Foiler's Toe

[NYKiter]

For the old farts....

While Im learning flying switch foot, Ive been riding toe side for a year now and have developed a new ailment Im calling 'foiler's toe.'

Tendentious of the large toe from cranking hard upwind toeside too much. Apparently much of the force to hold the wing down is mostly on the toe...

[jumptheshark]

straps?

[Peter_Frank]

I dont recognize this either?

Do you have straps, and offset from the center?
Then I could understand this.

But when standing in balance on the foil, front foot over the center, you should not push at all with your toes, it is all on your leg and body.

So strapless it is not a problem, and if, you can just put your front foot further to the toe edge, and the rear foot further to the other edge, and no strain on your toes.

PF

[NYKiter]

I ditched the straps when I first started...always strapless......

I think the popular big wings contribute....

[juandesooka]

Funny you should say that. I am also one of the no switch foil crew. So I ride a lot toeside. I find the excessive twisting in repetition leads to various pains...in particular hips. I've also had a painful big toe on back foot for suite a while...kind of at the base, into the ball of foot. Really notice it surfing, it's where I push off to sharp turns. I figured it was just yet another ache of the 50 year old body ... But your explanation makes sense to me. I will keep an eye on it.

And I've also invested the time finally to learn to ride switch, use it for longer tacks now.

[slowboat]

I used to have a lot of back foot big toe pain until I made myself switch feet almost every tack out

[DukeSilver]

Yes me too. Base of the big toe. Riding toe side a lot in the first year. Once I learned the toe to heel side foiling foot switch and stopped riding toe side so much, pain has now gone. Also always strapless.

[PurdyKiter]

Yes me too. Base of the big toe. Riding toe side a lot in the first year. Once I learned the toe to heel side foiling foot switch and stopped riding toe side so much, pain has now gone. Also always strapless.

Interesting. I've just in the last year or so developed what I though was a bunion only on my left (front) foot toe at the base of the big toe. There are days when I might go for over an hour without a switch. So.... maybe my problems are now solved. No surgery, no Dr appt. More inspiration to always switch. In most conditions I'm about %80 success, now I'll push it towards %100.
Thanks!

[plummet]

um... jybe and ride heel side hard upwind?

[NYKiter]

Absolutely...more incentive to switch weak side.

I did find that if I place my feet together over the wing while grinding upwind the load is greatly reduced on said foot and toe....good rest.