Dear Jeff,
                  Thanks for your response, all of which I suppose I have
seen and acted on over the last 15 years without having had all the theory
but it goes well with what we have been doing.  One thing I have decided on
the basis of having acquired a bit more theory is that I definitely don't
leave room for 1ST ray function in an alpine boot orthoses, seems to ski
better if you don't and you certainly don't need the room.
              Again, thanks for your time
                                            Regards Phill Carter
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Root <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, 2 March 1999 7:58
Subject: Re: MTJ axis and orthoses,forefoot abduction and lever length re
skiing


>
>
>Phill wrote:
>
>> Dear Ray and anyone else,
>>    Your comments about apparent forefoot abduction and orthoses bring to
mind
>> something I have wondered
>> about in relation to cross country ski skating. It seems that a foot with
a
>> tendancy to pronate at the midfoot  may experience a greatly increased
force
>> that abducts the forefoot or at least tries to from the nature of the
>> activity and the length of skis. Has anyone any thoughts on this?
>>                 Regards Phill Carter
>
>Phill,
>
>I just read Eric's excellent posting and would like to add a few brief
>comments.  I believe the greatest problem for skiers who have a mechanical
>condition that allows excessive forefoot abduction is the fact that they
>normally compensate by internal leg rotation (via stj pronation).  Even
though
>the leg is internally rotated these individuals do not seem to be able to
get a
>good inside edge (weight the medial edge of the ski).
>
>These skiers are usually individuals who fatigue more readily.  An orthosis
that
>reduces the amount of internal leg rotation will allow the skier to get a
better
>inside edge, allows the ski's to track in a more parallel fashion, and will
>promote more efficient function of the leg muscles thereby reducing
fatigue.
>
>In down hill skiing many of the top level skiers have what is described as
a
>rigid, cavus foot type.  These individuals are able to rapidly transfer
weight
>on and off the inside edge of the ski, hence are able to control their
turns
>better than individuals with other foot types.  They also typically have
very
>large, powerful calf muscles.
>
>In theory, when an individual with excessive transverse plane motion of the
>forefoot attempts to apply pressure to the anterior, medial edge of the
ski, the
>forefoot abduct which produces stj pronation and internal leg rotation.  So
>these skiers have great difficulty applying pressure to the *tips* of their
>skies even though the rearfoot is pronated.  As a result they are less able
to
>carve a turn in the snow and therefore have less control.
>
>For those of you who prescribe orthoses for ski boots, you may want to add
a
>forefoot extension to support the patient's forefoot inversion or eversion.
>This will increase the skier's ability to edge their ski.
>
>Regards,
>
>Jeff



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