# big toe badly bruised after day couple days of skiing new boots



## celts33 (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi,
 I recently bought new boots and while hitting some bumps at MRG today I noticed my toes started becoming painful. I then took off my boots in the lodge and the big toes' nails were both black and blue one being worse than the other. Does this mean I was miss fitted for my boots? Should I go try and return them? Should I get someone to help me adjust the cuff? I've used them around 7 times. But today was my first in bumps and with my toes hurting this bad please help and tell me what this could be. I strapped them tight.


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## Goblin84 (Feb 12, 2007)

goto a bootfitter, they will solve all of your problems


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## JohnGD33 (Feb 12, 2007)

I had the same problem with my last pair of boots. A good bootfitter can make all the difference. They can blow out the toe to give you some more room. Custom foot beds always help too. Good luck:beer:


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## dropKickMurphy (Feb 12, 2007)

You need to bring your boots to a good bootfitter.  Make a note of exactly where the sore spots were. It's not uncommon for an otherwise perfectly fitted boot to be tight in the toe box area. A boot fitter can probably grind out some of the material in the spot that was causing the problem. Also, it is possible that your boots are actually too big, which could lead to the toes hitting the front of the boot in the bumps. Again, a boot fitter can do several things to stabilize your foot; including custom foot beds and/or adding padding material to the inner boot or shell.

I can personally recommend Paul Richelson (Feet First, Plymouth NH), but I'm sure other AZers can recommend someone convenient to your location. Where do you live and where do you usually ski?

This is a good argument for always buying your boots from a top boot fitter. You may be able to save a few $$$ by purchasing elsewhere, but a good boot fitter will guarantee the fit, even if it takes a couple of return visits to make adjustments. If they can't make it right, they will take the boot back and work with you until you find the model that works for you.    If you had purchased the boot elsewhere, I think you might have a hard time returning it if it had been skied in 6 or 8 times, and the shell had been ground or stretched.

I don't mean to sound like an advertisement. I'm not affiliated with any shop or boot fitter. It's just been my personal experience that the few dollars spent on working with an expert boot fitter is almost always an excellent value in what it means to your enjoyment of the sport.


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## hammer (Feb 12, 2007)

I can't speak for the person that dropKickMurphy recommended but if you are not too far from Concord, NH you should see AZ's "resident bootfitter" Jeff Bokum.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/9462-2006-07-resident-boot-fitter-thread.html

Do you have custom footbeds?  That's usually the first step...


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## JimG. (Feb 12, 2007)

celts33 said:


> Hi,
> I recently bought new boots and while hitting some bumps at MRG today I noticed my toes started becoming painful. I then took off my boots in the lodge and the big toes' nails were both black and blue one being worse than the other. Does this mean I was miss fitted for my boots? Should I go try and return them? Should I get someone to help me adjust the cuff? I've used them around 7 times. But today was my first in bumps and with my toes hurting this bad please help and tell me what this could be. I strapped them tight.



Follow the advice given here and see a bootfitter.

And after your boots have been properly fitted, make sure you keep your toenails clipped very short during ski season. VERY SHORT. Make sure they are always clipped whenever you go skiing. Because you will get the dreaded black toenail if your nails are too long even with properly fitted boots.


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## haines (Feb 12, 2007)

*Boots should never cause black and blue toes*

List them at half price at the next ski-swap next fall.  Go with the old boots for the rest of the season


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## hammer (Feb 12, 2007)

haines said:


> List them at half price at the next ski-swap next fall.  Go with the old boots for the rest of the season


I'd get to a bootfitter and get some advice before I'd write the boots off...it may be that a set of custom footbeds and a small shell adjustment are all that is needed.


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## Paul (Feb 12, 2007)

hammer said:


> I'd get to a bootfitter and get some advice before I'd write the boots off...it may be that a set of custom footbeds and a small shell adjustment are all that is needed.



I'd roll naked in a field of broken glass, then bathe in a salt/rubbing alcohol/tabasco sauce pool before taking haine's advice.



See a good bootfitter. I've heard nothing but compliments about Jeff Bokum, especially from the staff at Pat's Peak.


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## SIKSKIER (Feb 13, 2007)

Jeff Bokum is a topshelf fitter.I can personally attest to  Richelson's boot fitting ability.Had mine done there 4 years ago.Also topshelf.


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## bigbog (Feb 13, 2007)

*...Call Jeff.....*

In agreement with most *celts23*, it can be fixed...my $.01...besides the nail trimming at beginning of every skiday... a) more than likely just the liner might need expansion, but b) is usually a good fit(imo) but there's some foot movement forward..which bootfitter can fix.  
*In emergency..(ie...too late for this week's NEdump)...C-foams positioned in front of akle-bones have worked..along with  the _shin-inserts_(foam) also provide temporary help. 
$.01


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## NYDrew (Feb 18, 2007)

Back when I skied daily I had that problem.  It was actually from stubbing my boot (toe) while walking the stairs to the locker room.  I carried a nail clipper at all times and cut my toenails whenever I felt them "off".  I also trimmed the skin on the corners, you know, where it kinda gets hard and dead, clip that right off.  It doesnt hurt because its dead ski.


See a fitter though, thats the more likely situation


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## tjf67 (Feb 21, 2007)

*drill it*

You have 7 days on the boots they will still pack out more.  Give it some more time.  
Do you have a set of drill bits?  Take the smallest one and drill through he nail.  Dont use a gun twist it back and forth with your thumb and forfinger.  You will be able to go through it slowley.  Once it pops  instant relief.  By using the drill bit instead of a pin it will not close up on you.  As you ski and the pressure builds up it will have a place to escape.   Make sure you put some peroxide on it each day with a q-tip and you will be all set.
I got new boots this year and had the same problem for a while.  They are fine now
I would not go working much on the boot till you get a few more hard days on them.  I think it will go away on its own.


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## SKIQUATTRO (Feb 21, 2007)

cant say taking a drill to your toe is the best advise, but if you do, make sure you sterelize the heck outta it before you attack your toe....


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## tjf67 (Feb 22, 2007)

SKIQUATTRO said:


> cant say taking a drill to your toe is the best advise, but if you do, make sure you sterelize the heck outta it before you attack your toe....



Oh what do you use on black toe nails?  A pin?  Is that any cleaner than a drill bit?

I would not take a drill gun to my toe either. But when I was intoduced to the drill bit idea I was a little sckeptical at first but it easier than a pin and it has a large enough hole that it wont close up on you in two weeks and you are back at it again.


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## NYDrew (Feb 23, 2007)

the heat produced by the drill bit will only exacerbate the problem.  Leave a black toenail be...or go to a doc.  I've skied with one, so can you (hurts).

on a side note, I have considered having my little toes amputated.  Ive broken them so many time that they kinda get in the way putting on boots.  not painful, but very annoying when it take forever to get them to sit correctly.  This option is still being considered once I find a willing doctor.


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## SkiDog (Feb 23, 2007)

at the doc they'd use a heating element to produce the hole to relieve the pressure caused by the buildup of blood behind the nail...takes all of 1 second..is TOTALLY painless...then the toenail will die and fall off in subsequent weeks....again PAINLESS...

had it done to a toe once and fingers a FEW times...

M


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## bigbog (Feb 26, 2007)

*...and an EDIT...*

Forget the whole "C-donut"-shaped foam, just a slice in front of ankle.  Too much *might* hinder ankle movement and/or create a little space between front-corner of liner and shell...affecting liner-shell connection in forward-corner flex-response.


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