If I'm on the water a lot, the tops of my feet and toes get torn apart. This happens due to a kneeling or stinkbug start technique where the tops of my feet are against the traction pad. Once the abrasions open up, the downward spiral begins it takes forever to heal and they just get worse and worse. There isn't really time for my feet to toughen up unless I was very prescriptive around taking time off the water and the tops of my feet and toes aren't a very natural place to have calluses.
I can adjust my technique and go from my butt to standing in some circumstances, avoiding being on my knees (which is when this happens), but this isn't my natural technique and doesn't work in all circumstances.
does this happen to anybody else?
Other than wearing boots (which I prefer not to - but am forced to sometimes to let things heal) any ideas on how to avoid this?
Yes, I've just gone through the whole skinned toe knuckles ordeal. I just started to wing a low volume board @ 40ish lts, I knee start it and and after a week I abraded all of my toes, the tops of my feet and my lower knees.
Having surfed for decades and knowing the absolute horror of sea ulcers, I chose to wear booties to give them some healing time. I hate booties, so I don't want to continue with that. I also avoided winging when it wasn't epic for a week and everything healed up okay. All I can think of right now is that maybe the corduroy deck grip for shortboards would be less savage on the skin. The knee problem I solved by wearing long Lycra compression pants under my shorts..
Try a different traction pad, or a board with a different pad. My Starboard has an almost smooth deck pad and is really easy on the feet, but my Smik has the chopped square pattern on the deck, which is great for riding strapless in the surf, but is much rougher.
Select to expand quoteVelocicraptor said..
If I'm on the water a lot, the tops of my feet and toes get torn apart. This happens due to a kneeling or stinkbug start technique where the tops of my feet are against the traction pad. Once the abrasions open up, the downward spiral begins it takes forever to heal and they just get worse and worse. There isn't really time for my feet to toughen up unless I was very prescriptive around taking time off the water and the tops of my feet and toes aren't a very natural place to have calluses.
I can adjust my technique and go from my butt to standing in some circumstances, avoiding being on my knees (which is when this happens), but this isn't my natural technique and doesn't work in all circumstances.
does this happen to anybody else?
Other than wearing boots (which I prefer not to - but am forced to sometimes to let things heal) any ideas on how to avoid this?
You could try kneeling on your toes like the guy in the bottom pictures here:
That way there is no pressure on the top of your feet at least. But it can be a bit less stable for bug starts.
Select to expand quoteDJMax said..Velocicraptor said..
If I'm on the water a lot, the tops of my feet and toes get torn apart. This happens due to a kneeling or stinkbug start technique where the tops of my feet are against the traction pad. Once the abrasions open up, the downward spiral begins it takes forever to heal and they just get worse and worse. There isn't really time for my feet to toughen up unless I was very prescriptive around taking time off the water and the tops of my feet and toes aren't a very natural place to have calluses.
I can adjust my technique and go from my butt to standing in some circumstances, avoiding being on my knees (which is when this happens), but this isn't my natural technique and doesn't work in all circumstances.
does this happen to anybody else?
Other than wearing boots (which I prefer not to - but am forced to sometimes to let things heal) any ideas on how to avoid this?
You could try kneeling on your toes like the guy in the bottom pictures here:
That way there is no pressure on the top of your feet at least. But it can be a bit less stable for bug starts.
Yeah, this is how I've been positioned for starting (bottom set of pics). To me having the bottom of the toes flat to the board seems more natural. You're ready to push off into an upright position from here, much like a sprinters back foot when crouched and waiting for the starting gun to fire. I guess it may not work for the stink bug start though.
reef shoes? I've accepted that no matter how much I surf and run bare feet, my feet will never be as tough as the coral. One cut will keep me out of the water for too long. So I rather wear shoes in the water so I can wear slippers on land.
Select to expand quoteVelocicraptor said..
If I'm on the water a lot, the tops of my feet and toes get torn apart. This happens due to a kneeling or stinkbug start technique where the tops of my feet are against the traction pad. Once the abrasions open up, the downward spiral begins it takes forever to heal and they just get worse and worse. There isn't really time for my feet to toughen up unless I was very prescriptive around taking time off the water and the tops of my feet and toes aren't a very natural place to have calluses.
I can adjust my technique and go from my butt to standing in some circumstances, avoiding being on my knees (which is when this happens), but this isn't my natural technique and doesn't work in all circumstances.
does this happen to anybody else?
Other than wearing boots (which I prefer not to - but am forced to sometimes to let things heal) any ideas on how to avoid this?
Booties
Problem solved
I had the same thing and didnt want to use boots in the middle of summer. Once the wound had opened up i couldnt get it to heal in time for the next session.
My solution, a quick wrap of sports tape around the feet worked just fine for me. no need to change board or go to boots
for something more serious, some of the pro slalom windsurfers sailing 1000s of hours use this sort of thing:
www.ion-products.com/water/travelgear-accessories/accessories/windsurf-accessories/foot-protector/
I have been there and I've the scars. I ended up with sea ulcers that took 6 months to heal and hurt like child birth.
Gave up and went to a smaller board and straps. I tried the knees and toes but found I drove the tail down too much.
Never had the issue, my feet and toes are off the side of the board, never along it. I found it uncomfortable to have my feet bent back so they have always hung over the side when either kneeling or stink bug start.
Select to expand quoteairsail said..
Never had the issue, my feet and toes are off the side of the board, never along it. I found it uncomfortable to have my feet bent back so they have always hung over the side when either kneeling or stink bug start.
I've done this too. Can work well.
I hate wearing neoprene socks or booties when surf foiling. But don't mind wearing booties when winging.
But when learning to SUP a few years ago I got the sores. So I put good quality cloth bandaids over them before my sessions. They will obviously fall off after a while but by then at least I had a few goes before putting up with the pain. All good if it heals & has scarred.
I still dont do knee starts. I get onto my board the same as SUP surfing. I just have my board turning & pointing down wind as I get up. I hold onto the leash or strap nearest the Wing and then grab the wing handles. By this time my board has already started moving for better stability.
Obviously if I was using a sinker board it would be a different story.
Select to expand quoteClamsmasha said..
Yes, I've just gone through the whole skinned toe knuckles ordeal. I just started to wing a low volume board @ 40ish lts, I knee start it and and after a week I abraded all of my toes, the tops of my feet and my lower knees.
Having surfed for decades and knowing the absolute horror of sea ulcers, I chose to wear booties to give them some healing time. I hate booties, so I don't want to continue with that. I also avoided winging when it wasn't epic for a week and everything healed up okay. All I can think of right now is that maybe the corduroy deck grip for shortboards would be less savage on the skin. The knee problem I solved by wearing long Lycra compression pants under my shorts..
Deck grip is definitely noticeable, never had any abrasion on fanatic deck grip, starboard is shredding me.
i have gone to what i am calling the 'zen stinkbug' - i put my knees around the outside of the board and bottom of my feet touching together at the back of the board. My back hand is on front of board and front hand is on the wing. Then i press off back hand and pull on front as i come to knees and forward movement. Spend very little time on knees and no time with my toes on board.
For whatever reason, when kicking into foot straps. This being during transitions but mostly when getting up on my semi sinker. Often kick my toes into the strap/board connection. I have bruised toes, but not all of them, just the smaller ones. Takes bloody ages to heal - then to kick them again is frustrating!
Select to expand quoteSputnik11 said..Velocicraptor said..
If I'm on the water a lot, the tops of my feet and toes get torn apart. This happens due to a kneeling or stinkbug start technique where the tops of my feet are against the traction pad. Once the abrasions open up, the downward spiral begins it takes forever to heal and they just get worse and worse. There isn't really time for my feet to toughen up unless I was very prescriptive around taking time off the water and the tops of my feet and toes aren't a very natural place to have calluses.
I can adjust my technique and go from my butt to standing in some circumstances, avoiding being on my knees (which is when this happens), but this isn't my natural technique and doesn't work in all circumstances.
does this happen to anybody else?
Other than wearing boots (which I prefer not to - but am forced to sometimes to let things heal) any ideas on how to avoid this?
Booties
Problem solved
Booties suck!
I use these :
www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08MQC5TR9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Pretty close to barefoot and good protection from sun, cuts etc... And cheap too.
??
