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April, 2025

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Fixing Shin Bang

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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
I got it early last season and i never really let it rest, i would ski lets say Sunday, then doing nothing till he next Sunday. My shin was ok but it was until i went to Canada and did some really aggressive skiing it started to hurt. Felt like my bone was bruised and i didn't know how to fix it other than ice it. now i have these dent in my shin and have had them for more than a year now. i do a lot of butters and when i had a stiff ski i could actually feel my bone bending a little. its hurt a lot. how way to fix it? i stretch my calf's a lot and do all those exercises but i don't know if that's is enough. help? +k
14 years ago
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kingskier
Posts: 1045 - Karma: 11
see a physio about it? that would help.

also possibly some soft flex boots would be more forgiving. if you fit into full tilts they have all sorts or exchangeable tongues of different flexes.
14 years ago
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kingskier
Posts: 1045 - Karma: 11
double post. i also have a few dents in my shin from shins digs when ive gone skating. and i reckon i need some more boots as ive got bad shinbang before. it sucks. cant afford new boots.
14 years ago
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
My foot is still growing so buying a bout wouldn't be that smart. but this year i got a pair of Salomon boots that are super soft (new rentals). they feel much better than my past year boots which were racing boots.
14 years ago
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COskier
Posts: 1066 - Karma: 131
^rental boots? There is your problem. Who cares if you are growing, pony up the cash. They will last you a season at the very least.
14 years ago
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COskier
Posts: 1066 - Karma: 131
Also, generally for shin bang, it means you are skiing/ landing too far backseat so get forward and work on your leg strength.

14 years ago
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array.
Posts: 2439 - Karma: 202
1. Fill a dixy cup (or a small cup that is non reusable) with water. Freeze the water, and remove the ice from the cup. Use the stick of ice to massage the shins for 20 minutes, then wipe with towel and leave for 30 minutes. Repeat process until ice is gone.

2. fill 2 ziplock bags with water and put them in the freezer. If a rolling pin is avaliable, put the water on top of the pin and leave in the freezer, so when the ice is frozen it will stay wrapped around your shins better, and num your shins faster and better. When applying the ice, use a paper towel or thin towel to put in between your shins and the ice. This is to make sure you don't get skin burn from direct contact with the ice or snow. Make sure your shins are elevated and kick back and relax on a coffee table with a pillow and sit on NS. Leave the ice on your shins for about 20 minutes, or until num. Remove the ice, but keep legs elevated for another 30 minutes. Repeat process until your shins feel better.

3. There is a medacine called "Voltaren Gel" and what it does is a non inflamitory gel, and is used for joint and muscle pain. It will also work great on your shins. Before and after each time you go shred the local hill, apply a bit of this cream.

4. Another way to help it (but this is also expensive) is to purchase new boots. Shin bang is caused by your shins slamming into the tongues of your boots. Therefore, if your boots are fitted correctly, they should not move around and walla! No more shin bang.

5. Lastly, there is the super torked down boots theory. Yes, this works, but it is really uncomfortable if your boots don't fit quite right. So, what I have started doing is have my boots loose for the first run, then after that run and my boots are warmer, I tighten them down so tight, that I can't put 2 fingers down the tongue of my boot in front of my shins. (This is the proper way to wear your boots by the way.) Then, on the chair and in the lodge, I unbuckle the boots, so that they are still on, but a bit more loose.


copied straight from shin bang cult
14 years ago
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
what? double post, so what. more the better
14 years ago
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kingskier
Posts: 1045 - Karma: 11
yeah exactly the same with me. my boots arnt uncomfortable but i do get shin bang, and i dont land backseat consistently at all, but im still growing so im not really up for spending a load of money on new boots if i grow out of them in a season
14 years ago
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Yung_Gnarley
Posts: 9096 - Karma: 3,071
ahahaha god dammit
14 years ago
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

ugh...  Shin bang doesn't come from butters or big hits.  Shin bang comes from shitty fitting boots.  Want to fix it?  Get boots that fit properly.  There is no other way.

Did you have shin bang in your race boots?   

14 years ago
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GBS
Posts: 1386 - Karma: 33
Get Full tilts (Booter)
Pump your leg muscles

Thats what I did, and NO MORE SHINBANG FOR ME >:D


14 years ago
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GNARwalls
Posts: 1287 - Karma: 528
2 words... Full Tilts
14 years ago
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
No, i ski really aggressive sometime, and thats were i get the shin splits. and i work out daily so my calf's are jacks(i also having been longboaridng and biking for a couple years) and I am saying when i do butter i can FEEL my shin bending. that's something different and don't know what it is. but i ice to and massage it now and it feels better. and i had two years of the shittyest race boots that where terrible. and i have already spent enough money buying, new 200 dollar bindings, 2012 Atomic Punx, Poc receptor, EG2 goggles, beanies, new jacket from saga, I bought super soft boots but there NEW rentals, so technically new boots. and i paid for the skis to be drilled too. so i am kinda out of cash. i also had to get all new tall tees because I was wearing all of them which was 3 or 4 when i got into a accident and the EMTs cut them all off. that was including my jacket.
14 years ago
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Danoo
Posts: 77 - Karma: 146
From what I hear Full TIlt boots are the solution but if you are poor or lately sunk $400 onto a pair of boots like me you might have to just treat the symptoms.

For a while I thought I had shin bang, but it was actually shin splints from track. If that is the case two minutes a day stretching each calf and shin usually does the trick. Icing your shins helps with shin bang and shin splints
14 years ago
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andstuff
Posts: 1118 - Karma: 61
The only way to "fix" shin bang is to learn how to ski correctly. No boot is without shin bang if you ski like a backseat gomer.
14 years ago
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rankstank
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 223
Well half of this is correct...the other half is just plain wrong. 1-shin bang is not caused by slamming into the front of your boot, it is caused from being backseat and putting strain on your shin muscles/tearing them from the bone. The pain can be exaggerated when leaning forward because of the pressure, but this isn't the cause in most cases. Also ARE YOU SERIOUS? You are not supposed to be able to stick two fingers down the front of your boot in between your tounge and shin, that is waaaay too loose. If anything you want to crank those suckers down so that you aren't putting as much strain on your shins when leaning back. Icing and stuff will help, but will not solve your problem. 1. Get boots that fit well. Said multiple times because it is the most important. 2.Don't exaggerate your skiing backseat (it's inevitable in freestyle skiing that you will land backseat, if you are trying to progress). 3. Strengthen leg muscles. Try all of these, then just hope for the best. Remember, no matter what you do you are always going to be putting a hell of a lot of strain on your legs, so don't expect it to go away/be completely solved. Sometimes it is but it more about managing it.
14 years ago
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array.
Posts: 2439 - Karma: 202
sorry for being 13, and getting my information from a certified ski coach...
14 years ago
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ParkisFun
Posts: 135 - Karma: 15
rental boots are horrible, i thought there was actually a piece of wood above my toenails. which gave my mad hard shin/toe bang. This was a while ago tho...then i tried to jib a tire and i failed and in the next couple of months my toenails came off :) that would of been a great picture for the show us your boots competition
14 years ago
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rankstank
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 223
It doesn't matter how old you are, don't use your age as an excuse if you are giving wrong advice. As for your ski coach, he has an interesting strategy for how to wear ski boots, keeping your boots tight is anti-shin bang 101
14 years ago
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themightyquinn
Posts: 44 - Karma: 10
I don't know if this has been said already but my local ski shop has pads that Velcro to the tounge of your boot and fill the gap/ provides cushion where shinbang happens. There only like $15.
14 years ago
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andstuff
Posts: 1118 - Karma: 61
This only treats the symptom instead of the problem. Any variation of soothing the pressure on your shins makes it worse. Loose/soft boots, gel, all that shit does nothing if you are skiing the same way that gave you shin bang in the first place. Ever wonder why comp racers never get shin bang despite using the stiffest boots imaginable?

1. Give it a rest and let your shins heal.
2. Get stiffer boots, and tighten the shit out of the booster strap. This should feel tighter than the shin buckles, which should be VERY snug.
3. Ski with your weight over the balls of your feet and hands in front of your knees. If you ever feel the cuff of your ski boot digging into your calves, you're doing it wrong.
14 years ago
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
I'll say it again, i do not even ski backseat... ever. ive been skiing a long time and haven't ski like a backseat retard since i was 7. js. But iceing and i guess massaging it works. but how do you stretch your calfs??
14 years ago
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
Stand on a step or a curb.  Let your heels hang off the end of the step/curb.  Drop your heels to the ground and it will stretch your foot and calves pretty well.
14 years ago
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Abc567def
Posts: 8756 - Karma: 802
i have said this for years now on the site.  Wear a high sock and then duct tape around your shin from the top (about 2 inches above your boot) down to about 3 inches above your ankle.  While taping your shin flex your toe towards the ceiling so that your calf becomes flexed. This will cause the muscle to be forced over your bone dramatically helping with the shin bang. It is not a fix but I ski around 120 days a year and has been helping me like crazy. If you want to be proactive you can also use this method before you get shinbang to help it from occurring.
14 years ago
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Kreech
Posts: 4178 - Karma: 3,024
Get some boots that fit to help in the future, but to actually treat the shinbang you have now, ice, but also check out this cream:

Click for larger image

I'm fairly sure it's an aspirin derivitive, and it goes in through your pores and fixes shit on the inside. Putting it on every night on the area of an injury, I've healed pulled severely pulled muscles in a day. It's really nice. It's also great for swollen/damaged/rolled out joints, and it really helped to relieve the shinbang I had last year as well. It's not too expensive, and it's worth a try.
14 years ago
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2L208
Posts: 1075 - Karma: 308
Click for larger image

fixing shin bang is really easy. lean forward. its not the boots, skis, snow, or any other outside element. YOU ARE TO BLAME FOR SHIN BANG. shin bang is when you lean back your tibia splinters and thats where the pain comes from. it won't heal until you stop skiing for a while.
14 years ago
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BmoChop
Posts: 2071 - Karma: 96
I dunno how old you are, but if you still live with your parents see if you can get them to spot you some cash for good boots, point out that shitty fitting boots can lead to long term injuries and surgeries (I don't really know if they can, Im basically talking out of my ass here, but parents like to save money.)
14 years ago
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
i would, but i bought all my stuff this year, and my boots are really nice(not amazing). There older model spk. super flexy though. they don't want to spend money on boots. shin bang though isn't from me skiing bad, its from me taking a couple a really bad hits to them. and once wrecking them, after skiing on them very week they got worse but i kept skiing because i was traveling to resorts. and would miss out on going up to Stowe or Mount Tremblant. I've been coached on my skiing so its not from leaning back and i stretch my calf and heel most of the time. i figured the only way to treat it is like bone repairing cream stuff, or wait until enough calcium builds up but that probably wont happen till another year.
14 years ago
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Kreech
Posts: 4178 - Karma: 3,024
Yeah, but it doesn't matter how nice your boots are, if they don't fit you properly, you'll get shinbang a lot more easily. Talk to onenerdykid about boots if you have any questions. I believe he's the boot tech dude for the atomic team, and he's always giving fantastic advice around here. Hit him up.
14 years ago
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Montana_Hoodrat
Posts: 1953 - Karma: 1,481
this helps if you get shin bang from friction. With softer boots, your shin slides up and down the boot more. Duct tape is one way to treat it. The other way is to wear ankle socks and shave your lower leg. (:o)

There are several causes of shin bang:

1. Friction (lubricate with duct tape or maybe slippery socks?)
2. Splints caused from landing backseat. (don't land backseat. and ice after every session.)
3. Boots that are too big or buckled too loose. (get boot that fit. Full tilts if you can afford them!)
14 years ago
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2L208
Posts: 1075 - Karma: 308
lol you listen to all these other jokesters i'm sure you will, its how you ski. no matter what you do its still how you ski. lean forward thats it, its your back lean that causes shin bang, i had it so bad i couldn't walk. but take it from all these richy rich bitches whose mommy's and daddy's buy them everything. or take it from me who came from dirt and taught myself to ski, bought my own gear and learned the facts myself. LEAN FORWARD. don't do all the faggy tricks that don't work
14 years ago
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juicedrummer11
Posts: 1960 - Karma: 1,331
1 - ski better
2 - don't ski on anything with more than 4 buckles tops cuz chances are they are not meant for shredding
3 - the ace of spades are the most comfortable thing my feet have ever skied with and no more shin bang
14 years ago
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razors-chaz
Posts: 2255 - Karma: 1,250
As well as everything good that has been said here, look into these http://www.shintronic.com/ they are a reasonavle substitute for buying new boots. These basically fill the gap between your shins and the top of the boot, like having custom moulded liners.
14 years ago
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6744 - Karma: 11,760
Ok, you need to understand that a poor fitting boot (no matter how expensive or fancy) is mainly the cause of shinbang.

These are the main causes of shinbang. You need to know that not only 1 thing causes it.

-not having a footbed
-boot is wrong size (usually too big than too small)
-continually landing backseat
-having a gap between the tongue of the boot and your shin, either because you have chicken legs or simply because the tongue just doesn't match up to your leg
-boots that are too soft for you
-boots that are too stiff for you
-boots that are too low on your leg

so, if you do the opposite of what I just wrote, shinbang is most likely not going to happen to you in the future. As you can tell, a properly fit boot is your best bet against getting shinbang.
14 years ago
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nagelthebagel
Posts: 205 - Karma: 36
I only got shinbang in my SPKs(which are a piece of shit boot) last seaon after skiing hard for like 5 days in a row. If i just go out on the weekend, I never had a problem though.
14 years ago
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tbayskier
Posts: 1145 - Karma: 1,751
so i underrotated a frontflip off a picnic table 4 days ago, almost felt like i broke my left calf bone it hurt so bad.  i've still got some hefty, hefty pain on the back of my legs, anyone have thoughts on shit to do to make it stop hurting?  I'm guessing just time
14 years ago
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Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
Am I the only one that noticed that the OP spent a ton of cash on accesories to maximize steeze, while neglecting the MOST important part his ski gear?
Fuck this beater.
14 years ago
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razors-chaz
Posts: 2255 - Karma: 1,250
R.I.C.E rest, ice , compression, elavation is your general rule for soft tissue damadge but using ibuprofen gels really helps for short term pain relief.
14 years ago
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tbayskier
Posts: 1145 - Karma: 1,751
word will do
14 years ago
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

Goddammit...  I'm sorry if this comes across as dickish but this is a textbook example of how not to shop for gear.  I mean what the hell?  You've got the steeziest outfit you could possibly afford, dope new skis and bindings, tall Ts, goggles and a fresh helmet...  AND NEVER BOTHERED WITH DECENT BOOTS.  No wonder your fucking shins hurt.  You're either the biggest gaper ever, someone who can ski far better than he can exercise common sense or you're trolling. 

The might be hope though- I heard if you afterbang your afterbang hard enough, it cancells out shin bang regardless of how shitty your boots are. 

14 years ago
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

Oh, and get in the front seat already. 

14 years ago
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