Orthotics for skaters?

[PhysicsOnIce]

@physicsonice You said "suspected pronation".  Have you not had your feet assessed?  It should be very easy for anyone who is trained to give you a yay or nay.

My feet actually supinate a bit more than neutrral.  After reading this thread I feel like I may lean toward an orthotic evaluation instead of Superfeet for my Harlicks (should I ever, ever get them....).   

I've had my feet checked by my fitter and my George Sp-Teri in the last year, both mentioned I pronated somewhat on my right foot.I actually had superfeet pur into my skates because of it and then changed them out for Sp-Teri pronation correcion insoles because the super feet were taking up too much room. I have also had an orthopedic surgeon take a look at my feet , because of bursitis, and he mentioned my right foot was slightly flat. I have a second appointment with him this week to check if my bursitis is connected with some damage to my tendons. So say suspected pronation because I don't have the exact answer to my ankle problems yet, but it should be coming soon.

[littlerain]

Thread title corrected!

As I was leafing through the Riedell 2014 Catalog today, I noticed that they're offering a "Reidell Footbed Kit."



Footnote: I like Legos and it looks like that's how the pieces go together, lol.

Testimony from satisfied customer: http://www.iskateriedell.com/2014/shaelyn-brown/
Should work for all skates, assuming the skate sizing allows the room for this footbed.  It's a clever idea that might be really helpful to adult skaters, who are more knowledgeable about their podiatry needs and notice problems sooner than younger skaters.  Could stop a lot of struggling that currently goes on in skating.


You have order through your Riedell dealer, so I don't know the cost of this product.  I'll send an email and request more information.

I was looking at these in the riedell catalog recently and would love to know how much they are. I tried some gel insoles for arches in my skates and I liked how they felt, though I didn't like how those were only half inserts

[Query]

I don't know all the anatomical details, but you can have more than one type of pronation, that occur under different circumstances.

A simple "wedge" which makes one part of the insole thicker than the other (such as I make for myself with tape) can balance your foot side-to-side.

But if you only have pronation during jump landings, which causes your knee to mis-align only when you land, or if the pronation gets worse during jump landings (and maybe take-offs), that can create long-term knee problems. (I have some of each type.) In principle, you can put tape under an insole on the inside of the foot, and compressible foam under the insole on the outside of the foot, to fix this.

BTW, the jump-landing pronation may be hard to evaluate yourself - it helps to have someone else (coaches are good) watch your knee while you land.

But you would need a fair bit of trial and error to get it just right. So you might experiment with modifying inexpensive insoles from the dollar store, rather than applying and ripping off tape and adhesive foam from the insoles that came with the boot. Besides, you may want a thinner insole so you have space to work with inside the boot. I've been meaning to play with this a little more myself.

That is something that your foot doctor can do too - he/she would might make a fancier looking custom insole out of fancy materials rather than using tape and adhesive foam. It's possible that a foot doctor would have the experience to do it faster than you can - at a price, especially if the doctor has to visit the rink to watch you skate.

[Neverdull44]

I am back in action.  I landed many flip-loop jumps today, in my orthotics.  I am so comfortable now on my landings.  I did a loop-loop and salchow-loop too.   My health insurance covers a pair of orthotics a year. 

[TropicalSk8ter]

Physics,

I can't begin to tell you how much more comfortable I am on the ice and afterwards, with my orthotics.  I've had them for years with my regular tennis shoes because of my bad feet.

 I would get foot cramps about 10 minutes skating, with both my custom Harlicks and new Edeas.  I stroked around the ice for about 5 minutes and it would clear up, some.   The podiatrists (I spoke with 3, 2 who treated me), said that this was likely lactic acid building up because my foot muscles were working way overtime trying to correct for my pronation.   It was also likely a little bit of my plantar tendon ripping.  That was more of a burning pain, not a cramping pain.   

 Now, when I push off to glide, everything is more efficient.  I have so much more power to each of my strokes.   

I had an issue with my power threes and that mohawk to the turn forward.   I was bent over.  Now, not having that issue.   

Taking off and landing jumps has really improved.   I don't feel like my feet are flattening out and trying to find balance.  With the orthotic underneath, I have  firm surface that supports my entire foot.   

When I am done skating, my feet are not tired or sore.   I feel like a kid again, like I could easily skate for 4 or 5 hours.

That's so great to hear that your orthotics are working like wonder! I went to Tim Burt today to see if he could mold them a bit more and finally it's doesn't numb my toe or feel loose in the boot. Gives me a better sensation of control on the concertos.

[rd350]

@PhysicsOnIce I have bursitis too.  Where is yours?  Mind is the 1st MTP joint.  It was getting better but now worse than before and I've been mostly off the ice.  Warmer weather shoes are irritating it.

[rd350]

@Neverdull so great for you!

[PhysicsOnIce]

@PhysicsOnIce I have bursitis too.  Where is yours?  Mind is the 1st MTP joint.  It was getting better but now worse than before and I've been mostly off the ice.  Warmer weather shoes are irritating it.

Mine is on the inside bone of the ankle (i.e. Medial Malleolus) bursitis. Much to both my orthopaedic surgeon and myself surprise wearing heels actually helps, with it.  They've done two echos in which they can find absolutely nothing, except a partial tear on the outside of my ankle which is totally unrelated but due to a previous injury. My surgeon thinks that the bursitis is actually due to my tendons not supporting my foot correctly because of pronation. So insoles is the first step, I have an appointment with the insole manufacturer on Friday of next week.

[rd350]

Ah okay, totally difference but nonetheless frustrating and not so straight forward.

I went to NJ to have my boot punched out today and Jim put some foam in the punch out for extra cushioning without compression.

At this point, the only pair of shoes I can wear (off ice) are falling apart and not for winter.  Fun stuff....!

I burst my bursa so it's just more irritated and picky now.  Cannot get a steroid injection until the new boots come.

Have you tried that?  I am using Voltarn gel which works really well as long as I don't wear anything with pressure on the area.  I believe capsaicin is almost as strong and is OTC.

Good luck with the insoles!  My Sports Medicine doc says the footwear is the key.

[icedancer]

I'm wondering if any of you orthotics-wearers have to change the placement of your blade after getting fitted with an orthotic for your skater.  I have been using Superfeet for years now and recently added a heel wedge (for heel pronation) to the mix and find that my blade is not running so great with that -

Also a new sharpening so not sure what is going on.  Unfortunately our master sharpener passed away last week and so we are all wondering how it is going to be with his expertise -
Sob.

[Neverdull44]

Heels help with some foot problems, but not with all.

I am not an expert, but changing how your foot sits in a boot could change where the center of the blade should sit.  But so far for me, the blades still feel like they are sitting right even after my orthotics.   

[icedancer]

Heels help with some foot problems, but not with all.

I put in the heel lift to try to modify a skating problem - my feet feel fine in my boots (although I have always hated the boots, but not because of any pain) - putting in the heel wedge to help try to align my knee a bit - was getting a bit knock-kneed in my skating - putting more pressure on my knee... the wedge has helped but my edges feel off - also bad sharpening... sigh...

[PhysicsOnIce]

I just got my Orthotics today. They feel weird, actually I can tell that I am standing and walking differently, but I definitively feel like there is a ball under my feet. The lady that fitted them to me says that's what they are suppose to feel like. I have not skated in them yet, but we will see. I might go to the afternoon public session today to try them out... Can't wait to see what happens.

[AgnesNitt]

Should work for all skates, assuming the skate sizing allows the room for this footbed.  It's a clever idea that might be really helpful to adult skaters, who are more knowledgeable about their podiatry needs and notice problems sooner than younger skaters.  Could stop a lot of struggling that currently goes on in skating.

Exactly!

Also: ME WANT!

[Neverdull44]

You have a break in schedule with the orthotics?  Follow it, but I did dive a little quicker into mine.   

[PhysicsOnIce]

You have a break in schedule with the orthotics?  Follow it, but I did dive a little quicker into mine.   

They did not really give me a break in schedule for the orthotics. They just told me to start wearing them two to three hours a day and increase it from there if my feet dont feel tired. I have had no problem at all.

[Neverdull44]

Yes, gradually increase hours.  But, I was so happy that I was in them full time about the 4th day.   I was a little sore, but nothing like skating sore.

For my skating orthotics, I started out just stroking and adding skills as I felt I could handle them.  Took about a week to get up to speed on all the spins & jumps. 

Orthotics do feel like you are stepping on a tennis ball in your arch.   But, it's a good feeling and it doesn't hurt.  May take you a few days to get used to.  If they do hurt still, call the doctor.

[PhysicsOnIce]

This is probably a stupid question but I'll ask it anyways. Do you have two pair of orthotics?

I skated in my normal pair yesterday and two day, things did not go as well as I had hoped
 Spins worked almost effortlessly, but jumps and footwork was a complete and utter Mess.... actually even standing in my skates felt odd on the ice. I felt like my blades were several inches too short in the back and my weight was about two thirds of the way back....this was bad enough for me too fall just sanding. I took some hard a dangerous falls yesterday.

 I was lucky enough to have an appointment with my skate tech today. She believes that. The insoles are actually too wide for the heel of my boot and are not sitting flat in the boot... I am not sure what to do? Would it be okay to just not wear the insoles in my skates but wear them in my shoes as they are originally designed for shoes amyways?

[Jenna]

Before I had custom skates, I took my boots to my podiatrist and had a pair made specifically for my skates in addition to the ones that I had for my regular shoes.

[icedancer]

Before I had custom skates, I took my boots to my podiatrist and had a pair made specifically for my skates in addition to the ones that I had for my regular shoes.

This sounds like how a lot of skaters do it - the orthotic is made specifically for the skate/skater - guessing that there are different specifications because of... well because of skating and standing on a 4mm blade and all of that other stuff!

[Neverdull44]

Yes, I have two different pairs of orthotics.  The ones for my regular sneakers are very wide and are not made for a heel.  The ones that were made for my skating boots are as wide and long as the skates original innersoles and made for the higher heel.