From New Telemark Guide
(Redirected from Ball of foot)
The ball of the foot is the padded portion of the sole of the human foot between the toes and the arch, critical to the action of the foot as a pivot point. Since telemark technique requires articulation of the ankle and knee, and the boots are designed to flex with a bellowed section, the ball of the foot becomes the focal point of the skier's energy and power transmission to the ski.
Ball of foot is commonly used as a reference point for positioning the telemark binding along the longitudinal axis of the ski, as positioning the ball at the midpoint of the running surface of ski makes for a balance of edging force between tip and tail. For more reading on mount point determination, visit the Mounting Reference.