gauntlet09

My Question/Problem:
Ever since getting new boots I've noticed that my ankles will be very sore for 3-4 days after I ride. They don't hurt when walking forward in a straight line, and they don't hurt in specific spots from pressure points. They really only hurt when I twist them laterally (side to side) like when I try to shove my foot into, or yank my foot out of, a tied pair of shoes. Or if I keep my feet planted and twist my upper body. I'm really hoping that it's not because of the boots that I can't return or afford to replace.

I've noticed that the boots are much smaller (also much stiffer) than my old ones and there is quite a bit of extra space between the boots and the bindings (both on the footbed and in the heelcup). Maybe my boots are slipping/moving in the bindings while I'm riding all day causing stress on my ankles? I haven't been able to notice it happening, but I'm usually focused on not crashing and injuring myself. I'm hoping that this is the cause of my ankle pain, and that getting new bindings that fit the boots better will solve the problem, but I don't have the luxury of testing my hypothesis at this time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I want to be able to ride 'til I die!

Me:
Age: 29, Height: 5'10.5", Weight: 170 lbs, Boot Size: 10.5/11

Riding Style:
Hard-charging bomber! Steep, fast, powder, trees, cliffs, natural kickers, groomed, tracked-up/moguls, a lap or two through park (jumps only), and I'll usually attempt a few 360's before the day is over. I ride really hard! For my style, I don't think there's anyone I can't ride with. Go big or go home!

Current Setup:
Board: 2011 K2 Slayblade. Fits like a glove!
Bindings: OLD Sims. Have held up amazingly well, but definitely need to upgrade ASAP!
Boots: 2010 DC Judge (Double BOA, mid-stiff to stiff, Size 11). I spent a lot of time trying on boots before buying these this year. I've noticed a HUGE difference in my riding since getting them (much quicker and easier response from body to board). I am POSITIVE that I got the right size and I have good heel hold. I probably have 5-6 full days of riding on them and I'm still not sure if they're fully broken in yet, and I'm still figuring out how tight I like to have them "laced" for the conditions I'm riding in.

JeffreyCH

Are your new boots a lot stiffer then your old ones? If so my guess would be that your ankles are simply working harder to flex when walking in them. I've experianced the exact same thing when replacing work boots, my ankles will be sore for a week or so till they break in. I would say walk around in your boots for an hour or 2 and see if that results in the same pain, that would eliminate the binding issue.

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gauntlet09

The new boots are much stiffer. Thanks for the response, I'll give that a shot.

howzcat

i have the same problem... my boots are Bonfire Blaze..any solutions?

Music Moves

Since this was revived...

When I made the transition to BOA, I had to adjust to being able to get the BOA exactly the way I wanted it and sometimes I still don't dial it in the way I should.

I know that the bottom cables for my front foot have to be lot looser than for my back. Otherwise, I get ankle pain in my front foot and it's mostly from pressure against the ankle. If I dial it the way it should be, I'm fine.

You probably already found your comfort zone, but thought I'd drop this in case it can help anyone else...

gauntlet09

Holy novel of an OP! I had to edit it and cut it in half...and it's still embarassingly long-winded! My apologies, rookie mistake.

^^^This^^^ Excellent reply! Also, I found it took a lot longer to break my boots in than I had anticipated (8-10 days or more).

Don't know the specifics of your boot, but for me once my boots were broken in and I got my "lacing" dialed in better (trial and error, a continuing saga), I haven't had nearly the ankle pain I was having! I also started wearing low-profile ankle braces, which help a little but not much. I'm still suspicious that the bindings being much wider than the boots has something to do with it.