Yes, its ANOTHER Lace Bite Question

[Vet88 674]

4 hours ago, wedgylx said:

I'm literally going to buy them right now. my bit area is lower around that 3/4/5 eyelet. anyone willing to post a pic for me if I send it over? I don't have it posted up on a URL

use imgur, post the pic there then copy the link and paste it here. The 3 / 4 / 5 eyelet is where the curve is in the boot, I don't know how well a greatsaves extender will work in that area, it should be ok. I prefer singles or flexible doubles when fitting extenders in the curve so they will flex to the shape of the boot and foot. Here is an example of singles fitted that another member made:

 

 

Another option is Reebok lacelocks, you can still find them in some shops.

[wedgylx 8]

12 minutes ago, Vet88 said:

use imgur, post the pic there then copy the link and paste it here. The 3 / 4 / 5 eyelet is where the curve is in the boot, I don't know how well a greatsaves extender will work in that area, it should be ok. I prefer singles or flexible doubles when fitting extenders in the curve so they will flex to the shape of the boot and foot. Here is an example of singles fitted that another member made:

 

 

Another option is Reebok lacelocks, you can still find them in some shops.

you mean these? They don't seem to push the laces too far forward? 

[wedgylx 8]

Thanks for the help @Vet88

 

Here's a pic of the lacebite on my left ankle, its worse on that side for whatever reason. Please forgive the mess as I just finished eating - oh and the sleeping dog!

 

and here's my left ankle (again the worse of the two) passing the pencil test on the 7.5 Vapor's even with a reall inflamed lacebite bump.

Pressure is right around 3rd and maybe 4th eyelet

[wedgylx 8]

Just to compare - like I said I haven’t played in a week as I’m getting over the flu - hard to tell I guess but the size has definitely decreased in a week. Sometimes it nearly goes completely away and then it comes back eventually 

 

[colins 246]

 

That's pretty high for lacebite! 

I'm thinking that's coming from eyelet 1 or 2 on your skates? Do you skip the top eyelet? How bad of a condition were your tongues in when you got that?

[wedgylx 8]

26 minutes ago, colins said:

 

That's pretty high for lacebite! 

I'm thinking that's coming from eyelet 1 or 2 on your skates? Do you skip the top eyelet? How bad of a condition were your tongues in when you got that?

I’d say eyelet 3. I’ll paste a pic in a boot later

when I got these I had brand new skates. Bought another brand new pair of supremes as the guy told me it would alleviate my problem and it didn’t really help at all. Even the skates I’m in now are only like 3 years old I think. Even the guy at the shop said they weren’t that bad but it might help replacing them

 

I lace them all the way up but skip 3rd eyelet

 

[wedgylx 8]

2 hours ago, wedgylx said:

That's pretty high for lacebite! 

2 hours ago, colins said:

I'm thinking that's coming from eyelet 1 or 2 on your skates? Do you skip the top eyelet? How bad of a condition were your tongues in when you got that?

You’re totally right it’s closer to the 2nd! I checked the two boots and you can see below. Bottom pair with the gel stickies are my old ones, pen completely crushing the bite spot. The red pair are the the larger vapor 1X - a small gap between pen and lump. And this is as big as the lump gets, so I assume if the swelling goes down I get even a little more room. I’ll try the vapors twice next week with the extenders and report back

[Vet88 674]

4 minutes ago, wedgylx said:

You’re totally right it’s closer to the 2nd! 

The greatsave extenders should work well for that spot. You have a lot of localised inflammation around the tendon, lace bite affects everyone in different ways. For example I had no swelling and very little redness on the skin but all I had to do was look at a pair of skates and the pain started.

[colins 246]

19 minutes ago, wedgylx said:

You’re totally right it’s closer to the 2nd! I checked the two boots and you can see below. Bottom pair with the gel stickies are my old ones, pen completely crushing the bite spot. The red pair are the the larger vapor 1X - a small gap between pen and lump. And this is as big as the lump gets, so I assume if the swelling goes down I get even a little more room. I’ll try the vapors twice next week with the extenders and report back

 

The pencil test is usually done right in the pocket of the 'L' shape of the facing (eyelet 4 or 5) where it transitions from instep to shin. Not way up where you are placing it. Is your heel lock OK? Your heel sitting back in the pocket?

I think your problem isn't depth at all it's that you are tying your skates too tight at the top 1 or 2 eyelet and your tongue is probably breaking down and the laces are cutting in. Why do you skip eyelet 3? That puts extra strain on 2.

I would fully heal your bump/lacebite (there are exercises with a resistance band on youtube that will greatly help accelerate that) and switch to lacing without skipping eyelet 3. Instead skip eyelet 1. And get some new wide skate laces (howies or Elite Hockey) non-wax. But don't do anything until you heal that bump up.

 

 

[wedgylx 8]

1 hour ago, Vet88 said:

The greatsave extenders should work well for that spot. You have a lot of localised inflammation around the tendon, lace bite affects everyone in different ways. For example I had no swelling and very little redness on the skin but all I had to do was look at a pair of skates and the pain started.

Great I’m hoping!

[wedgylx 8]

1 hour ago, colins said:

 

The pencil test is usually done right in the pocket of the 'L' shape of the facing (eyelet 4 or 5) where it transitions from instep to shin. Not way up where you are placing it. Is your heel lock OK? Your heel sitting back in the pocket?

I think your problem isn't depth at all it's that you are tying your skates too tight at the top 1 or 2 eyelet and your tongue is probably breaking down and the laces are cutting in. Why do you skip eyelet 3? That puts extra strain on 2.

I would fully heal your bump/lacebite (there are exercises with a resistance band on youtube that will greatly help accelerate that) and switch to lacing without skipping eyelet 3. Instead skip eyelet 1. And get some new wide skate laces (howies or Elite Hockey) non-wax. But don't do anything until you heal that bump up.

 

 

Right on the pencil test - I just figured since my area of issue was higher it made sense to see if that area also stayed within the boot? Yes heel locked back in both.

lacing-wise I just always skipped that growing up and never changed, but now thinking about it actually I just put new laces in my supremes a few weeks ago and hadn’t been skipping any at all - just traditional all the way up 

So you’re saying skip the top lace? That wouldn’t put more strain on number 2 where my problem is? What do you think about the extenders, I have a set on the way already? 

 

 

[colins 246]

9 hours ago, wedgylx said:

Right on the pencil test - I just figured since my area of issue was higher it made sense to see if that area also stayed within the boot? Yes heel locked back in both.

lacing-wise I just always skipped that growing up and never changed, but now thinking about it actually I just put new laces in my supremes a few weeks ago and hadn’t been skipping any at all - just traditional all the way up 

So you’re saying skip the top lace? That wouldn’t put more strain on number 2 where my problem is? What do you think about the extenders, I have a set on the way already? 

 

 

 

I assumed you were skipping 3 to enhance forward flex/movement in your boot. I think skipping 1 is the better way to do that in today's boots. Lots of NHL skaters do this, including McDavid. It might feel a little strange the first time but keep it for several sessions and you'll quickly adapt and have more mobility on your edges.

Make sure you have thick/wide laces, not skinny ones that will cut in. Howies or Elite Pro X7 are usually my go-to.

Extenders are great - but they're a work-around - don't keep masking the issue and skating with that injury... which is what it is. Heal it up - try these exercises a few times a day, it'll help a lot. Not my video but my son has used this and it worked:

 

 

@Vet88 Posted one of my pics early from some single lace extenders I made, and here's the more beefy double extenders I did up from an old leather belt. These were being used on eyelets 3/4 but you'd want to go higher and use yours on 2/3 I'd imagine. The Greatskates ones have 3 holes so you could attach them to 2/3 and use them for 2/3/4. I switched to using old wax laces (all they are good for IMHO) to attach these, I wasn't comfortable having the screws/nuts around the ankles, figured the lace was less bulky and less chance of something going wrong. I tied them really tight, snipped off the ends and burnt them slightly with a lighter:

 

[innotastic 12]

On 2/27/2020 at 2:43 PM, wedgylx said:

Thanks for the help @Vet88

 

Here's a pic of the lacebite on my left ankle, its worse on that side for whatever reason. Please forgive the mess as I just finished eating - oh and the sleeping dog!

 

and here's my left ankle (again the worse of the two) passing the pencil test on the 7.5 Vapor's even with a reall inflamed lacebite bump.

Pressure is right around 3rd and maybe 4th eyelet

I'm no doctor but I'm pretty sure that's from the laces on eyelets 1/2 digging into your leg when you flex forward. It looks very similar to what I had. 

It takes a couple months to heal, a week or two won't do it, doesn't matter what you do to your skate it'll flare up. What you need to do is relieve the pressure from that location. lace extenders is one way, skipping the 1st eyelet is another, idea is the same. What doesn't work is more material in that area, as it'll just add pressure. 

[wedgylx 8]

Thanks guys! Appreciate the feedback - I'm eagerly awaiting my lace extenders. I have hockey Tuesday and Wednesday this week, so I really hope they are in my mailbox today when I get home! I'll report back how things feel to start.

 

Do people still use the Forsberg pads with the lace extenders? Or not necessary?

[wedgylx 8]

I guess it takes the guys at GreatSaves a while to ship - they just got my package out today so I won't have them for this weeks games. I'm going to try the new skates and skip the top lace as recommended and then I can try the extenders next week.

The Fall/Spring season only has like 4-5 weeks left and then I'll get a 2-3 week break before summer starts. I might take the first 2 weeks off to give myself a whole month, I'd hate to do it as my lungs/legs will pay but maybe getting the swelling down and the extenders fixes my issue - worth it

[wedgylx 8]

Update - I skated last night with the new Vapors to try them out. They felt solid trying them on but it became obvious pretty quickly that I'm not getting a proper heel lock. After the first period I actually went to the locker room and switched back into my original Bauer Supreme Skates.... @innotastic @Vet88 I decided to try skipping the top lace and WOW why the hell didn't I try this sooner. It made a very noticeable difference, even with NO Forsberg pads (I did have my bunga pads on). I always assumed skipping the top lace was going to put MORE pressure on the lace bite spot - quite the opposite.

I play again tonight, so I'll try my 6.5 Supremes with the top lace undone again. 

Of course my lace extenders come tomorrow, so I won't get to try them until next week.

 

Side note - the first game back after the Flu last week SUCKED! I'm definitely still recuperating, hopefully better tonight.