I've been snowboarding for a few weeks and always get unbearable cramp/pressure at my calves.?

Question

This happens every time, without fail. I'm not sure if it's a build up of pressure from my boots or if it's cramp, however no matter how bad it is (and it gets unbearable) it always seems to go away after an hour.

Has anyone else had this? If so can you please help as I'm off to Norway in a few days to do nothing but snowboard and the thought of the pain is not making me smile :-(

Answer 1

sounds like you need some different boots, go to your local snowboard shop, not like a big sporting goods store, but an actual snowboard shop, and they'll hook you up with something real nice

Answer 2

Stretch before you board...it helps me so much! Also stretch during breaks, like at lunch, etc. Do you carve a lot? Because that is usually how I get the cramps. Try not pointing your toes up so much, and just relax.  I tend to get cramps when I am too tense, so maybe loosen up a lil. Hope that helps.

Answer 3

i have 2 guesses

not likely 1. you just need to stengthen you calves

More likely 2. the forwarl lean is too far forward on your bindings.  This will help on turns but tire out your legs more.  If you think this is the problem and don't know how to adjust it email me at [e-mail] and i could help you

Answer 4

It could be:

-your boots are too stiff if your a more relaxed rider, or too soft if your big into carving orit could be from a high amount of foward lean(or not enough, depending on the side you ride on the most)

OR

- When that happend to me I had just widened my stance for freestyle and it hurt like h**l. Maybe check that out too, cuz after I got used to the stance it went away. But for the next few times out when i first got on my board, god did it ever hurt for the first few runs

Either way I'd adjust your foward lean based on trying out different things to see if any help, and try to switch edges more often. Learning to riding switch would help too, but for me it sucked cuz its like going back to a beginner for a few hours.

Good luck hope it goes away! but if not, and its worth it to you, board through the pain!

Answer 5

I would suggest that the boots hat you are using may not be holding for feet in the correct position. Could I suggest that maybe you make sure boots are tight enough or failing that get someone to look at them for you?

If its cramp then check out this website

http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/diseases/...

have fun :)X

Answer 6

i get the same... especially when riding toe edge on a ledge or anything like that

best thing is exercise, and when it starts to hurt just switch to toe side

Answer 7

The only time this has ever happened to me was when I was learning and spending a lot of time on the "trails" - long runs where you don't need to turn to slow down. If the trail has really long turns where you stay on your toe edge for a long time, you will get cramps. I learned on a trail that was 1/2 mile long and it was a huge left turn around the mountain!

Two solutions:

1. When you lean on your toe edge, try to press your shin against the top of the boot to put pressure to your toe edge - don't press down on your toes so much (tip toe)

2. The best solution - learn to ride switch so that you can just turn around and ride heel side down that long trail

Good Luck