foot pain - what is causing it?

[HotBacon 0]

I'm breaking in a new pair of Easton RS's. I've baked them once and the heel area seems perfect. However, I'm getting horrible pain in the outer half of my forefoot after about 20 minutes of having them tied up. What part of the skate could be causing this issue (the insole, the forefoot area of the boot, etc.)?

I tried putting bunga pads on this area of my foot last night and it got me an extra 15 minutes or so before the pain became unbearable and I had to switch to my old skates. I know I don't like the feel of the insoles...even after trying all the different arch support heights it feels like there is something pushing into my arch. Would changing the insole help?

[JaniV 9]

Do you tie your laces too tight on the forefoot area?

[HotBacon 0]

I've tried to go looser and looser each session. Any looser and I might as well just not use laces down there.

[ChrisMolnar 14]

I've had the same problem before. I now pretty much only tie the top 2 eyelets. Everything below that I just pull in enough to pick up the slack in the lace.

[Vet88 674]

Get a vernier or suitable measuring device and measure across your forefoot then measure across the skate in the same area. If the skate is significantly smaller then that is most likely the cause of your problem, punching or stretching the skate so that it is the same width as your forefoot should fix the pain. If you don't have access to a measuring tool you can make a substitute out of paper, get a piece of paper and mark your forefoot on it (make sure the pencil is straight up and down when you make the outline), cut up the sides of the paper on the outside of the forefoot outline so you can slide the paper over the top of your boot to see the difference in width. If you want to stretch the skate yourself you can, the tools are simple and it just takes time.

If width isn't the issue then you might consider foot alignment. If you pronate slightly this causes your foot to roll inwards which drives the outer edge of your forefoot upwards into the boot and a new stiffer boot (or a different boot where the holder is mounted slightly differently to the outside of the center line) can really expose this.

[Souldriver 64]

Width, as well as depth can be an issue.

[HotBacon 0]

Get a vernier or suitable measuring device and measure across your forefoot then measure across the skate in the same area. If the skate is significantly smaller then that is most likely the cause of your problem, punching or stretching the skate so that it is the same width as your forefoot should fix the pain.

Great tip Vet88! I measured the widest part of my forefoot and cut a piece of cardboard the same width. I couldn't even come close to getting the cardboard into that spot of my skate. I'm guessing the tip I read online about tying up your skates after you bake them caused the width of the boot to tighten up by the few millimeters I need. I don't really want to rebake my entire skate again since the ankles seem really good, so I'm contemplating trying a pair of shoe stretchers set to my exact foot width for a few days.

Thank you for the help!

[Vet88 674]

Great tip Vet88! I measured the widest part of my forefoot and cut a piece of cardboard the same width. I couldn't even come close to getting the cardboard into that spot of my skate. I'm guessing the tip I read online about tying up your skates after you bake them caused the width of the boot to tighten up by the few millimeters I need. I don't really want to rebake my entire skate again since the ankles seem really good, so I'm contemplating trying a pair of shoe stretchers set to my exact foot width for a few days.

Thank you for the help!

Shoe stretchers or c-clamps, I have posted a thread on how to stretch your own boots with some rudimentary tools. I have done many boots with these and got some amazing results, for example I have just finished doing my sons MX3's and I had to move those by 1.5cm's just behind the toe cap to get them comfortable on his feet.

http://modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php/topic/63550-for-those-that-want-to-punch-their-own-skates/?hl=stretching#entry966555

[HotBacon 0]

I was just reading through that thread. Have you tried using shoe stretchers before, or just the C-clamp setup? I was thinking a shoe stretcher would be better since the spot is a bit more elongated as compared to a measuring spoon type spot. think I need to bump out a spot about 3 eyelets long for my particular issue.

Should I be worried about the inside of the boot moving too much with either method (i.e. - you're pulling on the outer part of the boot with a C-clamp, but that is then pulling on the inner part of the boot since it's being held by the other c-clamp)? I guess we're only talking a few millimeters here, so probably not. Just my overactive pessimism :).

[Vet88 674]

I haven't used a shoe stretcher. They are better designed to get inside the boot but I don't know if you can get enough sideways force on them to stretch the boot out by the amount you may need. I've looked at some of the machine ones and they are seem similar to the stretcher my LHS has so I suspect they may do the job. I'm generally stretching boots by 1cms - 2cms and it takes a bit of force. I don't worry about pulling both sides out, the foot will settle in the middle and no one has ever said to me their foot fits into the boot on a weird angle after the stretch is done. I have always found the outer stretches easier than the inside.

With the various stones I have collected along the way, I can stretch areas around 2 - 3 eyelets long.