What to do about shin bang - about shin bang causes, treatment and prevention

With the Autumn coming, as the temperature gradually drops, lovers of outdoor sports begin to expect their favorite part of the year, skiing. In the air, in the valley, or on the flat, they use their active bodies to commune intimately with nature and themselves. Some people, however, may not be so lucky and get bothered by shin bang while skiing. This article focuses on the most frequently happened problem: shin bang in skiing, giving skiers a comprehensive understanding of shin bang and staying away from the ailment.

I. Causes of shin bang
II. How to treat shin bang
III. Can I prevent shin bang?

Common causes of shin bang include the following:

1. Feet not bent properly

Every movement of skiing whether it's jumping up or landing, the foot will have full activity, which is why ski boots are so involved and important in the skiing process. Because of the high intensity, unlike ordinary shoes, the fit of ski boots is very important. Based on medical clinical experience, the vast majority of shin bang stems from the poor fit of ski boots.

The problem of gap between the shin and the tongue of the ski boot is too large is so common, and this will bring a large distance impulse to the shin and collide against the tongue during every high landing action, forming shin bang over time.

There are also people who suffer from shin bang because the gap between the shin and the tongue of the ski boot is too small, which continuously rubs against the shin during skiing, thus leading to shin breakage and injury.

The incorrect bending of the foot may also because the ski boots are too big. Many people have a misconception when choosing ski boots that skiing time is long and the ski socks are thick, so in order to make the feet more comfortable, they specifically choose larger ski boots. In fact, ski boots that fit the foot are the ideal choice. Oversized ski boots can not make the heel well fixed, or because of the aging of the shoe bed, the lining of the ski boots has reached its service life, causing the foot to slide in the boots constantly during the skiing process, causing impact on the shin bone, resulting in shin bang.

2. The foot is not fixed well
When it comes to foot fixation, one issue that is closely related to fixation has to be mentioned: foot stability and excessive internal rotation. When the foot is not stable, and excessive internal rotate due to heel or midfoot collapse can cause twisting of the tibia. The twisted shin constantly rubs against the ski boot, leading to blisters, abrasions, and become shin bang over time.

3. Unsuitable ski socks
Shin bang may also be caused by unsuitable ski socks. You may consider of the low temperature in the ski are so to keep your feet warm, you choose thick socks, but if the socks are too thick, the sweat will cause your feet to sweat and blisters in your ski boots; or if you choose socks with threads on your shins, you will have to put your shins to the unnecessary test.

What to do when pain occurs?

We've identified what may be causing shin bang, but what if shin bang has already occurred?

The most immediate relief way is to use ice. Stop as soon as the pain occurs and ice for 10 minutes to relieve the pain; if the pain is not relieved, use anti-inflammatory or ibuprofen painkillers if your physical condition allows.

The best way to get rid of the injury is to be proactive, that is, to pay attention to prevention.

What can I do to prevent shin bang?

We have integrated advice from some very experienced ski experts combined with the ideas from the ski boot sellers, and we think you can check each of these areas below to avoid shin bang to the biggest extent and make skiing more enjoyable.

1. Make sure your ski boots fit
Choose a professional ski boot store where the clerk will measure your foot length, test the flexibility of your instep and arch and the mobility of your ankle, and suggest the right ski boots for you based on the actual physical condition of your feet.

2. Custom footbeds and padding
Experienced ski boot fitters will create pads that fit the contours of your feet and shins according to the conditions of your feet, eliminating any possible gaps between your shins and the padding, allowing your shins to be better anchored and avoiding shin bang from hitting them during exercise.

If padding is not available, gel or ski shin guards can also be used instead to absorb the shock.

If the above 2 methods are not working well, more exaggerated, you can even use the cork of your wine bottle to replace the padding.

If available, you can also customize a pair of ski orthotics to help correct the shape of your feet and fix your feet.

3. Choose the right ski socks
The key to choosing ski socks is warmth and moisture wicking. Good ski socks contain merino wool, which keeps you warm while the fibers of wool can absorb sweat from your feet and evaporate quickly, keeping your feet dry and breathable at all times and avoiding blisters.Rahhint's new winter ski socks not only use merino wool to ensure warmth and breathability, but also use dense knitting to make a better combination of wool and nylon, forming compression function, promoting blood circulation in the legs and allowing the legs to generate temperature spontaneously.

Rahhint's unique X-shaped fasten kniting design of the ankle, combined with the compression of the calf, gives good support to the leg and protects the muscles and bones from injury during high-intensity exercise.

The most ingenious is the thickened terry design on the shin and instep, they can give the bones effective cushioning when landing, avoiding shin bang caused by excessive collision between the bones and the ski boots.

4. Physical Preparation
Whether you are a new comer or experienced skier, you must warm up fully before skiing, move your joints and muscles, so that your body is ready for skiing; at the same time, you should correctly assess your skiing level, and do not venture into terrain where your technical level is not yet up to par.

We also recommend some physical training in general to avoid shin bang. Exercise your back, hips, knees and ankles to strengthen the muscles in these areas and your core, which will allow your body to find balance more naturally, keep your body stable while skiing, improve skiing performance and reduce the probability of shin bang.

If you are a beginner, you can take some skiing lessons if available to get started more quickly.

How can we live without skiing in winter? However, we don't want injuries. We witness a lot of joy and emotion on the ski slopes, but we also accidentally meet injuries. Whether shin bang happens or not, spend a little more time and energy before skiing to pay attention to the do's and don'ts of skiing, so that you can meet the upcoming skiing with a better condition and make the vacation perfect.