Pinching in the Achilles area in Edea Skates

[crazyshihtzu]

Dear skaters, is here any skater who had the Achilles area in EDEA skates pinched in? I'm also curious about what tools are needed to pinch the Achilles area in for EDEA SKATES? How is this possible? How to do it step-by-step? I'm from Poland, Europe and here modifying your Edea Skates - even widening toeboxes is something very rare and people are put in skates too narrow and too big even by Edea specialists but shop that I found does not bullshit like selling too big skates.

 

[bostonskaterguy86]

Hello! I've never worn Edeas myself, so I can't really say much about them specifically - but, I can say that in my last pair of boots (Jackson Debuts), I had the heels pinched in a bit, and it didn't really work terribly well. My skate tech told me she finds that heating and pinching in boots never really works as well as punching or stretching them out. She said it was worth giving it a try in my case, but that she thought they would likely just return to their original shape over time - which is exactly what happened, in the long run.

I would also recommend that you don't try to make any of these changes to your skates on your own - it's best to have an experienced skate tech take care of any heat molding and punch-outs you need.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Even a tech shouldn't try to pinch in Edea heels and modifying the toebox in that brand is virtually impossible if not unheard of.

You really can't do this on your own if it was even possible to be done.

It sounds like you need a boot brand and a fitter that works for you personally. Even if that means traveling to a nearby country where they can do so properly and has a tech that knows what they doing.

 

[tstop4me]

Dear skaters, is here any skater who had the Achilles area in EDEA skates pinched in? I'm also curious about what tools are needed to pinch the Achilles area in for EDEA SKATES? How is this possible? How to do it step-by-step? I'm from Poland, Europe and here modifying your Edea Skates - even widening toeboxes is something very rare and people are put in skates too narrow and too big even by Edea specialists but shop that I found does not bullshit like selling too big skates.

By Achilles area, do you mean the actual area around the Achilles tendon? If so, you don't want too much direct pressure on the Achilles tendon. But if you mean the heel pocket, and your issue is the heel of your foot is slipping in the heel pocket of the boot, then I'll refer you to one of my previous posts (in agreement with Reply #2 above):

To elaborate: For figure skating boots, proper fit of the heel is critical. At the same time, even for boots that are heat moldable, the heel pocket is the portion of the boot that is least amenable to modification. Furthermore (as I explained in more detail in a previous thread), with thermoplastic materials, you get more compliant reshaping when expanding, rather than contracting, regions. If you heat and squeeze a heel pocket that is too large, you will effectively create a few local pinch points: not likely comfortable and not likely an effective solution in the long run.

 

[Query]

A less permanent change to your current skates, if it is the heel that is loose, would be to use a heel cup. There are many different types and shapes available, and many are cheap. Alternately, you could also play with adhesive foam or tape, placed inside the boot in the places that feel loose against your foot, until you feel the fit is perfect. Some skate techs know how to do these things, and some don't, but with a little experimentation, you can maybe do it yourself if you are patient.

I've never had an Achilles tendon injury. But I used to get a lot of ankle injuries - maybe because I had loosely fit shoes and boots in the heel and to some extent the midfoot, to accommodate my wide toes. And, like many sports, ankle injuries are the most common in figure skating. So I personally think snug heels are very important.

If you substantially uncomfortable in the Achilles tendon (which I admit you didn't say), or anywhere else, I wonder if it is worth talking to someone with certified medical knowledge? If you just ask other skaters in online discussion groups, you sometimes get answers specific to their particular problems. Medical sources talk about the dangers of too much pressure against the back of your leg, but also of too much rubbing there (because of loose fit). Do you think a well trained medical practitioner would have a more balanced view?

 

[Query]

A less permanent change to your current skates, if it is the heel that is loose, would be to use a heel cup. There are many different types and shapes available, and many are cheap. Alternately, you could also play with adhesive foam or tape, placed inside the boot in the places that feel loose against your foot, until you feel the fit is perfect. Some skate techs know how to do these things, and some don't, but with a little experimentation, you can maybe do it yourself if you are patient.

I should have clarified that I am one of the relatively few people here who think you can do a lot of adjustments by yourself, if you spend a little time and patience. I think most skaters with equipment related issues (including much more expert skaters than me) eventually find an expert fitter/skate tech who does what they want, and keep buying new equipment until they find something that works for them. Or give up.

But to me, it just seems like basic geometry and intuitive physics. I don't think there is anything magical about it. E.g., you can fill space, and to some extent stretch materials to make more space. Equipment related balance and control are created by relatively simple principles and changes too. Skate sharpening isn't magic either. I love how to figure out how to do those things for myself, using basic equipment.

(Even so, sometimes you do need new or different equipment. I'm going through that now, and finally acknowledging I should have done that a long time ago.)

BTW, there is "magic" in medicine and in a really good teacher (such as a really good skating coach) whose methods and solutions happen to click with your individual body, mind and learning style. Meaning it isn't possible to learn everything they have learned, unless you have a knack for it and spend enormous amounts of time learning it under the tutelage of existing experts.

I don't choose to let that scare me when it appears that I just need to fill or make space, or shift points of balance in my equipment. Plus I like figuring things out at least as much as I like skating.

But if you find a good fitter & skate tech who can help you do it, that may be a quicker (though maybe not cheaper) path to skating nirvana.