How important is a ‘Ski-Pedicure’?

Skiing is a fun activity for anyone of all ages. It’s one of the few fun things you can do again and again, without getting bored. It’s always important to protect your eyes and your head, which you do by wearing a helmet and goggles. And let’s not forget the cold right? You protect yourself by wrapping warm. But are you properly protecting your toes and toenails? In this article, we explain how to do just that, and why it’s so important!

What happens to your toes when you go skiing?

When you’re soaring down the slopes, you’re putting your body under some extreme forces. Your body is exceptionally great at maintaining itself against injuries, especially small ones, but frequent little impacts or one big trauma can do a lot more damage to your toes than you’d naturally expect. These constant impacts can/will do serious damage to the blood vessels in your toe, which can cause them to rupture underneath your toenail. In many cases, it can be extremely painful… Ouch.

Why does this happen when you ski?

The main reason this happens is down to the shape and the length of your toenails. “What have they got to do with it?” I hear you ask! The toenail acts as a lever, so the longer the nail, the greater the amount of pressure it has applied to it. So when the end of the nail is pressed down by the ski boot, the side of the nail closest to the leg begins to raise. This creates space between the nail and the toe, where blood gathers, causing great pain. In some cases, it can even turn your toenail black!

There are other reasons Skiers-toe may occur. Examples are; bad technique and boots that are too big or too small. The plus side is that all three cases are preventable, so make sure you have all of these sorted before you leave for your trip!

What can be done about it?

It’s always been said, that prevention is much better than the cure, so it is our recommendation that you do just that. The best way to avoid these injuries is to make sure your toes are in the best shape before you ski! Make sure to trim your nails down short. It’s wise to get a professional to do this as some offer what is called a “Ski-Pedicure’. This is a treatment which specifically trims the nails to give you the most comfort in your ski boots when going down the slopes. Most top beauty treatment places offer this service. Check out our “Men’s services‘ section to book your “Ski-Pedicure’ today!

What do you do if it’s too late?

If you’re finding this article too late, then the best thing we would advise you to do would be to go to the hospital. In some instances, the doctor will just apply ice and pressure, which will hurt. But if it’s really bad, then they’ll burn a small hole in the top of the nail. This lets the blood out, which alleviates the pressure.

So it’s well advised that you follow the precautionary measures before you get on the slopes. Make sure your technique is good and well practiced. Make sure you’ve got the right size ski-boots. And most importantly, make sure you get your ski-pedicure. We want you to get the most out of your trip, so we hope you found this guide useful.

If you found this post useful, have a look at our other blog posts here!