arches

[Nem 0]

whats this arches problem that i keep hearing about with peoples feet and skates?

[jjtt99 0]

It's the same issue many people have with shoes. Simply the arch on people's feet vary in shapes and sizes so it can be difficult to find footware that fits properly. Knowing how important it is to have skates that fit, the arch dilemma can be amplified.

[Nem 0]

soooo where exactly are the arches on the feet?

[jjtt99 0]

Put your foot flat on the ground, the arch is the part on the inside that goes upward like an arch, then it goes back down toward the heel.

EDIT: The image on this webpage will show you the arch area of the foot.

http://www.foothealthcare.com/html/footpro...em/archpain.htm

[Nem 0]

ahh i see, thanks, i thought it mighta been that bit on the top of your foot with the tendon or summat

[chk hrd 164]

are you having pain in your arches? If so, check your laces. If I tighten the laces over my mid foot area just a little to tight I get a wicked cramp in my arch.

[mew1838 0]

I always get nasty pains, maybe cramps like what you said

[Nem 0]

nope, no arch pain

i do get a pain on the top part of the foot though where the tendon runs and up to the muscle infront of the shin. no clue why

[CHIEF22 0]

Sounds like lace bite, maybe..

[jjtt99 0]

Anticipating the next question...

Information about lace bite can be found here:

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/index.php?showtopic=17808&hl=

[mew1838 0]

but I'm not really in a crappy skate, does lace bite occurs even in these skates?

[whbd18 0]

but I'm not really in a crappy skate, does lace bite occurs even in these skates?

Lacebite occurs in every skate if it doesnt fit you right.

[pizzakid13 5]

i have had both problems.

first, the tendons on the top of the foot can be real sensitive. if you wear shallow fitting boots like i do (graf 704), it is a minor problem. you can keep the laces loose and just tighten at the ankles. or, another thing i do is i split the laces. instead of having one lace, i use two. the longer lace goes from the toe to the beginning of the climb up the ankle. thats where i had most of the discomfort. then i use a second lace to tighten the ankles. you can even skip a eyelet to take some stress off the area. another option is to wear deeper fitting boots like graf 709. i tried them and loved the deep fit but i couldnt get used to the drastic change in feel. sold 'em.

lace bite is far worse in my opinion. in my case, it occurred across the lower shin where i tied my skates, and is extremely painful. it came out of nowhere too. in the middle of a regular pickup game, all of a sudden i felt like i had some cable running across my shin. it really limits your ability to skate. it probably comes from bruising the tendon on the front of your ankle and any pressure on it just makes it worse. it eventually went away. i had it on both feet separated by a month at most. brutal.

[hockechamp14 0]

how can you get rid of arch pain? isn't the arch in virtually all skates the same?

[jjtt99 0]

how can you get rid of arch pain? isn't the arch in virtually all skates the same?

Nope.

[hockechamp14 0]

how can you get rid of arch pain? isn't the arch in virtually all skates the same?

Nope.

which ones are flatter? Everything I've read here says you have to shave it down.

[hockechamp14 0]

how can you get rid of arch pain? isn't the arch in virtually all skates the same?

Nope.

which ones are flatter? Everything I've read here says you have to shave it down.

bump

[TBLfan 25]

I used to get a lot of footpain in my mission roller hockey skates. I loosened up the laces and now the pain in my arch has gone away. IDK whether that helps you any, but it certainly helped me.

[Ti-girl 0]

Try the superfeet insoles.

One girl on my team was having HORRIBLE arch pain, to the point that she could hardly skate.

She bought the insoles and after a few practices she was fine.

[New Player 0]

I used to get a lot of footpain in my mission roller hockey skates. I loosened up the laces and now the pain in my arch has gone away. IDK whether that helps you any, but it certainly helped me.

I'm experiencing simular pain in my roller blades as well. My feet feel very tiered and like they are about to cramp up. I'm going to try a pair of super feet insoles first, but you say you losened your laces. Doesn't that allow your feet to move around more inside the skate? Making it flex more and do more work. But I have nothing to lose, so I'll try that to :D

[TBLfan 25]

I used to get a lot of footpain in my  mission roller hockey skates. I loosened up the laces and now the pain in my arch has gone away. IDK whether that helps you any, but it certainly helped me.

I'm experiencing simular pain in my roller blades as well. My feet feel very tiered and like they are about to cramp up. I'm going to try a pair of super feet insoles first, but you say you losened your laces. Doesn't that allow your feet to move around more inside the skate? Making it flex more and do more work. But I have nothing to lose, so I'll try that to :D

not if the skate fits right. I say try it, make sure to make the ankle tight

[chk hrd 164]

"Doesn't that allow your feet to move around more inside the skate? Making it flex more and do more work. But I have nothing to lose, so I'll try that to"

If your skate fits correctly they won't slip . If you have to crank down on the laces to keep your foot in place then the skates are either to big or to wide.

I get really wicked arch cramps if my laces over my foot are even just a little to tight.

If you don't think it is the laces then you can also try streching your arches before you play. This works more for older players because as you get older your arches flatten out and the ligaments, joints and tendons stiffen up.

[mew1838 0]

I need a high arch insole reccomendation anyone please?

Thanks

[Guy Incognito 0]

Some info I found after very similar problems:

Foot Pain and Suggestions

In trying to help a colleague who experiences mid-foot pain while skating, I posted a newsgroup query to rec.sport.skating.inline. I received many helpful suggestions. They are listed here for others who may be looking for ideas. Thank you to all who have passed on their experience.

Skating associated foot pain has many causes. A podiatrist would likely have a comprehensive list. Much pain is related to strain and vibration along the ligaments (plantar fascia) that maintain the arch of the human foot, and to unaccustomed workload on some of the small muscles of the foot. Compression of the mid-foot is a significant issue for many other skaters. General solutions include: better fitting skates, decrease vibration, better support, warm-up, and less mid-foot compression (substitute ankle compresson for mid-foot compression).

Some pain decreases with skating, other types may increase. A common pattern is pain after 3-4 minutes that may decrease after 30-40 minutes. The pain can be quite severe. There is a market niche here for a skate manufacturer! If you have other ideas, comments, or suggestions, please email me at the address in this page footer.

High performance skates, with carbon/glass frames and aluminum frame clips and light boots transmit a lot more road vibration. I tried some K2 Escapes for a while, and while I loved the speed and agility the transmitted road vibration was much worse than with my boat anchor Rollerblade Fusions.

On the other hand, the standard K2 skates, with their partially nylon fabric uppers, have helped some people. The Flight 76 is perhaps the best skate for its price on the market ($200)

Relaxing the toes and arch. Many novice skaters curl their toes to "grip" the skate. This is a primate falling reflex -- very important for tree dwellers. When skating the muscle strain produces pain. Try to constantly move the toes about and resist toe curling.

Strong ankle support and a firm ankle retention may secure the foot, and reduce foot strain and mid-foot pressure during skating.

Limit skating to very smooth surfaces which produce less vibration.

Use softer wheels (78A). Note they will wear faster. I don't know how wheel diameter affects vibration.

Try Thorlo Inline skating socks. These $10.00 a pair socks have extra padding at contact areas. I really like them. Campmor (http://www.campmor.com/) sells them mail order. The relatively thick socks may make a close fitting skate too tight however, and thereby worsen foot pain.

The Technica skates come with "Anti-Vibration System Technology" that is supposed to reduce discomfort from vibration. I don't know if it works. These are very nice but high end skates ($250-$320).

Use spenco gell arch supports or other vibration absorbing support. In some cases, however, arch supports increase mid-foot compression and produce more pain. In this case you may want to replace a boot's insole with a thinner insole.

Instead of full arch supports, try silicon heel supports (heel cups) alone. These are typically used for heel pain, but in some people they help with midfoot discomfort.

Stretch the foot and calf muscles prior to skating.

Skate for the first 15 minutes with very loose laces, or with the mid-buckle unlatched. Then gradually tighten the skate as the foot warms-up. Some persons feel an actual lack of blood perfusion to the distal foot from a tight mid-boot.

Persons with wide feet may prefer Ultra Wheel skates, which have a wide last. The wider UltraWheels are, per the manufacturer: The Great One, UltraAir, Infinity and Vision.

Some persons with foot pain buy a longer skate than their foot sizing would suggest. It's possible to fill the empty toe space with some foam. It's possible that the longer boot has more vertical room in the mid-foot area. Mid-foot compression seems to be a significant problem for many skaters.

Some ski boot retaillers do custom fitting and insert design. This is expensive, but some folks say it helped a lot.

People with "duck feet" (feet point outwards in a relaxed position, this may actually have to do with tibial or femur orientation) may experience discomfort from twisting the feet forwards. Try adopting a less "proper" skating style for the first 10-20 minutes of skating until the foot muscles stretch a bit.

Try keeping the feet in motion, and avoid prolonged gliding. Doing regular gentle curves and easy constant foot motion may decrease discomfort.

[mew1838 0]

I still need a reccomendation for high arch insole, DR shock or SUperfeet?