Is spray leg a result of cold water or an indicator of bad form?

[ScarletArrow]

Been doing some early season skiing here in Ohio. Water temp is now about 60*F w/ the recent warm spell so I went from a long wetsuit to a shorty. Now that my calf is exposed I'm getting massive spray leg on my right (rear) calf muscle (ouch!). Is this just a cold water thing or an indicator that something is wrong with my form? I don't normally wear my shorty and don't normally have this problem in the summer. If this is a bad form issue - advice is welcome!

[ForrestGump]

It's a function of the physiology of your body. Your back leg has to hang slightly outside the edge of the ski and drags in the water on your off side. Not a whole lot you can do about it.

[04196]

Each spring when I go from dry suit to shorty, I get the rear leg spray burn, lasts for about a week and then the muscle(s) adjust/adapt and it is no longer an issue. Sorry I can't rule out bad form for you because I know my form is laughable but I really think it is more as Shane states and until your muscle adjusts, it hurts.

[Gern Blanston]

my guess is that the cold water is not symptomatic of spray leg, but simply that your leg is not conditioned as Shane suggest.

I get it so bad that my leg actually bleeds.  I therefore have become a wuss and wear a spray guard.  My buddy bill has skinny calves and so the guard wont' stay down.  He also bleeds.  So, he shaves his leg and wraps his calf with duct tape.

[skidawg]

Spray leg is a result of super soft wimpy skin that hasn't seen h2o in months, it will toughen ip in a week, water temp or form have zero to do with it.

[RichardDoane]

we tease skiers (men) who wear spraylegs all season

[Gern Blanston]

bring it on! 

[robscholl-OF]

RD, what do you mean tease (men)????  We tease everyone, we just take it a little easier on the woman. 

As far as cold vs. warm water, I have gone from really warm soft water to cold dense water in a 24 hour period.  The cold dense water did sting a little more, but I just figured it was because warm water is soft and so does not hurt like cold.  I also notice that wakes behind the same boat are harder in cold water than in warm.  I never put too much thought into it, it just seemed to makes sense.

All I know is I have to gut it out the first few weeks after coming out of my dry suit.  That is why once I stop wearing, I don't go back until winter.  I have seen others have their calf bleed from the spray and never have been able to figure out why it is so bad for some and just a small annoyance for others.  I just figured it was because of binding placement and ski width......Of

 

[skibug]

If you employ some off season moy thia into your work outs your should be fine.....AKA......Jean Claude Van Dam in Bloodsport (I think) where he trained by kicking tree trunks with his shins.

[GAJ0004]

Once the water gets warm I wear a spray leg legging. My right leg(rear) gets bruised so bad without it I can't bend my ankle, then I can't ski. Easy problem to fix..

[eleeski]

It can be ski design too.

A spray leg is a trivial fix. Use it with pride. Outski all those naked shin skiers.

My rear hardshell with tall liners also prevents spray pain.

Eric

[tsixam]

I never had a spray leg, ski in cold water all the time.

Tsixam

[h2odawg79]

does anyone get spray leg that has RS-1's or simular Rear binding? -I haven't had the problem since rubbers... 

[Roger]

I have RS-1 bindings and had spray leg pain on and off this Winter due to limited skiing. I've always had spray leg pain for a few sets after a long layoff (3 or more weeks) with rubber and hard shells.

[ScarletArrow]

many thanks!

[Jean B]

After starting to ski with Doane and OF, to shut them up I quit wearing a spray leg. The very first time out without a long suit, always hurts the worst, initially I have skin razored off. It sometimes takes a while to heal, because everytime I ski again the scabs get scrapped off again, and again. The best thing though in the summer, I never have to shave the hair off my left leg. My advise is to never wear a spray leg around Doane and OF, you will never hear the end of it. Believe me this pain is way tolerable then all the pain in the butt remarks, you will hear from them for years after. /vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-sealed.gif

 

[eleeski]

Now I MUST find a spray leg to use when I go ski with them! Where can I find tie-dye neoprene?

Eric

[RichardDoane]

Eric - I've got a purple and orange one you can borrow while you're here !

[mattm]

 

I had thought I would start skiing when it warmed up, maybe even wait til I can ski in a shorty but I had all but forgotten about spray leg.  I might have to take a few sets of power washing my calf before I actually get on a ski.

Man this has been a tough winter.

[robscholl-OF]

Eric,

Because you are coming up to coach the BOW camp, I will promise to give you no grief....really I won't.  I will make you help me change the oil in my boat though.......OF

[Old MS Accout]

How warm is the water in the NW?

[RichardDoane]

Hoping the water tomorrow is into to the 50's. Last weekend @ Radar it was 48'

[Old MS Accout]

Ouch. We are at 58 today and its going up and down daily. 54 yesterday and up to 58 this afternoon after having it at 61 last week. I hate drysuits.

 

      

[ForrestGump]

Damn, MS............our lake was 59 today. Luckily, I was at Aquaplex today with Marc where it was 70ish.

[Steven]

I'm wishing for some global warming! The water in So Cal is only 60, normally near 70 by now. Cold and cloudy and rain in the forcast. I don't do drysuits anymore. The weather has been so crappy here I actually "tried" to ski in a 30 rpm adjust headwind/tailwind yesterday. It didn't go real well!