Do shims on figure skate blades interfere with skills?

[MCsAngel2]

I continue to deal with my pronated left foot....

The tech originally set the blade to the inside, but it didn't feel right (the back actually felt like it was to the outside), and took some video that showed it didn't correct the pronation, so I had him reset the blade to the center.

Since then, I've gotten Superfeet (black) and been adding furniture discs as homemade wedging. Took more video (different, better angles) that showed *I think* an improvement but not totally corrected. The wedge I've got on the left is almost 3/4" tall (but less than that when I'm standing on it), so I can't add any more safely. Between the wedge, superfeet, and my high heeled dance boots, my heels are now ridiculously high and the volume in the boot is too much and they are too tight (though can still skate).

I'm going to have to do something in addition to the wedge. I can have him try to reset the blade to the inside to my satisfaction, or I can ask if he can add a shim.

When I was a teen, my left blade was set inside. At least, the heel was, really far inside. I always thought that was the reason I didn't have a proper one foot spin (I'd spin on my toepick). I'm wondering if a shim would cause a similar problem, for skills done on the left foot (spinning foot).

All the posts I can find on shimming online have to do with hockey players, but I'm pretty sure there's someone on this board who has them.

Opinions?

[tstop4me]

I've previously recommended a combination of corrective footbed, positioning the blade inside, and shims (in that order).  I also recommended a moderate combination of all three if needed and cautioned against a single extreme correction.  A 3/4" high wedge (even if it squishes down a bit) is what I would call extreme.  I'm surprised you managed to squeeze your foot in the boot with that high a wedge.  I'm surprised you haven't damaged your foot and boot.

Similarly, if you move the blade inside too much, it will make your balance unstable, negatively affecting your spins in particular.  One skate tech I went to didn't believe in shims and was in favor of large blade offsets, to a degree in which the sole plate protruded past the side of the boot.  I didn't feel that was safe (in case of a fall on the side of the boot), and also my balance was too wobbly.  I took matters into my own hands, reset the blade moderately to the inside, and added shims.  I varied the height of the shims until I got satisfactory results.  One advantage of shims is that you can vary the height without having to plug old holes and drill new holes (as is the case with moving the blade by different increments). 

Make sure your tech knows how to install shims properly.  I've seen many botched jobs on other skaters.  Improperly installed shims can lead to warped blades and blades that come loose easily.

What is suitable for you will depend on your unique foot conditions.  In my case, max heel wedge height = 1/4", max blade offset = 1/8", max shim height = 1/8" [plus additional longitudinal and metatarsal arch supports].  You could probably go more, but I'd be reluctant to add more than an additional 1/8" to each value.

[Loops]

I've had shims in my blades.  Only did good things for me!

[Query]

Maybe yes, maybe no.

The goal of a shim is to make sure that when your foot is oriented as it would most naturally and comfortably be when you are on a one foot glide, and your legs are aligned right, but on both edges (i.e., not following a curved arc), the blade is approximately vertical.

So if it is done right, for your anatomy and boot shape, it should improve things. If it is done wrong, your blade will tend to be tilted to one side, and you may tend to skid on either the inside or outside edge, or be unable to get onto one of those edges.

There are also forward-backwards tilt shims. They affect how easy it is to stay off your toe pick, and how easy it is to avoid putting too much weight on the tail, which creates drag.

Finally, space-filling shims, which do not affect the tilt of the blade or your skating, are sometimes used if there is a shape or tilt mismatch between the boot and the mounting plate of your blade. Such a mismatch gradually warps your blade and your boot, which can eventually lead to problems. If it is done right, it is an improvement, though not one that would immediately affect your skating. If it is done wrong, and you still have unequal pressures, especially from one side of the bottom of the boot to the other, it will create those warps.

[axelwylie]

I've had shims under my blade mount for many, many years. They haven't prevented me from doing anything. I'm fact, I passed with Gold MITF and FS tests with them in. Also learned and successfully an axel and double salchow (as an adult). Anything is possible.

[celia]

I have shims under my right blade.  My skate tech worked with me for an hour slowly adjusting the blade mount and then I would put on the skates and he would look at my stance.  We ended up with an 1/16" shim under the sole plate and nearly an 1/8" shim under the heel plate.  That was 8 months ago and improved my skating.  Just last week I went back and had him shift the sole plate ever so slightly to the inside (maintaining the shims) and that has been good as well.  I would have gone back sooner but I was waiting to pass a test (Silver MITF) and I figured if it wasn't broken why fix it at that exact moment. 

Somewhere along the way, I also changed the factory (Jackson) insoles to Aetrex L400 for medium to high arches.

[nicklaszlo]

I agree with the other posts.

I'd add that needing shims with one pair of boots does not mean you will need the same shims for the next pair.  There can be manufacturing variation.

[Suzy-Sunshine]

There seems to be a lot of correction going on, between insoles, wedges, and now shims. My skater was having edge issues so we tried all of the above and finally ended up in new, smaller boots. A secure boot is as key to edges and stability as everything else.

The Jackson tech rep was at a competition where he looked at her foot and the overall fit. The volume of her foot in the boot was such that she needed a smaller size and even went down in width. It wasn't that she was improperly fitted according to the guidelines. It was just a peculiarity of her arch and the thinness of her ankles. We added a heat molded insole at the same time as her boots were heat molded and her blades were set the very first try. Her coach was amazed at the difference. No issues with anything at all. It might not be the answer to your issues but it sure is one of the variables to look into.

I will also add that if you are making strong corrections in your skates, you should also be correcting your pronation, etc in your everyday shoes. This is advice from my sister who is a PT and has a masters in OT.  You want your body to be moving in the same ways no matter the activity.

Good luck!