Whats wrong with my legs?

[Sven 1]

I didnt know which title to pick, so i tried this one. Whatever!

I've got a weird problem. I can skate, stop, turn and stuff with my right leg/skate like a young god but the left is a total desaster.. and i dont know why. I didnt notice it _that_ much but i always asked that question myself. Last practice when there was a break between two drills, i slowly skated to the bench to get a bottle and i looked at the boards at random and in the reflection of the boards and the ice i noticed that my left skate is total "erect". I dont know how to describe what i mean. I was turning to my left and i saw that the right skate was turning (and bending) and the left was not. Thats pretty confusing. I also have problems to stop with my left leg, but not with the right. I just dont know why. Is the skate too stiff? Also, which maybe doesnt have to do anything with the mentioned situation is, when i lace my skates, i the left one is harder to lace than the right one. Not that its a problem for me, but that just fits in my mental-muddle.... Im not crazy, its really like that. So, do you have a clue whats wrong? Its bumming me and i dont get this stuff out of my head. Its annoying me.

Uh yeah, i own 8090s.

[flaming_june 2]

maybe a video on utube will help describe what you have

[jjtt99 0]

This post is probably best placed under General Hockey Discussions. As for the wonky foot, is it a bone structure thing? I use to run a lot, but kept getting brutal shin splints. I got fitted for orthotics and the specialist watched me walk, run, jump, hop and squat. When I was done he looked at me and said, "Do you really want to be a runner?" Obviously he knew I wasn't aligned well for that sport. (I walk like a duck or Charlie Chaplin.) But it does give me the basis for a good skating push off though!

[usahockey22 0]

You might have different size/shaped left and right feet...one could fit your skate really well, and the other could not. Besides this, I don't see how it could be anyhting other than a basic technique problem.

[djinferno 2]

You probably have a crooked foot, I have the same problem, I have the same problem and I just got orthotics and they don't help, Forsberg has a similar problem...

[Sven 1]

I can see what you mean, Rubo. The problem is, that im not from North America and here in my area arent any talented skate experts. I'd LOVE to get a treatment like you can get over there. Of course, i'd pay for it. I used the search some hours ago and i found a thread by 'hurricane' and he wrote about a treatment by JR and how much it helped him... Unfortunately i wont be in the Michigan area... ever.

[hockeymom 2]

First you need to check out your bio-mechnaics to see if it is one leg longer than the other, an ankle or a foot problem... or a combination of problems. I highly recommend you go to a podiatrist for gait analysis. If it is a combination of factors, you would need to address the "package" in order to get results.

It is more unusual for people to have the same length of leg. Whether it is a problem or not, depends on the severity of the difference. Usually, if one leg is significantly longer than the other you will also experience hip soreness.

Ankle mobility is another possibility. If that is the problem there are some physio exercises that can increase the joint mobility.

And then there are feet: No one tracks properly, we all could do with othotics...lol

Everyone also has a dominant side - and the only way to develop the "bad" side is to use it. We also have to learn skills twice - in each direction or side. Not many people realize that... they think if they can do a skill on one side they "should" be able to do it on the other. Not so, you need to go through the learning process on both sides.

First figure out where you're at bio-mechanically and then work on technique.

[AnthonyJTa 0]

First you need to check out your bio-mechnaics to see if it is one leg longer than the other, an ankle or a foot problem... or a combination of problems. I highly recommend you go to a podiatrist for gait analysis. If it is a combination of factors, you would need to address the "package" in order to get results.

It is more unusual for people to have the same length of leg. Whether it is a problem or not, depends on the severity of the difference. Usually, if one leg is significantly longer than the other you will also experience hip soreness.

Ankle mobility is another possibility. If that is the problem there are some physio exercises that can increase the joint mobility.

And then there are feet: No one tracks properly, we all could do with othotics...lol

Everyone also has a dominant side - and the only way to develop the "bad" side is to use it. We also have to learn skills twice - in each direction or side. Not many people realize that... they think if they can do a skill on one side they "should" be able to do it on the other. Not so, you need to go through the learning process on both sides.

First figure out where you're at bio-mechanically and then work on technique.

I had a similar problem. I am fine going to the left, and I always have issues with my right skate... sometimes, my foot turns inside the skate (I posted a bulletin about it). With some help from all of you guys, and mainly some analysis of some pics from JR- we came to the conclusion that my really, really flat footed-ness tends to be even worse on my right foot. So I would have ether gone with shims on my skate to properly align the flat of my blade to the ice, or custom orthotics.

I was lucky enough to get an extension on my health insurance. I went to my specialist, and he said due to my old knee problems (on the right), and my flat feet- my right foot over-pronates a whole LOT more than the left. He even pointed out the fray on ONLY the bottom of my right leg of my jeans. I have since had my feet molded for orthotics, and they should be here in about a week.

[Sven 1]

AnthonyJTa, good luck. Let us know when they arrived.

[hockeymom 2]

That's great Anthony! Bet you'll notice a big difference, it is incredibly hard to get an edge when your foot is twisting... have to turn it or reach with it THAT much more in order to do the same movement.

If we drew a line down the centre of our bodies we would notice just how wonky everything is. Your right eye is a lot different than your left eye... and so on all the way down. Especially when getting into movement issues, it is helpful to think about each side as separate and unique with their own strengths and issues.

[AnthonyJTa 0]

It can be really tricky. At one point I even thought my feet were 2 different sizes. Its still a possibility. But the podiatrist/ortho fitted me for the orthotics. I had them for my shoes when I was much younger, but after high school I never bothered to get a newer pair made. This guy is great, he's given me a bunch of different things to try, like these lace up/velcro arch supports to wear when I'm kicking around the house barefoot.

It's an ongoing process, and sometimes a tedious one. But, Hockeymom is right, we're not at ALL perfectly perportionate.JR's suggestion of shims was super-helpful which I seriously considered, but when I evaluated the issue itself, it goes beyond hockey, and skating... So modifying my skates would just avoid my problem altogether.

[Jake 0]

I don't know if my similar problem is as extreme, but I've always felt my left leg is stronger than my right. My stopping, edgework etc. seems more comfortable on my left leg than on my right.

I've come to the conclusion that my left leg is shorter than my right, and more weight is put on it, thus making it stronger. I've been working on my right leg/ankle.

[number21 3]

It can be really tricky. At one point I even thought my feet were 2 different sizes. Its still a possibility. But the podiatrist/ortho fitted me for the orthotics. I had them for my shoes when I was much younger, but after high school I never bothered to get a newer pair made. This guy is great, he's given me a bunch of different things to try, like these lace up/velcro arch supports to wear when I'm kicking around the house barefoot.

It's an ongoing process, and sometimes a tedious one. But, Hockeymom is right, we're not at ALL perfectly perportionate.JR's suggestion of shims was super-helpful which I seriously considered, but when I evaluated the issue itself, it goes beyond hockey, and skating... So modifying my skates would just avoid my problem altogether.

that makes me want to check out my insurance at work and see if something like that would be covered for me. I got orthotics for my flat feet in high school. During some growing years my feet messed with my knees. I only where the orthotics anymore IF i go running, when i should probably be wearing the always and probably should get them updated.

My knees only bother me when i run, so far hockey has been no problem.

Are you getting the hard plastic ones?

Will you put them in your skates? Because mine are really stiff, but slick and i could see that being a problem in my skate, and would probably have to get them remolded to accommodate the orthotics. After Xmas, i think i am going to try the super feet for arch support, since it doesn't seem like skating aggravates me at all i don't think i'll put my orthotics in my skates.

(sorry kind of went on a train of thought there

[AnthonyJTa 0]

It can be really tricky. At one point I even thought my feet were 2 different sizes. Its still a possibility. But the podiatrist/ortho fitted me for the orthotics. I had them for my shoes when I was much younger, but after high school I never bothered to get a newer pair made. This guy is great, he's given me a bunch of different things to try, like these lace up/velcro arch supports to wear when I'm kicking around the house barefoot.

It's an ongoing process, and sometimes a tedious one. But, Hockeymom is right, we're not at ALL perfectly perportionate.JR's suggestion of shims was super-helpful which I seriously considered, but when I evaluated the issue itself, it goes beyond hockey, and skating... So modifying my skates would just avoid my problem altogether.

that makes me want to check out my insurance at work and see if something like that would be covered for me. I got orthotics for my flat feet in high school. During some growing years my feet messed with my knees. I only where the orthotics anymore IF i go running, when i should probably be wearing the always and probably should get them updated.

My knees only bother me when i run, so far hockey has been no problem.

Are you getting the hard plastic ones?

Will you put them in your skates? Because mine are really stiff, but slick and i could see that being a problem in my skate, and would probably have to get them remolded to accommodate the orthotics. After Xmas, i think i am going to try the super feet for arch support, since it doesn't seem like skating aggravates me at all i don't think i'll put my orthotics in my skates.

(sorry kind of went on a train of thought there

I am severly flat footed... I'm in total agony when I run nowadays- shin splints, ankle aches, arch pain. I'd run 2 miles prior to lacrosse practice with orthotics while I was in school. It's never been a problem with my skating until my skates started to break in, and it allowed my right foot to over-pronate. I tried superfeet, but they only corrected the problem so much. They kept my heel stable, and partially fixed my problem, but I'm still pronated to an extent.

my doctor showed me some options. when I was in high school, I paid upwards of $200 for mine. But nowadays, orthotics can cost as low as $75, depending on coverage. So I'm going to get a pair for my skates, and my shoes. I got the hard plastic ones, with a blue rubberized coating on the pair I should recieve soon. I skate barefoot anyways, so I don't see much slipping if I didn't get the textured ones. My only concern is I can't have the footbeds in the skate underneath the orthotics, and my bare feet will be exposed to the rivets, etc... I'm sure I'll be able to work around it somehow.

[number21 3]

yeah last time i ran consistantly i got some killer shinsplints. So i started rding a stationary bike instead.

if the orthotics are just from the heel through the arch (like mine are) mabybe you could just cut some footbeds and attach them to your orthotics with some non-permanent glue. That would probably keep them in place. Yeah those riverts would tear your feet up!

i should think about seeing a dr. and updating the orthotics $75 is pretty easy, the Dr.'s bill on the other hand probably wouldn't be.

[Marrick66 0]

my orthotics are only 3/4 length, so I just laid them on top of some old Bauer footbeds and cut the ball/toe area out and put them in. No problems there. The orthotics completely helped my arch pain. However, it seems my foot is normal(with collapsed arches), but I have really short toes. So, to get a skate that my toes feather the front, it misaligns the arch and doesn't have enough ankle volume.

[djinferno 2]

my orthodics don't fit into my skates...

[Sven 1]

Okay time to update this one.

I think i know whats going on and i hope i can get some help.

I noticed that i got so called "knock-knees". Or actually just on my left leg, the right one is fine. So that interferes my skating and thats why im always on my inside edge of my left skate. Orthotics are not an option. I just cant get my hands on proper ones which will also work in my skates... So i need to get another solution!

Any clue? Maybe some droll sharpening or blade profile?

maybe a video on utube will help describe what you have

Yeah, i will. Thats the best way to describe what i mean.

[odp 0]

Hmmm, definately a problem with your legs. I would suggest you trade them in and upgrade. :D

[Sven 1]

I will post something into the trade section... maybe Walz or Gaborik will trade their legs.

[indaslot 0]

I don't see why you can't get orthotics.They can be made especially for your skates.You should see an orthotisist who is capable of doing that and provide him/her with the insole from your skate.My son has a pair for regular shoes and a separate pair for his Grafs.He doesn't notice them at all except that they make skating easier.