Are You Mis-Aligned

Alignment Menu

Alignment Tasks.

Here is a person doing the alignment tasks -- the skiing is meant to assess alignment rather than technique.

Use the table of symptoms below to assess your alignment. Different tasks may show different symptoms as the various aspects of performance and balance are emphasized. Taken together the tasks are meant to reveal a general alignment picture that may suggest you are misaligned. If you suspect a misalignment book an appointment for a mkore detailed assessment.

Free skiing on very moderate terrain.
Free skiing on steeper, moderate, blue terrain
One footed traverses on downhill foot
One footed traverses on uphill foot
One footed straight runs -- Just balance and let the skis go where they like
One footed straight runs -- Keep the skis going straight

Watch "Example Alignment Tasks:"

Below I have provided seperate tables for knock kneed and bow legged symptoms.

Watch a video of yourself doing free skiing and shallow traverses on each foot. If you have an alignment issue, you should find a consistent pattern of symptoms in your skiing. Depending on other factors, such as boot fit, etc. there may be other symptoms present also, but if there is an alignment issue, an easily recognizable pattern often appears. Remember, one often has different alignment on each leg. Use the appropriate table of symptoms for each side.

Note: the results of an on-snow assessment reveal symptoms. It does not indicate causes. Often, inconsistent results indicates a pattern of causes that are independently contributing to one's skiing in different ways. One's foot situation may be doing one thing and one's leg anatomy may be doing another. Assessing the details of the various causes and how they produce the pattern of results in one's skiing can be complicated and requires a trained alignment specialist. Do you need a footbed adjustment, a boot shaft adjustment, a canting plate or some combination? Only a more detailed assessment can answer these questions. Use the tasks below to decide whether you could have an alignment issue and then book an appointment for further follow-up.

1. Knock Kneed Symptoms

Task	Traverse on downhill foot	Traverse on Uphill foot	Free skiing
General	Ski veers uphill or Ski slips downhill	Ski Veers downhill or Ski slips downhill	A frame Tail skidding Step to release
Stance ski	Roll to BTE and arcs uphill Tail washes out with A frame Ski Crabs downhill	Rolls flat and goes downhill	Tail washes out Ski rails or sticks at the end of the turn – hard to release Must be lifted to release
Free ski (inside or raised)	Tips crossed Set back down to regain balance	Cant be lifted Set down to regain balance Tips together	Flat. No tipping to the LTE Converging position with stance ski
Legs	A frame Converging shins Knees pinched together	Shins converge Knees pinched together	Knees together. Consistent A frame though out turn – sometimes gets progressively worse through turn
Arms	Hands arms reach toward stance ski side	Stance arm held out to side Both arms reach toward stance ski side	Held close. Inside hand close at end of turn
Upper body	Leans downhill hips countered	Leans uphill Leans way downhill to make hip angulation	Bent over Turns uphill

2. Bow Legged Symptoms

Task	Traverse on downhill foot	Traverse on Uphill foot	Free skiing
General	Ski slips downhill Ski teeters on edge	Ski arcs uphill or Teeters on and off edge and skids downhill.	Lots of skidding. Lots of Upper body input to start the turn.
Stance ski	Teeters on and off edge with a straight leg. Tail washes out with very straight leg (no A frame).	LTE engages and ski arcs uphill. Teeters on and off edge and skids downhill with straight leg.	Tail push at start of turn. Ski stays flat to snow even when body and leg has angle.
Free ski (inside or raised)	Tails cross. Set down to regain balance. Held apart.	Held apart. Set down to regain balance.	Tips to LTE much more than stance ski to BTE. Held apart. Grabby on LTE.
Legs	Shins apart. O frame appearance.	Shins apart.	Knees apart. O frame. Or sudden A frame with heel thrust.
Arms	Both arms held wide, especially free side arm held to side.	Both arms held wide, especially free side arm held to side.	Rotates strongly. Stance arm drives forward.
Upper body	Leans uphill. Turns uphill. Hips square.	Leans uphill. Shoulders turn to face downhill.	Rotates at start of turn. Counters strongly with heel thrust.

Legal, Privacy, and Copyright Information

Alignment Menu

Bootfitting

Instruction & Camps

Products

Contact