Outer foot pain solutions?

[ChrisMolnar 14]

I recently received my new skates. They were custom ordered so they are really X100's in size 9.5 E dressed as APX2. Whenever I wear them I am getting extrem pain on the outer sides of each feet as well as the bottom of them. It has gotten to the point where it hurts to walk after skating on them for a decent period of time. Anyone have any solutions for what I could do to stop this pain, or even what is causing it?

Thanks.

[Souldriver 64]

Are you lacing them real tight?

Have you tried a thinner sock?

Have you baked them more than once and how many games have you played in them?

If I'm guessing the type of pain right it's ok when your feet are up but the second you step down after the skate you just feel the pain on the outter bottom of your foot?

My first skates used to do this every time no matter what I did but they were a lousy fit. My latest pair did this about 2 times but it went away on itself.

My suggestion would be at first lace the skates a little bit looser on the bottom half where the pain is. You could also skip laces but that's more drastic.

[XveritasX 13]

What skates are you coming from?

I would suggest looking at getting a pair of arch support insoles such as superfeet. It will help support your foot and may fix the pain in the bottom of your feet. You can always bring your skates to a store, put an insole in them, then walk around and see how it feels. I'm a pretty big supporter of using a good insole that actually has support in your footwear. I like my superfeet in my skates, and absolutley love my black pair in my shoes.

[ChrisMolnar 14]

I'm coming from the original APX, I had super feet with them as well as in my 2's. I lace them very loosely around that region and pull the top 2 eyelets tight. @Souldriver, you hit the way the pain is right on the head. Once I step down its just brutal. And once I take my skate off I can't even put my foot on the ground for probably 3-5 minutes without excruciating pain on the outer edge of the bottom of my foot.

[hunterphfr 12]

Off hand I would say too narrow. I have very wide feet and struggled since I was 12 with pain just as you describe. For the record, I was 12 quite some time ago. Kor and then customs finally made the pain go away. I had what I would say was the exact same pain. Pain along the outside of my foot, from the forefoot to mid foot. It could be anywhere from tolerable to pretty damn bad, depending on the skates, length of time on the ice, practice vs. game, lacing, etc. Sometimes when I got off the ice and took off my skate the pain in the ball/forefoot area could be excruciating and like you said I would be unable to walk for around 5 mins. or so. I know my skates were too narrow for my EEE forefoot at the time. I figure the pain (purely speculation) while skating was from the pressure being exerted on the foot by the walls of the skate and the pain after removing the skate resulted as the bones, tendons and other parts of the foot returned to normal, relieved themselves from their confines and blood flow returned to normal.

I would recommend a rebake and if it persists find a good shop with a punch out/stretching/widening machine and use spot heating.

[ChrisMolnar 14]

@hunterphfr I have access to everything needed to widen and stretch the boot, however I don't know if that is the issue. My original APX were D width and I never had this problem. The X100's I currently have are actually wider than my previous APX, granted not by much, but they are E instead of D. I'm going to try skating on them a few times after a rebake and if the pain persists I'm going to try stretching them a bit.

[Souldriver 64]

Are the boots so loose that they tilt when you're standing on them? That tilting can put extra pressure on the bottom / outside as well due to the fact that all your weight and skating pressure is going there first. Check it out mid to late game to see how it is, things move after the initial lace so don't base it on that.

Aumothing like super feet may help for two reasons. A) it takes up volume B) it's made for a proper heel hold (not arch support guys but they do help that as well) so your foot may not move as much. To test this go to an open ice session with both and switch them out midway through and see if it helps.

One thing suggested to me for spot heating is a hair dryer. Heat the inside at the spot a little bit and the outside a bit but not too much. Put your foot in and lace up as you would for a game. Keep the hair dryer on the spot for a bit and then stand on it in your hockey stance. Bc it's not near the laces I would t worry about pulling them. Let it cool like a normal bake. If it's still not shaped right more punching and stretching may be needed.

I will also say a thinner sock helped me a bunch. If you don't want to try out a higher cost performance sock try a nice thin dress sock. I used dress socks for a couple of years while playing.

[Vet88 673]

If it is the outer edge of your foot just behind the little toe and downwards towards the heel for about an inch or two AND the width of the boot is such that it is not pinching your foot in this area as you sit or stand in them, then your foot may be rolling inwards in the boot (pronation). The roll inwards lifts the outer edge of your foot into the top of the boot and generates a fair amount of pressure in this area. You may not have had it before because of the placement of the holders in your previous boot, they were mounted more towards the inside of the boot than your current skate. Does the boot tongue move to the outside when you wear the boots? This is a classic sign of the foot rolling inwards in the boot.

[ChrisMolnar 14]

@vet88 never noticed my tongue moving toward the outside. I've always flopped my tongues and they've never seemed to move from dead center.

[kovalchuk71 212]

The same thing happened to me. I just sold mine and went back to retail. Too much pain. Couldn't walk for an hour when I wore them.

[DRW1319 3]

I have the pain on the outside and my tongue moves to the outside. I've been looking for a solution and am considering custom skates as I thought it was a skate problem. Those in the know, do you think that even with custom skates I would still have the pain? I been googling blade offset as a solution. Is this considered a good solution? I've tried superfeet with no relief. I live in So California and don't know of anywhere where I can get the help I need. If anyone knows of someone I could contact I would appreciate it. I'm willing to pay for the expertise of course. I've been having the problem a long time and just want to enjoy the game. -Thanks

[Souldriver 64]

I wish i knew. my new skates i tie super tight and i have pain for a couple of steps after the game. I think its because i tied the skate too tight and its sooo humid my feet may be swelling. i also use super feet but stupid me didnt bake using those as insoles.

im going to tie it a little less tight in that area and see how it is, I agree it is very painful and it hinders the enjoyment of the game. Skates are such an intrical and important part of the game. its unbelievable that we havnt found a better system of fitting them even with spending huge bucks on customs.

[Vet88 673]

I have the pain on the outside and my tongue moves to the outside. I've been looking for a solution and am considering custom skates as I thought it was a skate problem. Those in the know, do you think that even with custom skates I would still have the pain? I been googling blade offset as a solution. Is this considered a good solution? I've tried superfeet with no relief. I live in So California and don't know of anywhere where I can get the help I need. If anyone knows of someone I could contact I would appreciate it. I'm willing to pay for the expertise of course. I've been having the problem a long time and just want to enjoy the game. -Thanks

If you pronate, it doesn't matter how much money you throw at custom skates, the issue will not go away.

You can do what I did and buy some grafs (or MLX skates if you can find them), take the holders off, turn the mounting holes into slots (MLX already have slots) then remount and play around with the position of the holders until things feel right. I have a brand new pair of onehundreds just sitting there unused because I know they won't work for me unless I get the holders remounted inwards somehow.

Here is an excellent article that explains what is going on: http://www.ladyinredcreations.com/Ankles_Down.htm imho blade offset is the only way to go.

Unfortunately I don't live in your area (or even remotely close by) so can't help but you might want to try and find a really good figure skating coach and talk to them.

[chippa13 1844]

In the past, skates that gave me a similar pain were the ones that ran more on the narrow side for my foot. I never noticed the pain until the skates were off and then it only lasted a couple of minutes.

[ChrisMolnar 14]

After skating on them a few more times I seem to have solved the issue. I now barely tie anything below the top 2 eyelets. They're done up just enough that they are taught, then the top 2 are laced tight, but not to the point of uncomfort. The pain seems to have subsided for now, but only time will tell. Thanks for all the help everyone.