unstable ankle

[froggy]

since i began skating and ballet for that matter too I've been having a reoccuring issue with my left ankle/foot. Basically it has never quite felt as stable in my boot as my right foot, in fact esp. with spins i fall onto the edge which results in either a botched spin or worse a horrible fall even on a sit spin onto my knees, which even my coach said she never saw s/o fall in such an awkward way that I do (shes been coaching 15+ years). (I think in spin i tend to hit the edge roll forward to my toe pick and then fall-very bizzare!). I've been through PT, i had my blade remounted, I bought an arch support insert recently which helped a tad, and even began using sports tape to tape my ankle (a PT taught me how to do it). the taping was really amazing but practically speaking its ridiculous e/t to tape my ankle and the tape really adds up in cost too.

Although my boots are not falling apart is it possible I'm better off getting customs? (I now have reidell bronze star or medallion with coronation ace blades)
Do your boots fit like a glove or is their room to wiggle your ankle inside (I have room near my heel and ankle). HOw do I know the customs won't stretch?

thanks!!

[dbny]

I suspect the boots you are wearing are not strong enough for you. It also sounds like they don't fit well. Boots should fit like gloves, and boots that are strong enough to give you adequate support should not stretch. I'm not sure you absolutely need customs to get the right boot, but you definitely need to be fitted by an expert. PM me for recommendations if you are in the NYC area.

[Sessy]

My left boot fits like a glove, my right one hurts in one spot (that's not supposed to be though). Definitely shouldn't wiggle. I've got somewhat of the same issue OFF-ice, I can't keep those ankles stable without some support from either running shoes or boots or something. It's been that way since I was a child, it's because the ligaments keeping my ankles together are too long or something like that. However, once in skating boots, the skate keeps the ankle stable. But I did have some problems with it when I was dancing.

If this is the case with you too, you need to strengthen your entire ankle area. Stand with the ball of your foot on a step of the stairs, then let your heel drop below the level of the step you're standing on, then get on your toes, then repeat. Start out slowly and work on it gradually. Your ankles will give you more support. And harder boots might help.

If this doesn't help - well one alternative they offered me was to surgically shorten the ligaments. I thanked them and said no, but I can imagine that if it's really bad, you might wish to consider. Anyway if nothing else helps, seeing a doctor might be a good idea either way.

[herniated]

Hi Froggy,
I agree with dbny, your boots should not have 'wiggle room'. Custom may be the way to go. Your toes should have a 'little' wiggle room, but just a little.

[Emberchyld]

I would also suggest strengthening your ankle muscles-- get yourself a set of therabands/resistance bands (they look like big rubber sheets, I'm sure your PT had you work on them) or resistance tubes.

Sit ont he floor with your legs out. Loop the tube or band under your foot and cross the leg with the bad ankle over your other leg, both sides of the band slipping under the good foot (I don't know how to better describe this) and held taut in your hands. Ie, if it's your left ankle, loop the band under the arch of your left foot. Take your left leg and cross it over the right with the band still in place under your arch and held in your left hand. Take the band and slip it behind the right foot, like you were making a pulley. Hold the band in your left hand, pull taut, and then begin slowly trying to turn the left foot away from your right, working against the resistance-- this works the outside muscles in your ankle and foot.

Uncross your legs. Loop the band around your left foot in the same fashion and then run it under the right foot in the same way as the last exercise. Try to turn the left foot away from the right-- this works the inner muscles of your ankle and foot.

A great book for ankle and foot strengthening exercises is "Dancing Stonger, Dancing Longer"... I would suggest you look for it and flip through to see everything that they would suggest (not to mention that it has great flexibility and strengthening exercises for your entire body)

[momsk8er]

My boot guy pinched mine in the heel, as I was having some heel lifting in mind. Seems I have a narrow heel, maybe you have that problem also?

[Rusty Blades]

My boots fit fairly snug but I can NOT stand having the lower part of the laces tight (gives me an incredible pain in my feet), so I lace the eyes very loose - just enough to keep the boot in shape and tie off with a bow. I then put the loops of the bow over the bottom two hooks, pull the free ends tight, and lace the hooks quite tight and then tie off with another bow.

You could give that a try. If the top portion of the boot is laced tightly, there is NO WAY you can go over on your ankle (unless the boot is broken down).