Upgrade to new boots / blades for overworked ballet feet - adult skater

[marcopolobear]

Hi,

For myself, for the instep and ball of the foot I want a nice close fit, but for the end of the toes some freedom to wiggle is fine.

Different blades can have different balance points (slight differences in stanchion height front to back along with different blade profiles) but it's something you adapt to when changing blade models. Like I said, swizzles help a lot to work on skating on the whole length of the blade and becoming accustomed to the new rocker while staying in a relaxed, ankles bent/knees bent position. Don't break at the waist and keep your head and sternum verticle. Here's the rocking horse:

Do your feet still have good strength after so much dancing? Skating certainly works your feet a lot, and it's something that builds specific strength in your feet the more you do it. I would say, be patient and take breaks as needed and hopefully your feet will soon adapt. If your feet are cramping, remember to loosen up all the laces, let the feet relax, and then re-lace them when you're ready to skate again.

M.

 

[Adultballerinaskater]

I think I got really lucky when I had incredible foot pain that then spread all the way up to my hip. I left my part-time office job one afternoon and literally hobbled across the park to the local branch of Scholl (back when they had branches and dealt with all manner of foot problems, not just retail sales of foot products). I was adamant I'd just walk out if the person I saw just told me that I had "fallen arches" and needed arch supports.

Well, the person I saw did exactly that, but also explained quite a lot about why I had fallen arches and why I wasn't wearing the best footwear to support my feet outside the time I was wearing my "little concrete foot coffins"! A lot of advice and a pair of very strong, stainless steel (seriously!) arch supports, covered by a half insole (back half) of leather were fitted into my skating boots on top of the normal SP-Teri footbed. We decided that whilst the plastic supports felt fine, I'd break them in hours and I really didn't want - or have room for - a lot of padding under foot. So I walked out of that shop without the crippling pain I'd limped in with, and I went back every couple of weeks or so to have the steel adjusted because I'd flattened it. I dearly wish I could find those insoles now! I'm using little leather covered arch supports instead, and they work but those 3/4 insoles really were the business. And yes, I took my skating boots in every time I went to have the supports adjusted. Every single time. There really is little point going without them.

But I still think the thing @Adultballerinaskater needs most is to work on the correct alignment over the blade and relaxing those poor tense toes!

My Superfeet insoles arrived in the mail today and in my SP-Teri skates - it's making a WORLD of difference. My arch is nicely supported and feels so much better!! I also have a podiatrist appointment tomorrow, I'm pretty sure she's going to say keep the Superfeet insoles in my skates, and toss the SP-Teri ones. I'll skate a bit on the ice tomorrow to really see how they feel skating - I think with these insoles, I'll be able to distribute my weight better, etc.

Thank you for all of your help!! The adventure continues....

 

[Adultballerinaskater]

Hi,

For myself, for the instep and ball of the foot I want a nice close fit, but for the end of the toes some freedom to wiggle is fine.

Different blades can have different balance points (slight differences in stanchion height front to back along with different blade profiles) but it's something you adapt to when changing blade models. Like I said, swizzles help a lot to work on skating on the whole length of the blade and becoming accustomed to the new rocker while staying in a relaxed, ankles bent/knees bent position. Don't break at the waist and keep your head and sternum verticle. Here's the rocking horse:

Do your feet still have good strength after so much dancing? Skating certainly works your feet a lot, and it's something that builds specific strength in your feet the more you do it. I would say, be patient and take breaks as needed and hopefully your feet will soon adapt. If your feet are cramping, remember to loosen up all the laces, let the feet relax, and then re-lace them when you're ready to skate again.

M.

My feet are super strong, or so I thought! They're also super flexible, which makes for pretty ballet feet - so strengthening them is a must. I just got Superfeet insoles and my arch feels super supported as well as my heel - and my feet feel so much better in my skates (I'm wearing my skates right now at home - with my blade guards). I also feel like my weight distribution will be so much easier now. I' able to flex with no problem in these new skates, so bending my knees shouldn't be an issue, I don't anticipate. I'm hopeful skating on the rink tomorrow will be a little easier! With these new insoles....

 

[Sibelius]

Superfeet to the rescue. I've worn them in my walking boots for years, a new pair makes a world of difference to my knees.

I hope it's the solution for you.

 

[MiraiFan]

My Superfeet insoles arrived in the mail today and in my SP-Teri skates - it's making a WORLD of difference. My arch is nicely supported and feels so much better!! I also have a podiatrist appointment tomorrow, I'm pretty sure she's going to say keep the Superfeet insoles in my skates, and toss the SP-Teri ones. I'll skate a bit on the ice tomorrow to really see how they feel skating - I think with these insoles, I'll be able to distribute my weight better, etc.

Thank you for all of your help!! The adventure continues....

Just curious which Superfeet you got--I need to replace my insoles at some point in the near future....

 

[Adultballerinaskater]

Just curious which Superfeet you got--I need to replace my insoles at some point in the near future....

Hi - I got the Superfeet carbon pro hockey insoles - meant for hockey skates but seems to work well in figure skates too. I have a AA width heel (and A width forefeet) and I was worried the insole heels wouldn't be able to squeeze into my narrow heel but it seems to work! Good luck

 

[Adultballerinaskater]

Hi everyone - the Superfeet insoles were the magic trick that made everything work. I skated for an hour yesterday, I participated in my skating class - and even did a few waltz jumps (first ones in 16 yrs?) .... my feet were not tensed up and my body weight was in the right spot, so no toe gripping. The SP-Teri boots finally worked out for me with the Superfeet insoles - and I'm leaning more into the CA blades, I love it all. Thank you for all of your support, guidance and expertise! I feel unstoppable now

 

[Jabanagh]

Hi,

For myself, for the instep and ball of the foot I want a nice close fit, but for the end of the toes some freedom to wiggle is fine.

Different blades can have different balance points (slight differences in stanchion height front to back along with different blade profiles) but it's something you adapt to when changing blade models. Like I said, swizzles help a lot to work on skating on the whole length of the blade and becoming accustomed to the new rocker while staying in a relaxed, ankles bent/knees bent position. Don't break at the waist and keep your head and sternum verticle. Here's the rocking horse:

Do your feet still have good strength after so much dancing? Skating certainly works your feet a lot, and it's something that builds specific strength in your feet the more you do it. I would say, be patient and take breaks as needed and hopefully your feet will soon adapt. If your feet are cramping, remember to loosen up all the laces, let the feet relax, and then re-lace them when you're ready to skate again.

M.

Thanks for the link! I was able to train a few movements that I was not able to do thanks to the video on this channel) employee monitoring