Lace Bite

[blueliner1 0]

Been skating on Bauer APX for about 5 months. They've been perfect out of the box since day 1. Now, I've got a bad lace bite issue with the left skate. I should mention I've been skating with the tongues outside the shin pads. So I'm wondering, is it possible that the lace bite protection in the tongues has broken down due my having them outside the shin pads and the way that bends the tongues? Thanks for any input.

[Monty22 821]

What does the tongue look like in the spot that hurts? Is there enough volume in the boots?

[Chadd 916]

It's likely that the lace bite protection wore down simply because of the stiffness of the boot.

[Vet88 673]

But now you have to fix it. Either a new tongue, lace bite pads or change your lacing.

I had/have lace bite and was using my own lace bite pads then decided to try a different lacing system. Laced up to the 4th eyelet (or 3rd if you like), tied off tight then use a 2nd lace to do the top 2 or 3 eyelets. However my 2nd lace broke today during training (lol ended up skating for 30 minutes with the top 3 eyelets undone wondering why my boot felt just not right) so tried this: tied up to the 4th eyelet, did a double knot then run the remainder of the lace up to the top eyelet and tied off tight (don't run the lace thru the 2nd and 3rd eyelets). An hour of hard training, no lace bite and the boot felt fine.

Another fix is the optionb velcro straps. I experimented with some velcro straps in the top 2 eyelets and they work really well for eliminating lace bite. Unfortunately I live overseas so it will take a while for these to get to me but I've ordered some to try long term, will lace up to the 4th eyelet then use 2 optionb velcro straps at the top.

Of course, the basic reason you have lace bite is generally because the volume of the boot is too shallow and another fix is to buy another boot with the right volume but if you like what you are in then there are fixes so you can keep skating in them.

[SydNap 25]

I had a terrible case of lace bite. Could not skate...period. I did a ton of research and tried everything (new laces, new lacing patterns, bunga pads, maltese pads, etc). Then I came across some stuff written about Peter Forsberg and tried the fix that the Flyers did for him. I went out and bought a $3 piece of pipe insulation (the thick black stuff), traced out exactly where the pain was, then cut a hole in a rectangular section of the insulation to match that pain spot (which was that adductor longus tendon). It was a joke how quickly it healed and I could skate again. I could make a fortune selling some stuff like that. Also, try using thicker less waxed laces (I still like wax, but moved on from the super waxes Elite laces). Those were my fixes after a ton of pain, research, and testing...

[notquitedeadyet 13]

I've also had the same success with the pipe insulation years ago.

I always keep several pieces in my bag in case the feeling ever starts to come back, or in case someone else has a problem.

It should be noted that it needs to be the neoprene type, not the poly type pipe insulation.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

You may also want to look at the Pitch on your profile as this can be a cause of lace bite.

[blueliner1 0]

Thanks all for the great input. I'm going to start with the lace bite pad idea and go from there. I also suspect the volume may be the cause. Will try the pencil test as well.

[MrData 93]

I had a pretty bad lace bite problem with X3.0s until I stopped lacing to the last eyelets. I now leave the top eyelet unlaced and I have no problems. I find it also helps my forward flexion as well.

[andysly 1]

I've been having horrible lace bite issues with my new Vapors. Read a few threads here on the boards and last week tried 2 things - (1) lacing outside in from about the 3rd eyelet up, and (2) using pieces of a foam mousepad inside my sock at the top of my foot where the lacebit pain is. Skated a full game and had zero pain!

From what I read the outside-in lacing provides a bit more volume in the boot. It is a little weird trying to tighten and tie the laces like this but I finally got the hang.

[Cosmic 178]

I had a minor bite issue (due to lacing too tightly I think), and found the Elite Hockey Lace Bite Gel Pads to be helpful.

[ktang 34]

Been skating on Bauer APX for about 5 months. They've been perfect out of the box since day 1. Now, I've got a bad lace bite issue with the left skate. I should mention I've been skating with the tongues outside the shin pads. So I'm wondering, is it possible that the lace bite protection in the tongues has broken down due my having them outside the shin pads and the way that bends the tongues? Thanks for any input.

I think the lace bite protection in the tongues would have broken down regardless. If that material is still the pringle-chip shaped hard foam, it creases horizontally and then the crease digs right into the front of your foot.

Because of that crease's edge, most lace bite pads won't work because the edge will continue to exert concentrated pressure, even through the pad.

You could unstitch the tongue (from the front) and replace the pringle-chip shaped hard foam with thick felt or, as one other member on here did, with a pool noodle cut and shaped properly.

For a quick fix (this worked for me interimly), you could tack dense foam above and below the crease. If you're doing this, it's important to not put anything at the crease, or you're right back where you started.

[Monty22 821]

You could also try swapping out the tongues for a set with a more substantial lace bite insert, like so:

[lovejotd 1]

I had a terrible case of lace bite. Could not skate...period. I did a ton of research and tried everything (new laces, new lacing patterns, bunga pads, maltese pads, etc). Then I came across some stuff written about Peter Forsberg and tried the fix that the Flyers did for him. I went out and bought a $3 piece of pipe insulation (the thick black stuff), traced out exactly where the pain was, then cut a hole in a rectangular section of the insulation to match that pain spot (which was that adductor longus tendon). It was a joke how quickly it healed and I could skate again. I could make a fortune selling some stuff like that. Also, try using thicker less waxed laces (I still like wax, but moved on from the super waxes Elite laces). Those were my fixes after a ton of pain, research, and testing...

Can someone give me more explanation on how to do this? Sounds like something that could help me

[remmidemmi 1]

Hi, I have also had a lot of troubles with lace bite. Not only that I couldn't play icehockey any more, I even could not walk normally any more. I tried everything: pads, gels, new laces, I even got a cast for 2 weeks - nothing helped! I struggled for months, until I luckily got to a sports physician, who told me to make a specific exercise with the thera-band.  After 1-2 weeks of doing this exercise 2x per day, the lace bite was gone! As it proved to work out very well for me, I want to share this with you, in order to help fellow sufferers: https://youtu.be/LHngcEKEc74

This exercise helped me a lot - let me know if it worked out for you too!

Cheers

[Mimizk 114]

Your pain was not "lace bite"... right?

[remmidemmi 1]

It was an inflammation of my tibialis anterior muscle, exactly in the area, where I bind the laces of my hockey skates. It evolved after my hockey practices. For all I know, this is what a lace bite actually is.

[Vet88 673]

34 minutes ago, remmidemmi said:

It was an inflammation of my tibialis anterior muscle, exactly in the area, where I bind the laces of my hockey skates. It evolved after my hockey practices. For all I know, this is what a lace bite actually is.

Interesting, congrats to the therapist for finding a solution for you. Are you back skating and if yes, have you changed anything to stop a recurrence of the lace bite or you are using the exercise only to prevent it?

[remmidemmi 1]

Yeah it was several years ago.. I wanted to share this exercise immediately but put it on my todo list and got around to do it only now.

Yes, I also do this exercise preventively always when season starts - it works very well.

I have also been successfully using eccentric exercises to heal muscle injuries on other parts of the body, e.g. hand. I recommend it very often to my friends.

[jgold47 12]

Thanks for sharing this.   So straight back, then slowly forward?   How many days before skating are you doing this (recovery time?).   

[remmidemmi 1]

Well if you do not have lace bite, you can do this exercise just like any other exercise without any recovery time.

If you do have lace bite, you should not put your skates on, until the pain is gone plus a few days at least.