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Original poster

When your child cant move feet inwards

27 replies

tomtom88 · 14/02/2026 14:45

Hi, Not quite sure how to explain this - my yr10 child with no sen, light framed and sporty eg doing gcse sport so athletic cannot seem to learn to ski. Specifically on their second lesson the coach said my child just cannot seem to move his feet inward at all in order to turn the skis. I am quite worried now because my child is looking forward to the school ski trip and its obviously going to be no fun if they cant ski even at a very basic level. Any thoughts? Ideas?

OP posts:
Thelondonone · 14/02/2026 14:47

They need to do exercises to improve their strength. If they can’t pizza they will never get the hang of it without significant input from an instructor (which they won’t get in a big group). Try and have more lessons but explain to the teacher. I have had to book a couple of private lessons for kids in resort that struggled but parents paid.

Original poster
tomtom88 · 14/02/2026 14:53

Thelondonone
Thank you for your advice its really helpful - it is just so unexpected -

OP posts:
Funkylights · 14/02/2026 15:30

Practice the motion at home?

Original poster
tomtom88 · 14/02/2026 16:10

Funkylights
Thanks for your comment I think the instructor was suggesting that for physical reasons he is unable to do it

OP posts:
Funkylights · 14/02/2026 16:14

I was thinking maybe tight muscles etc if no of the other sports use that movement. So might need to literally practice. Bit like yoga - you can train in movement.

Funkylights · 14/02/2026 16:15

What are his other sports?

Funkylights · 14/02/2026 16:19

Like this

When your child cant move feet inwards
Original poster
tomtom88 · 14/02/2026 16:22

Thanks all yes could be tightness - we are literally clueless on the subject!
Other sports he does well - football, long jump, cricket, tennis, running

OP posts:
LIZS · 14/02/2026 16:25

It is also a case of practising pushing the heels apart while keeping centre of gravity/weight forwards on the ball of the foot. If the weight is too far back it is much harder. Are they taking lessons in a snow dome or at an artificial slope?

Original poster
tomtom88 · 14/02/2026 16:27

FunkyLights
Yes its that movement he cannot do.

Was not expecting much from the lessons other than very basic competency - but am floored that this most basic of things he is unable to do. I only mention the other sports to provide a context that he is not generally badly coordinated.

OP posts:
Original poster
tomtom88 · 14/02/2026 16:28

LIZS
Lessons are in a snow dome. - again no idea if this is making it harder

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 14/02/2026 16:33

Dance lessons might help, though I don't know how much time you have before the trip.

When he's sitting on the couch at home with legs apart, can he stretch his legs out in front of him, engage his thigh muscles, and tip/ point his big toes together while keeping his heels as wide apart as possible?

mathanxiety · 14/02/2026 16:34

The other sports he does do not require any footwork of the kind the pizza stop requires.

Littletreefrog · 14/02/2026 16:36

Does he have to ski on the trip? Snowboarding may be more suitable. But having said that I would take him to a physio he really should be able to make the movement. Have you checked he fully understands what he is being asked to do? Can he make that position without skis on?

SpinandSing · 14/02/2026 16:39

Has he just had one coach so far? I’d try switching the coach if so. Seems a bit odd and maybe he’s just not gelling with the way this coach is teaching him.

drspouse · 14/02/2026 16:40

Funnily I went to the dry ski slope disability skiing with my DCs today and DS can't quite get this though he has dyspraxia. He's no good at following directions for movements but is better at copying. Could it be this - if he wasn't looking when it was demonstrated or the instructor didn't have skis on?
I will try the toe movements on the sofa with him!

Original poster
tomtom88 · 14/02/2026 16:44

Not quite sure what it is a tightness of muscle, lack of muscle strength or perhaps a mechanical issue that we were not aware of because it never came up in the other sports

I agree I was thinking about the coaching because he went through stage 1 & 2 quickly and this has come up in level 3 and (forgive me i know nothing about skiing) i would have thought elements of the pizza would have also been there at level 1 & 2 but that coacj never mentioned it

OP posts:
LIZS · 14/02/2026 16:50

They don’t have to learn to snowplough, it is just one method to control speed before progressing to parallel which they may find easier. Snowdome should be easier than artificial. However do try working on weight and heels(warm up with heel raises and stretching) rather than focus on bringing toes together.

Hiptothisjive · 14/02/2026 16:51

I think it’s more the motion of pushing out with the outside of your foot rather than turning your feet in.

Can he put his leg as waist width apart and turn his feet in slightly?

When I grew up we called it snow pliéing as its more the motion of pushing the snow away.

Snow domes kinda suck and aren’t real conditions. On a bunny slope that is longer and flatter he may be fine.

LIZS · 14/02/2026 17:02

And if they are practising between lessons you can get a skitip connector device to hold the tips together which may help them find the correct position and movement. If they are quite slightly built a lack of weight may make skiing trickier to grasp and hinder them speed-wise.

Bobbie12345678 · 14/02/2026 17:22

I agree with a pp. The action he needs to practice/ strengthen is to be able to push his heels out rather than turn his toes in.
Try getting him to stand with a tea towel under each foot on a tiled or hardwood surface so he can slip about a bit. Get him to try pushing his heels out, then in again. So he makes a triangle with his toes nearly touching and his heels wide. But concentrating on the heels pushing. Not the toes as such.

When your child cant move feet inwards
When your child cant move feet inwards
Bobbie12345678 · 14/02/2026 17:26

And then he could just try repeating that ten times every day, ideally in a bit of a a squat once he gets the hang of it.
if he actually cannot do that action, then physio or doctor.

Original poster
tomtom88 · 14/02/2026 17:31

Bobbie12345678
Thanks All for your advice. I am worried for him both in terms if the trip and in case it is some sort of fundamental mechanical issue that is going to cause problems.

I know nothing about skiing and all your thoughts and advice are very very welcome and advice will be acted on

Oddly the instructor felt a bit sorry for him and gave him a free snowboarding lesson immediately afterwards - with the coach feeding back that he is very good for a beginner at the snowboarding. But my guess is for insurance reasons the school trip will be ski only. So we will persist.

OP posts:
Funkylights · 14/02/2026 18:24

school trips tend to only be ski. If you have carpets do the motion of heels out etc with plastic bags on feet

Funkylights · 14/02/2026 18:42

If he can play those other sports that have a range of movement there’s no serious issue. I think maybe he’s just not getting it and a different instructor might help

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