While we hold on to the last few days of the holiday season, and of 2025, we know that many of our avoid Houston athletes will be heading out of town to enjoy some winter sports. So, if travel is in your plans, and the ski slope is your destination, read on for our tips on how to choose ski boots that won't allow foot pain to ruin your vacay. 
How to Choose Ski Boots
Skiing and snowboarding are great winter sports—a fun way to get outdoors and get active all at once. If, however, you want to avoid foot and ankle injuries like sprains and fractures, you have to be very careful when getting fitted for ski boots. Don’t ruin your ski holiday with ill-fitting footwear; follow your Houston podiatrists’ suggestions for proper fit and your holiday will be a lot more enjoyable.
First things first: your boots should be comfortable; they should feel snug and also fit the shape of your foot appropriately. Loose boots allow your foot and ankle to slide around inside them, putting you at risk of injury as you shift forwards and backwards down the mountain. Tight boots rub and can leave you with blisters, while a boot that’s too short can injure your toe as it gets pushed up against the hard interior. (That increases your risk for black toenail injuries, along with ingrown toenails down the road.) For these reasons, the perfect fit for a ski boot is just snug enough to stabilize your feet and ankles without causing undue discomfort.
When to add Custom Ski Boot Insoles
Ski boots fit differently than regular street shoes. But both boots and shoes have one thing in common: for people with atypical foot shapes, including those with flat feet or high arches, part of how to choose a ski boot properly will involve adding custom orthotics.
If you have a hard time finding a comfortable boot fit, or if you use custom orthotics in your regular shoes, you may want to use them when skiing as well; most sets will be able to transfer fairly easily. If you’re a serious skier, however, and want to own your own pair, please feel free to schedule a consultation at our office to ensure that you receive a pair that is specifically designed to protect you from sport-related injuries and other concerns.
You see, when we know that we're crafting ski insoles, we can make them from materials designed to absorb the shock of your athletic activities. Some skiiers benefit from added shock absorption in their custom ski boot insoles; if you're into moguls or just go extra-hard down the mountain, we may suggest adding polyethylene foams or EVA to your orthotics. And, if you're prone to foot sweat, or tend to get snow trapped in your boots, we can even craft insoles from materials that wick away moisture, helping reduce the risk of friction, blisters and, later on, athlete's foot infections.
When to Replace Those Old Ski Boots
Even if you've followed all our tips on how to choose ski boots, you also need to know when it's time to ditch an old pair and pick up a new one before hitting the slopes. While we tell patients that running shoes should be replaced every three to four months, the useful lifetime of ski boots is harder to measure. So, how can you tell when your boots need replacing? First and foremost, get a new pair if you notice any changes to the shape of your boot's shell, or if any cracks become visible. If, while skiing, you suddenly notice that your feet feel cold, or you experience foot pain that never previously bothered you, those are signs of wear in your boot liner. (So you should replace the liner or the boot!) And, building off that rule, if you've been properly fitted for ski boots, and your feet now hurt after a day on the slopes when they never did before, you may need to invest in a new pair to stave off injuries.
All the points we’ve discussed should garner you a good fitting pair of ski boots, but if you don’t wear the right pair of socks with them, all of that will be for nothing. You might think that you need heavy socks to keep your feet warm, but remember, your boots are already insulated; warm socks could make your feet sweat and leave you vulnerable to athlete’s foot (plus, thick socks will affect the fit of a snug boot!) The best choice for a ski sock is a lightweight athletic pair, calf high (so the top of your boot won’t rub against your leg).
Common Snowboarding Injuries
Even with well-fitted boots, snowboarding is a sport that carries a large risk of injury. Today I want to let you know about one of the most commonly misdiagnosed snowboarding injuries—snowboarder's ankle.
Often mistaken for an ankle sprain, snowboarders’ ankle is actually a fracture of the outer lateral ankle-bone (Talus). This rare fracture got its name because only 1% of the general population breaks this bone, but 15% of snowboarder’s with ankle injuries have a fractured Talus bone.
While this injury is extremely painful, the good news is that it’s largely avoidable. Boarders, especially newcomers, should use boots specifically designed for the sport. Snowboarding boots are stiff but allow enough flexibility to prevent this kind of impact fracture; wearing hiking or moon boots, as many athletes choose to do, does not protect your delicate ankle bones sufficiently.
Of course, even with the proper gear, you need to exercise caution when engaging in a more adventurous sport like snowboarding. Before you go for that 360, make sure you have enough skill to safely perform the move. Some extra instruction may be a good idea if you are hoping to master new tricks on the mountain.
Nothing ruins a snowy vacation like a snowboarding injury; if you get hurt while you’re out of town, make sure that your first call when you get home is to your Houston podiatrist. We'll ensure that your injury was properly diagnosed and that you are healing appropriately.
