Alignment Analysis?

[AmyPJ]

My alignment is off. Not in the shop when being measured, not with fluffy new liners, but when I'm out on the snow. I feel it the most when running straight on a cat track, or any flat area. My left ski is running flat (according to video, etc.) but when it's flat, my left hip is rotating internally and I can't put as much weight on that ski as my right ski. It's holding me back on traverses to the fun stuff, it's holding me back in crud, it's holding me back on steeps, and it's making me hate skiing and boots. I also believe it contributes to my struggles with releasing my outside ski, which is far more pronounced on right turns vs. left turns.

Are there any businesses that offer video analysis of alignment? I have access to fitters, I have been to fitters, I have canting done, I have custom footbeds, but something is still not right, and I'm really tired of fighting it.

 

[razie]

I'm not a boot guy but have done a fair bit of boot work with video - I might be able to see big issues. You can PM if you have video. Preferably harder snow, a) regular skiing (carving preferably) on a flatter run as well as b) traversing on each of the 4 edges towards the camera and c) running each ski flat towards the camera on a green. Do at least a) and c) for starters.

 

[AmyPJ]

I'm not a boot guy but have done a fair bit of boot work with video - I might be able to see big issues. You can PM if you have video. Preferably harder snow, a) regular skiing (carving preferably) on a flatter run as well as b) traversing on each of the 4 edges towards the camera and c) running each ski flat towards the camera on a green. Do at least a) and c) for starters.

I’ll get some video for sure, but hard snow will be a challenge in the next week because we have storms for the next week
I have some from earlier this season on “harder” snow.

 

[razie]

The earlier ones - are they on the same setup? The soft snow tends to hide issues with balance.

 

[LiquidFeet]

@AmyPJ, the culprits that come to mind are leg length discrepancy, hip/femoral antetroversion on one side, or a twisted femur or tibia (torsion) on one side. Look those up to see if they ring a bell. I've got something going on like that with me that screws up my symmetry. It's a bear to diagnose and/or treat since it won't show up in the shop and no one can see the bones at work.

 

[Philpug]

Fortunately you have a boot (and binding) that you can play with this. Do you have canting shims? They go between the shell and soles of your Pro Machines. If so, start playing with what works and what feels comfortable. With your bindings, adjust the toe height to accomodate the different shims so you don't have to router them yet and you will still be able to safelyrelease. If is is a leg length discrepancy, that can be done (minimally) with your boot too.

 

[Coach13]

I know Greg Hoffman’s shop at Vail will dffers on hill work with their clients to ensure proper alignment.

 

[AmyPJ]

The earlier ones - are they on the same setup? The soft snow tends to hide issues with balance.

Yes. But truthfully, the same issue happens in every setup. All have been canted the same way.

@AmyPJ, the culprits that come to mind are leg length discrepancy, hip/femoral antetroversion on one side, or a twisted femur or tibia (torsion) on one side. Look those up to see if they ring a bell. I've got something going on like that with me that screws up my symmetry. It's a bear to diagnose and/or treat since it won't show up in the shop and no one can see the bones at work.

I remember you mentioning this before. I had a chiropractor x-ray and say my legs were about 1mm different and not enough to make any difference as that's within a normal range for the general population. I AM hypermobile and my feet and ankles, especially my left one, collapse really badly. How do you diagnose torsion etc, and how do you deal with it? It's ALWAYS my left side. Always.

Fortunately you have a boot (and binding) that you can play with this. Do you have canting shims? They go between the shell and soles of your Pro Machines. If so, start playing with what works and what feels comfortable. With your bindings, adjust the toe height to accomodate the different shims so you don't have to router them yet and you will still be able to safelyrelease. If is is a leg length discrepancy, that can be done (minimally) with your boot too.

I've got them canted, but am sure I could get my hands on some shims to experiment, problem is, I don't even know where to start. I'm currently canted about 1.5 degrees on the outside of that boot, and that's been the status quo for at least 3 full seasons. I don't remember having this issue on flats and cat tracks prior, but that's the problem--I don't remember.

FWIW, I feel tip diversion on my left side/ski a LOT. I have video snips to prove that.

@Coach13, that'd be awesome. Unfortunately, Vail is a bit out of the way and a bit too spendy for me

 

[AmyPJ]

One video capture of the tip diversion.

 

[Philpug]

I've got them canted, but am sure I could get my hands on some shims to experiment, problem is, I don't even know where to start. I'm currently canted about 1.5 degrees on the outside of that boot, and that's been the status quo for at least 3 full seasons. I don't remember having this issue on flats and cat tracks prior, but that's the problem--I don't remember.

Well, you know what is correct, now you need to fugure what is right.

 

[AmyPJ]

Well, you know what is correct, now you need to fugure what is right.

Exactly!
My first step is going to be to take away most of that canting. The fresh snow forecast daily is going to make that a challenge. I hate to mess around too much in choppy conditions.

 

[Scrundy]

I had same problem, ended up being I had to can’t my boot sole on my left boot 1 degree. I also was getting frustrated and was really unsafe.

 

[Wilhelmson]

If your insurance/copay aren't too bad, get assessed by a chiropractor (even if you don't plan on getting adjusted). They'll usually take some xrays and do some other things that will help understand if anything is out of alignment with your body.

 

[Pequenita]

@AmyPJ, the culprits that come to mind are leg length discrepancy, hip/femoral antetroversion on one side, or a twisted femur or tibia (torsion) on one side. Look those up to see if they ring a bell. I've got something going on like that with me that screws up my symmetry. It's a bear to diagnose and/or treat since it won't show up in the shop and no one can see the bones at work.

I was also thinking pelvis rotation/tilt, etc., and maybe PT would be a better pathway? I once had to do exercises where I looked like a dead bug on my back, pushing one bent knee in one direction and drawing the other one back.

The "newness" of the issue on cat tracks -- absent an event that would change alignment -- makes me think that it could a muscular thing, rather than a structural issue.

 

[Tricia]

my left hip is rotating internally and I can't put as much weight on that ski as my right ski.

I was feeling this as well(for me it was my right hip). I felt like I couldn't pressure the tongue of my boot evenly and was feeling a little twisted. Phil couldn't find it in my alignment. A little over a month ago I went to a PT for lower back pain and he gave me some exercises to do. If I do those exercises faithfully, the problem is gone.
It could be something that simple.

 

[James]

My left ski is running flat (according to video, etc.) but when it's flat, my left hip is rotating internally and I can't put as much weight on that ski as my right ski.

You have 1.5 deg thick side to the outside on your left boot? Try removing that, or if that’s too much work for a temporary check, try putting 1.5 deg on the inside.

Do you move inside too quickly when turning? That’s the technique piece. From photo above - maybe.

 

[Andy Mink]

One video capture of the tip diversion. View attachment 89703

I watched a video done by Mikaela and I can't find it now, but she talked about keeping your hips levels. Basically, in the above photo, you'd pull your right hip up a bit. That shortens your right leg which gives you a bit more angulation on your edges. That, in turn (no pun intended) would get that left ski turning a shorter arc instead of wandering out on its own. Is it possible on your left turns your hips are flatter? Try that first and see if it makes a difference. Start cheap, then work your way to bending, grinding, and cutting things.

 

[cantunamunch]

I remember you mentioning this before. I had a chiropractor x-ray and say my legs were about 1mm different and not enough to make any difference as that's within a normal range for the general population. I AM hypermobile and my feet and ankles, especially my left one, collapse really badly. How do you diagnose torsion etc, and how do you deal with it? It's ALWAYS my left side. Always.

Out of curiosity, have you talked to a PT yet? This kind of thing smells like it's really dependent on long term muscle use patterns and off-season conditioning.

 

[ted]

Are you her mobile in ankle dorsiflexion? or medial/lateral at the subtler joint? Two very different things.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

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