Flat Feet?

[CaraSkates]

I have really flat feet and as of last week I've started to notice pain in my arches. I wear orthodics in my sneakers and all other closed shoes but they don't fit in my skates. They only start to hurt after about 90 mins of skating. The arches will start to ache, by the time I take off my skates and get home my feet will be all tingly and painful. I soaked them in hot water with lavendar yesterday after skating for 2.5 hours but they still hurt through this morning. Is there some kind of sport orthodic I can get? Or can I heat mold my skates to help them fit better? I have Riedell's....Model 121 or 220 I think. My coach's suggestion was to put the orthodics in but they don't fit.

Thanks for any help!

[SDFanatic]

I have prolapsing arches, which means when I put weight on my feet, my arches collapse, your lucky to stand 90 minutes, anyting past 10min was like walking on glass.

I went to the pro shop and they put in heel wedge inserts, all it does is left the back of my foot off the arch in the boot. And bingo! No more pain!

You may want to try the same thing, or get custom made inserts for your boots. I've also been told that they can take the arch in the boot out.

I would find a good pro shop and tell them whats going on and go from there.

Steven

[2axel_hopeful]

You can get orthodics installed into the skate by getting them specially made. Although this is expensive, it can pay off in the end! It depends on how much you are willling to put into solving your problem. :)

[skatepixie]

I have flat feet as well. I cant wear any arch support in anything with out my feet rebelling. I had to have customs made beacuse the arch in stock is too much for me. Ive never had any pain with my boots, even in break-in.

[jazzpants]

IMHO, 90 minutes on the ice these days is my limit. Anything more and I'm asking for an injury!!!

Given that, I am in the process of switching from Riedells to custom Harlicks with orthotics to deal with numerous health problems. I haven't put in the new blade to the boot (have to save up for some GOLD Gold Star blades too, since the boot is screaming for gold color blades.) But -- I tried on the new Harlicks at the shop and they fit like a dream!!! Very comfy!!! I can't wait to put the new blades on it and start skating in the new boots!

So I think overall it's worth it to get custom boots! No sense sacrificing your health for the sake of keeping up with your skating...

BTW: I would not recommend STOCK Harlicks for you! The arches are way too high for me!!! :roll: But customs fit like a dream!!! :)

[CaraSkates]

Hmmm.....I'm beginning to think my problem might be FROM the arch in the skate, not that I don't have my orthodic in. Now that I think about it, anytime I have to walk in my orthodics for over 2 hours my feet really complain. I have another lesson today and I'll try to talk to my coach about it, he's usually very busy but we'll see. Would there be some way to take out the arch in my boots? I've only had the skates for 2.5 months and I doubt my parents are willing to spend $500 on custom boots, especially because I'm only doing Basic 5 so far.

[Elsy2]

I would think unless you have an insole that has an arch support, there should be no arch support in most boots. The insole in my skates is totally flat, no arch support at all. You can pull the insole out and check it out.

Daughter has custom Harlicks with orthotics built in.....In her old boots these orthotics were easy to remove as she didn't like them. I ordered them again in her new boots and they are pretty firmly glued in. I don't think I could remove them if I wanted to.

A friend has 3/4 length very thin orthotics in her skates that are removable. She got this thru her podiatrist.

[Figureskates]

I have totally flat feet. No arch whatsoever. I have callouses where my arch should be.

I have custom Riedell's with the arch support removed. My skate guy shimmed my blades so I do not prolaspse on the ice. I have no problems skating hours on end.

I was born with flat feet. I don't know whether things make a difference compared to people who feet became flat as far as pain is concerned.

[CanuckSk8r]

I have very flat feet as well and I never wore anything in my skates. I found if my boot was too wide (as I have a narrow foot -AA) the problems started. I never wore a custom boot, I wore Harlicks and they were a dream. We trained easliy 4 hours a day and my feet never hurt. The only issues I ever had was when I got a new boot or had been off for more than two weeks, then I would have foot spasms after about an hour. I just took off my skates, stood on a bench and ran the arches along the rolling edge and I was good to go again for another hour or so. This would only last for a week. My skates were a dream for my legs and feet, if I was off the ice too long, they would start to hurt!!!!!! I guess they knew where they belong!!!
With your new boots, try taking the factory insole out as it has a bit of an arch on it, and replace it with a flat insole. Oh, also work with the tension you tie the bottom portion of your boot to find the "comfort zone" that your feet like. Some need the bottom looser, some need it tighter, it's all about keeping the muscles around your arch relaxed an comfortable!!!
Good luck, foot pain is horrid, I hope you can find a remedy very soon! In the meantime, keep soaking and putting those feet up when you are sitting down to keep that blood flowing and relieve some pressure!!!!

[Ellyn]

My current skates are Reidell and I haven't had a problem with them.

Before that I had SP-Teri Deluxe. When I tried on the models, and my actual boots without the blades, they felt fine. But once the blades were mounted, I could not stand in them for more than 5 minutes at a time without severe pain, couldn't break them in because I couldn't spend enough time on the ice. The arches in the boot were too high for my feet at that angle. Finally my coach suggested going to a pro shop in another state that she trusted. I made the 2-hour drive, the guy "softened" the arches of the boots by some unknown process (and didn't charge me, so I bought some gloves or soakers or something to give him a little profit), and after that they felt fine.

Sounds like you might have a similar problem. If you bought the skates at a reputable shop, probably go there first to ask if they can help. Or find the closest good skate fitter. What I had done wasn't exactly the same as having the boots "punched out," but a skate fitter who does that should also be able to adjust the arches if that proves to be the problem. Or maybe your coach can figure out what needs to be done and send them back to Reidell for adjustments if necessary.