Ice skating is a game enjoyed by many sports enthusiasts. However, some skater may experience hurting arches while skating to the point where they need to take breaks. Finding the cause of this problem is the fastest way to get a solution.
In this post, we’ve decided to uncover the root cause of this discomfort. Keep on reading to learn the cause of this pain and how to prevent it, and start enjoying consistent pain-free skating sessions.
What Are Arches Of The Feet And Where Are They Located
The arches of the foot begin from the toe to the heel. They are formed by the metatarsal and tarsal bones and supported by tendons and ligaments in the foot.
The arches’ functions include absorbing shock, aiding you to adjust to various terrains, carrying the body’s weight, allowing you to balance correctly, and stabilizing movement. When the Arches are strained, one of its warning sign is swelling.
What Are The Causes Of Arches’ Pain?
Arches pain is usually due to swelling, damage, or misuse of the plantar fascia, a tendon that links the toe to the heel. However, there are several causes of arches’ pain. These includes:
- Footwear: When you put on a shoe that does not support your feet, it puts a strain on the arches, overworks the bone and tendons, causing fatigue to the legs.
- Extended Activities: Running and standing and overworking the feet during the day could lead to this pain.
- Medical conditions: Ailments like clubfoot, hammertoes, flat feet, obesity, and low circulation of blood.
How Does Ice Skates Hurt The Arches While Skating?
Some ice skaters usually coil their toes to grasp the front of the ice skate when skating. The forceful gripping action of the toes and lack of power in the calf and stiffness are the origin of the plantar fasciitis pain on the feet.
How To Treat Arches Pain
Treatment for arches pain varies depending on the primary reason for the pain. In this section, we’ll focus on the R.I.C.E method. (RICE) represents rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Apply this method to get relief when ice skates hurt your arches. Stop skating for two days or more to bring down any swelling on the feet. Place ice on the sore arch of the foot three times per day and let each ice pack remain on the spot for ten to twenty minutes. Raising the feet above the heart’s position lowers the swelling, Finally, apply a bandage to the feet’ arches.
Do I Need New Skates If My Arches Hurt While Staking?
Except there are underlying conditions for the arches’ pain during Ice skating, the usual cause of pain is the ice skate. If you want to buy a new skating boot, buy the right size. Do the following if you wish to get the right size that does not hurt your arches.
- Consult a professional boot fitter: Meet an expert to procure the exact boot for your feet. Several skating boots makers often send these experts to arenas to conduct skate fitting sessions. Confirm from other ice skaters or your coach how to meet them in your area.
- Get the new boot heat molded: Ensure the shop you bought the new ice skating boot heat molded the boot. After heating the boot, the expert will ask you to wear it to allow your feet to mold it precisely to the feet’s specifications.
- Installing the blade: Confirm that the edges are installed rightly on the Skate base and match your Ice skating skill level to avoid injuring the feet.
- Buy custom boots: The best way to stop the ice skates from hurting your arches is to get a custom-made boot. It might cost you more money, but they will be the exact boots carefully created and appropriate for you.
Steps For Break-In New Ice Skates
Wearing a new boot can hurt your ankles and feet if you don’t gradually break-in the boots. A new ice skate boots would do the same except the boots are heat molded to reduce the softening period. Here is how to break-in new ice skates boots.
Wearing the skates for practice sessions
First, begin to break-in the boots gently by wearing the ice skates for short sessions on ice. Before you start the training, wear the boot but don’t tie the lace-up; leave at least two eyelets for your feet freedom. Then, go and practice, but instead of doing a marathon training session, do short training for many weeks to soften the boots. The boot will break-in after a cumulative practice and become softer on your ankle, feet, and arches.
Break-in the boots slowly at home
This method is simple though you might need to wear the ice skating boots longer. Just wear the boot and go around your home. Watch a film to engage yourself. After a while, untie the lace of the boot and later tie them again. Do that two times daily. Keep wearing the boot until the hardness softens.
Tips To Prevent Pain When You Ice Skate?
You need to understand that there are risks in ice skating like in any other game. The dangers of falling and getting injured should motivate you to prepare thoroughly. When ice skates hurt arches, you can prevent any future occurrence by following these tips:
- Buy the right ice skating gear for the kind of ice skating you want to do, from figure skating to speed skate and ice hockey.
- Hire a trainer or coach that will teach you the basics.
- These essentials include learning how to start, stop, and control your movement neatly on the ice.
- Continue to practice and take fewer risks in the beginning.
- Know your ability and skate within that boundary.
- Learn how to fall smartly without hurting yourself by landing on your behind.
- Keep your hands to your side. Do not use the arms to try to prevent a fall to avoid any hurt to the hands.
- Tie the skate’s lace tightly enough to block the foot sliding inside the skating boots.
The Importance Of Strengthening The Arches
Scientist says that the abductor Hallucis muscles below the arches, sustain the arches by standing on the right position. If the right position is off, the foot will start to roll to the left side or the right side and could lead to additional problems like shin splints and plantar fasciitis.
Exercises For Preventing And Strengthening The Arches
Ice skaters who do not involve in any form of exercise may easily hurt their feet. Inappropriate footwear, strain, diseases, and so forth are the origins of the Arches’ discomfort. However, some workouts can strengthen the arches of the feet and bring you comfort.
- Workouts That Stretch The Arches
- Do these stretch routines to loosen the Arches.
- Put the ankle on top of the thigh and clasp the toes with a hand
- Next, use the other hand to curve the foot to the heel carefully
- Stay in that stance for three to five minutes
- Do this exercise daily or each time you are in agony.
Calf Stretch Exercise For Relief
You can stretch your calf muscles to give you comfort when you are in agony.
- Stand and keep an arm’s distance from a wall, next place the hand upon the wall.
- Also, keep the right foot at the back of the left foot.
- Place the right knee square and keep the right heel on the flooring. Then, gradually curve the left leg frontward.
- At this time, you ought to feel a stretch on the right calf. Maintain that position for 30 seconds then stop.
- Repeat the moves thrice for the right side and then switch to the other leg.
Additional Methods For Strengthening The Arches
If ice skates hurt arches, you could try using orthotics and arches support. These two methods will strengthen the arches of the foot for more relief.
Orthotics: Consult a Podiatric professional to prescribe the exact orthotics you can use to strengthen the arch’s feet. Research shows that orthotics alone cannot completely solve the problem, except the users combine its use with workouts. The findings on those doing exercises without orthotics revealed that the tendons did not have the necessary support to stay firm. But when they included orthotics, the arches’ muscles became more potent and aligned to the correct position.
Arches Support: These are supplements that you place in a shoe to aid the arches of the foot, to reduce pain as you walk, stand, and run. The brace helps to evenly spread pressure in the feet and align the body, giving you balance and protecting the arches from added injury. Those with flat feet, pronated feet, and suffering arches pain, can use the Arches Support.
In Summary
This post explored why ice skates hurt arches when ice skating. You learned stretch techniques to give your arches relief if your feet hurt, plus additional methods for strengthening the arches and how to break-in a new ice skate. Start now; do ice skating sessions fearlessly and stop that arches pain.
