Painful skates...foot problems

[skatingpasty]

I've had my Risport RF4's for months now so I know they're broken in fully, as I've been skating 8-10 hours a week during the summer. Anyway since I bought them they have always been slightly tight around the toes - especially on my left foot, but not tight enough to hurt or cut off circulation, so I've never had any real problems with them.
For the past few weeks or so I had been working on my toe jumps (I worked hard to finally land a clean lutz) I had no problem with my skates then at all.

Anyway it was the other day I was skating and after about half and hour of skating my little toe in my left foot was killing me, when I went to take off my skate it was all red and swollen. I had no idea why, I hadn't done any jumps that day as I was working on spins, so I don't know how it could have happened.

I wentto the rink the next day hoping my toe had healed slightly overnight, but when I put my left skate on my toe was in agony, the side of my skate pushing against it was putting pressure on it. I went yesterday and it was worse, it was agony to do any toe jumps and doing backspins were painful too as I'm spinning on he edge nearest my little toe.

A woman at the rink said it's most likely my skates causing the problem, do you think this is the result of skating long hours in skates that are too narrow for your feet - my feet are oddly shaped, they are only slightly narrow compared to jacksons which are WAY too wide for my feet
I'm goig to talk to coach about this tomorrow, but I'd like your advice as it's startin to affect my skating a bit

(I'm a CW skater so my picking foot is my left foot and backspin foot is my left foot - the one causing me pain)

[FigureSpins]

I don't think the chronically too-tight skates suddenly caused the pain, but if they're always tight, it makes sense to get the toe box stretched.  You'll have to ask around to find someone who does this service in your area.  (I think you said that pro shops aren't an option?)

If the toe is red or swollen, you may have stubbed it off-ice and the skates are irritating the problem.  Doctors can't really "set" toes - they just tape them to the next toe over until they heal.  If it is irritation, there are toe sleeves that will cushion the toe until the soreness goes away.  However, if your skates are too tight now, the toe sleeves might not fit inside the boot.

[RinkGuard]

You may have a 'tailor's bunion'.  It's a bunion but on the little toe side.
From Wikipedia:
"It is usually characterized by inflammation, pain and redness of the little toe."
snip
"Some of the non-surgical therapies includes.
Shoe modifications - Wearing shoes that have a wide toe box, and avoiding those with pointed toes or high heels.
Oral medications - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may help in relieving the pain and inflammation.
Injection therapy - Injections of corticosteroid are commonly used to treat the inflammation.
Padding - Bunionette pads placed over the affected area may help reduce pain.
Icing - An ice pack may be applied to reduce pain and inflammation."

And in a bad case...surgery.

Or you can use a lot of pads.
http://www.performancefoot.com/63-tailors-bunion-pain-relief-kit.html

Anyway, google "tailor's bunion" images and see if any of them look like your foot. Man some of them are like 'old lady' scary (as in 'someday I'll be old and my feet will look like that')

But Basically, FigureSpins was right on the money, it's probably time to get the toe box punched out.

[skatingpasty]

Rinkguard, I had a look at the tailor's bunion and don't think it's what I've got. The pain is more on my little toe and the swelling on my toe, not below.

Figurespins I don't know if there is a pro shop in my area as the only place I go to get my skates sharpened is my rink - I could ask about getting my skates punched out there. Do you know how much it would cost roughly, is it expensive (even if it's just one skate?)

[kiwiskater]

Did you buy your skates from a shop at the rink? I got mine at my rink and they do sharpening as well..but they have the equipment to stretch & bake skates. Usually who place you purchased from will do all the work to improve the fit for free.

While I'm nowhere near your level it sounds like how my skates were before stretching, perhaps its the difference in your feet between winter & summer? I know if I tie my skates just a tad tighter than other weeks I end up with a sore little toe that is red & swollen by the end of the lesson, I really need to get mine stretched a little more so the problem will go away....