foot cramps!

[VAsk8r]

Sometimes when I take off my skates, particularly after a longer skating session (more than an hour), my feet will begin cramping on the outside sides. I don't know anything about anatomy, but looking at this site (http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/91344-overview), it looks like my pain is in the lower part of the peroneal tendons as they run flat along the side of the foot. .

This doesn't feel like any of the overuse injuries I'm reading about. The pain I have is sharp and sets in within a few seconds  of getting my skates off. It is so bad I grit my teeth and feel like I can't sit still, but it's greatly improved within a minute. Rubbing the area doesn't seem to really help. Later that evening, I might still have some soreness there, or it might be completely gone.

Tonight was about the worst it's ever been. I did start skating in new skates a little over a week ago, but I had the problem occasionally with my old skates too. It doesn't happen all the time.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there anything you can do in terms of diet or exercise to prevent this, or can you do anything while it's happening to minimize the pain?

[Kim to the Max]

I usually only have issues with my feet hurting when I take off my skates either when I am breaking in new ones (like now...grrr) or if my tights get funky folds in them. Would a tennis ball help?

[VAsk8r]

Would a tennis ball help?

It might! I'll bring one next time and try it. Tonight it was so bad I didn't even want to touch it.

[nicklaszlo]

Exercise linked cramps are commonly caused by dehydration.

[CrossStroke]

This doesn't feel like any of the overuse injuries I'm reading about. The pain I have is sharp and sets in within a few seconds  of getting my skates off. It is so bad I grit my teeth and feel like I can't sit still, but it's greatly improved within a minute. Rubbing the area doesn't seem to really help. Later that evening, I might still have some soreness there, or it might be completely gone.

Hmm, I had similar to what you are describing when I wore boots that were way too narrow for me.
I used to stretch my feet when it happened.

Yes, making sure you are well-hydrated is important, too.

[Doubletoe]

Hmm, I had similar to what you are describing when I wore boots that were way too narrow for me.
I used to stretch my feet when it happened.

Yes, making sure you are well-hydrated is important, too.

That was going to be my question, too.  Are you sure your boots are wide enough in the forefoot (ball)?  I stopped getting that kind of cramping (and cramping in my arches) when I went from a B width boot to a B+/C- width.  Yes, it required custom sizing and that cost more, but 3 years of no foot cramps has been well worth the price!

[sarahspins]

Sometimes it can be as simply as the footbed not supporting your foot how it needs to be supported.. if the width isn't the issue.

My feet were MISERABLE in my skates until I added extra arch support.

[VAsk8r]

That was going to be my question, too.  Are you sure your boots are wide enough in the forefoot (ball)? 

Possibly not. I was borderline between a C and a D width when I was measured, and I opted for the C because I think a D would've been way too big in other areas. If the cramps keep up, I'll talk to our resident sharpening/boot expert about having them punched out.

I hope I'm not dehydrated, but I don't have any other symptoms so I don't think I am. I try to drink water throughout the day, and I'm one of the only skaters who brings water onto the ice with me.

I'm planning to try drinking tonic water after a dancer friend of mine suggested it.

[Nate]

You may also be tying your skates too tight up there?  That's usually when mine do that.  A lot of times you're fine when you're skating, but it starts to hurts the second you take your boot off.  If you tie your skates too snug when you're sitting they will be too tight when you're skating cause your foot expands a bit when you put your full weight on them.

That's why most fitters who use casts make you stand to do the casts.  If you don't, you can potentially end up with a boot too small for your foot when you're actually skating.

[sarahspins]

I opted for the C because I think a D would've been way too big in other areas.

Do you mean the heel?  This is where a split width comes in handy

Can you see if your pro shop will stretch the toe box a little, and then re-heatmold your skates... that might help.

[Doubletoe]

Possibly not. I was borderline between a C and a D width when I was measured, and I opted for the C because I think a D would've been way too big in other areas. If the cramps keep up, I'll talk to our resident sharpening/boot expert about having them punched out.

If you were between a C and D width and you went with the C width, then it could be the width issue, even though it's only half a size.  I was between a B and C width in the ball (front) of the foot and an A width in the heel.  My fitter ordered me boots that were stock boots in mixed width A heel/B ball, thinking they'd stretch enough in the front and he was saving me money by getting me stock boots instead of customs.  The 1/2 width too narrow in the front of my foot caused me discomfort from the first day in those boots until the last, even though I heat molded them and had them punched out at the widest parts of my feet.  They didn't seem unbearable at the time, but now that I'm in custom sized boots that are half a width wider in the ball, I try the old boots on and can't even imagine how I ever skated in them!

[Query]

I used to have pain in my feet, because one side of my foot (in both boots) was not supported by the foot bed/insole, so I had to use continuous muscle tension to compensate for the imbalance. Reshaping the insole with tape (in effect creating a custom orthotic), to provide support where it was needed, fixed the problem. That could mean arch support - or it could be the other side of your foot that needs support - or some other part of your foot. Many people feel fairly good when the whole bottom of the foot gets roughly equal support pressure - though many of us like less pressure on our toes.

But that pain was present while the boot was still on, after skating a session. So it doesn't match what you describe.

Unless of course your boot is so tight somewhere that your foot is numb, and can't feel anything until you remove it?

I also had pain in my feet because only one part of the sides of my feet were in contact with the boot, because the boot shape didn't match my feet. Punching (stretching) the boot where needed to give more uniform sideways pressure helped that.

[Nate]

I have that issue.  The outside of my feet aren't supported in my skate properly.  Backspins are impossible, and outside edges are hard as a result.  Some MiTF patterns are challenging because of it (5 Step Mohawk, stepping onto that outside edge, Power Three Turns) and of course it adversely affects your crossovers as well since you cannot push efficiently off the outside edge (under push).  I desperately need customs, but I cannot afford the cost at the moment.

If in doubt, go custom.  They're worth it in the long haul esp if the risk of going through more than one pair of boots in a short time is a rather predictable probability.

[VAsk8r]

Last night my right foot really felt like it was being squeezed by my boot. After an hour, it was killing me. I wasn't sure how I could finish the practice and was wondering how soon I could get an appointment to get my skate punched out.

Then...I took off the Rainbo skate socks (similar to trouser socks) I've been wearing ever since I started breaking in my new skates. And the problem just went away. Suddenly I had all the room in the world inside those boots.

I keep trying to make the sock/tights thing work, but deep down, I am a barefoot skating kind of girl.

[Nate]

I think barefoot feels nice in that you really don't feel the kind of sliding that you would with socks on (I use Danskin dancer socks so they're very thin, not sure what Rainbo socks are, TBH, I wouldn't gain much by taking them off room-wise).  What I don't like is the way the side and top of the skate feels against my foot.

I don't like that rubbing.

But I do think it gives you a better "grip" in your boot which can lead to better control for some skaters.  I've tried it.  It just didn't last :-<  If I forget my skating socks (never hapens anymore as I put them on before I leave and put my normal socks over them these days) I had no issues doing the session barefoot, though.

[AgnesNitt]

I wear knee highs. It's like skating in bare feet. A bit old ladyish, but they work.

[Purple Sparkly]

I wear very thin trouser socks.  I just switched to a Jackson boot from SP Teri.  I hated the way my SP Teris felt without any sock.  My feet would sweat and get stuck to the little insole and it was uncomfortable on the top of my foot.  The insole and lining of the Jacksons are so comfortable.  When I got fitted, I forgot my socks, so was fitted in bare feet and the boots felt so good that I think I could skate barefoot in these boots if I had to.

I always go down in width in skates.  With SP Teri, I measured a B width, but was always perfectly comfortable with the A width.  With my Jacksons, I measured a D width, but got the B width.  The fitter said that my foot is flatter than most, so with the "correct" width, I would have too much room above my foot. I am not experiencing cramping or pain on the outside of my foot at any time.

I used to get cramps in the arch all the time in my old SP Teris due to my high arch and the lower arch of the boot.  This has not been a problem in my new Jacksons.

I had custom SP Teris and I was never really happy with them.  My Jacksons are a stock boot and, so far, fit me better.

[sarahspins]

I had custom SP Teris and I was never really happy with them.  My Jacksons are a stock boot and, so far, fit me better.

Awesome, now I'm not the only one who went from customs to a stock boot and is much happier with their boots

Most people (locally) are surprised to find out I am in stock jacksons after custom SP Teri's, but they work so much better for my feet.

[Purple Sparkly]

SP Teri is having troubles right now.  I have heard many stories recently about skates being the wrong size and poor customer service.  One of the main reasons I switched was because when I told George I had problems with my custom skates, he wanted to know who fit me (he did) instead of focusing on the fact that my custom skates didn't fit because the fitter (him) didn't listen to me when I explained my concerns at the fitting.

Also, Jackson has an awesome deal for coaches.  The other companies really can't match it.