to standing on a narrow ski. A T4 class boot also has a lot of stability and a T2 class boot will hold your ankle immobile from side to side movement.

I cant help you with the shoe choices. But once your doctor has assured you that your healing process has progressed to the point where you can begin to regain strength, a simple way to start is find a sloping driveway or similar smotth but sloping surface, and walk in circles on it. As you go around, your ankles are flexing in all directions, working all the muscles alternately. You can start on a gentle slope and progress to steeper, and after a while you will be ready for more irregular surfaces.

paulzo, that is a brilliant suggestion, wish I’d thought of that one during my rehab time. When I was pool walking there was some degree of that (sloping shallow to deep) but doing it out of water would be super beneficial.

I

Inspiredcapers wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 01, 2024 1:34 pm

After a severe twist a few years ago my Doc suggested barefooting and minimalist shoes. My recovery was quick, my feet, ankles, and calves strengthened, and I grew a foot size from 43 to 44. I wear the majority of my ski boots without insoles (or very thin one). I haven’t rolled an ankle in years partly due to strengthening and partly due to getting rid of footwear with arch support and any kind of heel. My feet are stronger, healthier, and I haven’t had a blister in several years either.

How long did it take you to transition to minimalist shoes? I'm trying a pair of 4mm drop innov8 roclites. Don't really have any foot issues, just messing around. The hunting forum I lurk is constantly talking about zero drop footwear, and I found a great deal on amazon.

Inov-8 Men's Roclite G 286 GTX Hiking Boot https://a.co/d/5kKHkEE

The Tarahumara would agree, regarding a minimalist approach to footwear.
This is an entertaining read.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by Christopher McDougall

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/born-to-r ... on=5001533