Lacing techniques to deal with foot pain/fit problems

[Loops]

So, Icoachskating posted the following on their FB page a while ago....I'm intrigued, since my skates are ALWAYS too narrow at the forefoot (even after punching out).  And on gala/competition days when I'm in the boots for several hours at a stretch, its pretty bad....

Anyone tried any of these?  I'm looking at the "wide forefoot" solution.  Good idea?  Bad Idea?  Don't-do-it-you're-gonna-die idea?

http://thecolorrun.com/blog/running-shoe-lacing-techniques/

[lutefisk]

I wonder if that technique would also be helpful in preventing Taylor's bunions (on the sides of pinky toes) from getting worse?  I think there's only one way to find out.  If it's a bad idea (i.e. significantly decreases foot stability while skating) that should be obvious right away. 

One wonders, however, that if these lacing techniques worked with stiff skate boots as they appear to do with softer running shoes that these patterns of lacing wouldn't already be part of figure skating lore?  The founding skaters were pretty smart cookies and boots back then weren't as stiff as today...  Still, it seems like a harmless experiment which can be easily reversed if the outcome is disappointing.

[Query]

It's too late to do this with your current skates, but if you get skates that are a little large, you can add "wings" to your insoles besides your feet everywhere else - or just cut them a little too wide elsewhere. Another possibility is to get another brand of boot, which is wide at the forefoot. E.g., Harlick. Which brand do you use? Especially if you go for customs.

You can replace the current insoles with thinner insoles, and make a little extra space to play, and then you change the insole appropriately.

But not crossing the laces where they are tight makes sense. Crossing obviously helps create the sideways pressure on your foot.

[icepixie]

I have high arches and insteps, and I've made use of the high arch lacing method at that website for my Jacksons.  There are nine lace holes on my skates, and I have the laces going up parallel between holes five and six (counting from the bottom) instead of crossing. When I was breaking them in I skipped two holes for a while, but that turned out not to be stable enough and it put too much pressure on the front of my ankle to compensate.  I've also built up the arch area by cutting some generic foam insoles to fit that part of my foot and layering them on top of each other until they take up enough space.  These things really helped take pressure off my insteps.  I haven't noticed any instability with just skipping one hole.

[Loops]

Ok, I'm going to try it. Lutefisk, you voiced pretty much what has been going through my mind on this.  IcePixie, thanks for talking about how you modified, because I'm worried about no support in the zone I'll not be lacing.   But as it is, I have the laces over that zone just tight enough so they don't sag.  I hope to test everything out on a public session or two this summer (rumour has it they're not heavily attended....given that they're usually overcrowded, I'm not sure what that actually translates too).

Thanks!

[Loops]

Thought I'd update on this.  Last week real skating started, so I tested some things out.  The first lacing method is shown in the first photo (V1).

It felt grrrrreat!  But I had trouble controlling my skates.  Of course that could also be due to 3 months off-ice.

So I tried the second two, on the left (V2) and right (V1a) feet respectively.  The left foot  has no bunion and is less painful overall.


These both are working.  And the right foot has enough ease that for the moment, it's OK.  We shall see if it continues to work.  But my current verdict is that this is a viable solution.