Last time you skated, did you experience pain?

[nicklaszlo]

I'm curious how common it is.

[Cush]

Do you mean DURING skating? Or does AFTER count too?
Sometimes I am sore in various places after skating because of using muscles differently from what I am used to. Sometimes my knees or lower back might ache afterwards because I am still recovering from old running injuries. But somehow while on the ice I don't feel the pain.

[AgnesNitt]

Yes. Recovering from a knee injury. According to therapist must.not.do.deep.knee.action.

It's not a pretty sight.

[sarahspins]

Yes, but I think the more important question is the pain really because of skating, or just incidental?

Usually for me, one of my knees really bothers me until I'm very warmed up (and any amount of off-ice warm up doesn't really do much there).  After that I'm normally fine.. but this knee bothers me doing all kinds of other activities too so it's just something I deal with (and take medication for).  My other knee hurts when I do sit spins or lunges - so I mostly avoid those.  MRI showed nothing really wrong.

[PinkLaces]

Well, yes, but then I fell and hit my head.  Yeah, not fun.

[nicklaszlo]

http://journals.lww.com/pedorthopaedics/Abstract/1991/01000/Flexibility_and_Anterior_Knee_Pain_in_Adolescent.15.aspx

30% of elite skaters have knee pain.
9% have it on both sides.

Usually it is on the landing side.

[nicklaszlo]

Three people answered yes in the comments, but only two in the poll?

[SynchKat]

Just answered yes.

I often have knee pain.  Just randomly though like somes and goes.  Lately my shoulder has been causing me pain and often my back will hurt when skating. 

[jjane45]

For me, skating pains come in 3 different ways:

• on-ice falls: protective gear has cut the number of bruises down significantly, the last major incident I remember is hitting the boards and getting a cheek bruise.
• equipment woes: previous ankle pains from skates one size too big; Haglund's deformity no longer hurting after the heel got punched out
• pushing too far: e.g. too much jumping, too low sit spins, or "inappropriate" bauer

To answer your question, no. Majority of the time I am not skating in pain. Oh I assumed you mean physical pain only, my skater-ego hurts quite often

[platyhiker]

Nick - That article definitely has some interesting stuff just in the abstract:  "Three fourths of the skaters who improved their quadriceps flexibility eliminated their [knee] pain." and "Analysis of all examinations showed that skaters with pain had tighter quadriceps muscles than those without pain. Poor hamstring flexibility was correlated with patellofemoral pain."

Other than the occasional hard fall, I skate without pain.  But, I am far, far from an elite skater.  If I work one set of muscles too hard (say, by doing a lot of spins in a row),  the muscles (left calf in the this example) will start to tighten up uncomfortably, but I can stretch them out and then switch to another activity to let the tired muscles rest a bit.

[Doubletoe]

Nick - That article definitely has some interesting stuff just in the abstract:  "Three fourths of the skaters who improved their quadriceps flexibility eliminated their [knee] pain." and "Analysis of all examinations showed that skaters with pain had tighter quadriceps muscles than those without pain. Poor hamstring flexibility was correlated with patellofemoral pain."

Other than the occasional hard fall, I skate without pain.  But, I am far, far from an elite skater.  If I work one set of muscles too hard (say, by doing a lot of spins in a row),  the muscles (left calf in the this example) will start to tighten up uncomfortably, but I can stretch them out and then switch to another activity to let the tired muscles rest a bit.

I will second this!  My knee bothers me if I don't stretch out my quads really well after skating, especially my outer quads.  We figure skaters use our outer quads disproportionately, which builds them up, makes them tight and makes them pull unevenly on our knee joints.  Of course I also stretch my hamstrings and calves.  Calves get super tight from spinning and jumping.

[rachelplotkin]

If you are asking this question because you're having issues yourself then be aware you (as a student at the university you attend) have access to a sports medicine physician for ~another month who was a high level skater herself.  Not only is she great at what she does but the fact that she understands skaters is a wonderful bonus. Note the article you cite is pretty dated and specifically looked at adolescents

[AgnesNitt]

From the article abstract above

Poor hamstring flexibility was correlated with patellofemoral pain.

I pretty much have this (plus horseback riding injuries from before most of you were born) and am getting PHysical therapy treatment for this on my right leg.

Amusingly, when the PT asked me to extend my leg behind me and keep it straight, she had to fuss about how it was at an angle and not high enough/straight enough / whatever enough.

For a minute there it was like listening to my dance coach complain about my swingrolls.

My hamstrings are improving though. I can get the leg straight, with effort. I still walk like Popeye though.

[treesprite]

My bunion is killing me right now.

[slcbelle]

Not since I've had my boots tweaked.  (Thank goodness!) Although, if I tie my laces too tight across the top of my foot, my arch hurts until I retie them.  :-)

[JSM]

Yes, I'm one of the many skaters who has knee issues, specifically in my landing knee.  There are things I don't do because of it - because the knee is aggravated when I do them.  It has improved by avoiding things that really hurt, and by being diligent about stretching and strengthening.  And ibuprofen is a lifesaver!  But honestly I don't think I'll ever really jump again without pain.

Still skating though!  It's worth it!

[accordion]

Physical pain - some knee pain while skating, some tenderness afterwards too. This is multiplied when I tumble.
Emotional pain - only when my daughters tumble onto their knees or bottom. Easily remedied by a "post-lesson recovery hot chocolate".
Financial pain - mild to moderate. Intensifies at the start of term or whenever I have to pay for the recovery hot chocolate.

[lemongranita]

Last year I was skating in pain through months of recovery from ankle injury (caused by Roman archaeology, not ice!). My physio approved the exercise but had me cut down impact/jumping for a while.

[Skittl1321]

My knees and hip always hurt when I skate.
But they hurt when I do pretty much anything (sit and watch TV, for instance).

[sk8lady]

Bunions and left knee--plica syndrome, apparently. Plus my face is still bruised where I fell on it!

[SynchKat]

I so synchro and every year I seem to hurt a shoulder so last night's synchro session was painful with a stubborn injury that just won't get better until synchro is over.