Fore/Aft Question - dorsiflexion and Foot Pressure position

[nickia]

According to the Essentials book, we are in forward position if we can feel pressure on the ball of the foot rather than heel and pressure at the front of the boot cuff.

However, when I dorsiflex my foot, I feel pressure in the front of the cuff and pressure at the heel of the foot. I found that my turns are better in this position.


Is this incorrect? Wouldn't dorsiflexion imply the front of the foot is lifted which means there would not be any pressure in the front of the foot?

I used to do plantar flexion which puts most of the weight on the ball of my foot but little pressure on the front of the cuff. It is kind of like "tippy toeing". I could barely turn when I'm in this position.

[Marc]

Wouldn't dorsiflexion imply the front of the foot is lifted which means there would not be any pressure in the front of the foot?

Try this barefooted, stand with your balance someware between your heels and your balls of feet. Now dorsiflex but keep your other joints locked and static. Feel your balance and preassure moving forward towards your balls of feet. Then plantar flex and the preassure moves back towards your heels. Repeat with various amount of (static) flex in knees and hips. You can say that your ankle movements move your body instead of the other way around (closed kinetc chain.)

When restricted by the boot, or your e.g. sofa if still inside, you have to play with different angles in ankle, knee, and hip to be forward (feeling preassure under balls of foot) but at the same time only touching front of cuff (or your sofa). I.e. you combine Foot Pullback with Dorsiflexion.

[h.harb]

Getting to the ball of the foot while standing and being able to feel the pressure there, is an indication that your boot angles and forward lean are correct. It's a measure, not a position when skiing. If you can't achieve this your boots are either too straight (upright) or your hips are too far back. Also, tongue or cuff pressure isn't created with dorsiflexion, because the tibialis anterior muscle is far too weak a muscle or action to achieve the required fore/aft balance.

Fore/aft balance is achieved when the hips are in the correct position moving down the falline (ahead of your feet) before your feet catch up. This is achieved by foot or feet being pulled back with the hamstring muscles, which do have the strength to move the feet back and hold the skis back while the hips are released diagonally (CA) into the new turn. Dorssi flexion can make fine-tuning adjustments at the release (Tip lift) in combination with the core (Abs, hip flexors, and iliopsoas) to create stability during the transition.