Why do the balls of my feet hurt in ski boots?

Burning on the balls of your feet can be up there with having your nails pulled. A bad case can feel like you're standing on hot plate of a stove (electric or gas).

The cause of this pain is pressure and friction.

While there are a number of improvements we can add for a skier with this malady - ski orthotics, creating space at the front of the boot - the root cause of burning balls is most commonly at the other end of the foot - in the ankle.

A lack of ankle dorsi flexion, or limited range of motion in the ankle, creates a situation where all of the skier’s pressure goes into the front of the foot resulting in the huge amounts of pressure and burning sensations under the ball of the foot.

As long as the boot is close to the mark as a starting point (fits for shape and is stiff enough) the most influential change is a small lift inside the boot, underneath the heel. Once we correct the angles and range of motion around the ankle then the boot can operate as intended.

Luckily the skier assessment that our bootfitters and ski podiatrists do as a part of every boot fit includes a test for this issue and we can then take it into consideration when fitting your boots. This way you never have to stand on the hot plate of a stove again!