Orthotics for flat feet?

[Kat12]

So as we know, I have flat feet, worse on the right side, and that this causes me to pronate while skating. The lady who fitted my skates told me I'd either have to train myself out of the pronation, or look at orthotics (her input was the most anyone has ever told me about my feet).

Usually this doesn't cause me trouble. Except on my RFO 3-turns...I think the reason I can't hold that final inside edge and have to put my other foot down is that I pronate too much after the turn. I can't figure out how not to do that. And while right now it's just a 3-turn, I'm afraid that over-pronation might some day lend itself to spins or jump landings or something.

At what point does one say "I need to work harder" or "I need orthotics"? I mean, should I just suck it up and say I need to work on this, or should I think about orthotics/arch supports to try to keep me from pronating? I don't have any trouble walking or with pain in everyday life and I've never had a doctor tell me there are problems with my feet (though I've never seen a podiatrist and don't recall having a family doctor ever take a really close look at my feet), and my feet aren't completely flat, so I'm thinking this is just something I should try to train myself out of, but I dunno.

If I do try orthotics, are the arch support orthotics I can get at the drugstore good enough, or are we talking podiatrist, custom orthotics, custom skate boots to fit them, etc.? I can't afford to go that route, of course...can't say I know much about this sort of thing but I thought maybe some of you have imperfect feet too and have dealt with it before. :)

[dbny]

So as we know, I have flat feet, worse on the right side, and that this causes me to pronate while skating. The lady who fitted my skates told me I'd either have to train myself out of the pronation, or look at orthotics (her input was the most anyone has ever told me about my feet).

Usually this doesn't cause me trouble. Except on my RFO 3-turns...I think the reason I can't hold that final inside edge and have to put my other foot down is that I pronate too much after the turn. I can't figure out how not to do that.

Pronation is not caused by flat feet. It starts at the hips and goes with turn-in. You can't train yourself out of it, but you can strengthen the muscles that are used to turn out. While it's possible that excessive pronation is the cause of your putting your foot down on your RFO threes, it's much more likely that you are dropping your L hip, forcing the turn with your hips, etc. It could even have to do with your boots not fitting properly or the blades not being mounted properly for your particular stance. You need to have a coach look at what is going on. Meanwhile, you can do a little test yourself. Skate in a straight line. Put your feet together and lift your left foot up, into a one foot glide. Do you immediately fall onto the RFI edge? What happens with the other foot? If you can hold the glide without falling in, then pronation is probably not the problem with your RFO three. Have a coach watch you do this exercise as it really takes a practiced eye to figure these things out.

If you do find that pronation is the problem, Active Feet orthotics (http://www.activefeetorthotics.com/types.html) makes a model specifically for skates/skis.

[Skate@Delaware]

I don't pronate nor do I have flat feet and I do put my foot down on 3-turns...it's
-a bad habit from learning incorrectly
-from dropping the hip
-from incorrect checking (i fail miserably at this)
-improper position of arms, legs, etc (again this is carryover of checking and everything else

My group coach is working with me at correcting this....and it is slowly working.

My daughter has flat feet but doesn't pronate, she never wore orthotics. When she used to skate, she had to remove the foot bed from her skates in order to be able to skate without pain (her feet would hurt so bad she would stand on the ice in her stocking feet just for relief).

[Kat12]

I dunno. My instructor couldn't figure out, from watching me, what I was doing wrong. Maybe the coach in my new class will be able to.

I do sometimes feel like my upper half is flailing around when I do that particular 3-turn, and I'd blamed it on that, but I've done it much easier before and I still hit that inside edge too deeply. I'll have to pay attention to my hip, though I think I've tried holding it up and still have that problem. I just don't know what I do on the left foot that makes it work (and just recently--a few weeks ago I was also putting my foot down on that one), that I don't do on the right foot.

[Isk8NYC]

I have high arches and I pronate. I use orthotics because I have heel spurs in both feet that aggravate the plantar tendon. I've been good about doing my stretches and using the orthotics, so I'm pretty pain-free now.

I have orthotic-like insoles that Klingbeil made for my boots. That was vital because I bought new boots while my foot problems were at their peak.

I left my sneakers at a friend's house five hours away, so while I waited for the mailman to bring them home, I bought Superfeet insoles at the running sstore. They were okay, but I had to break them in for a while. I was happy when my sneakers came back with the regular orthotics.

Here's a different question: if you have a pair of prescription orthotics, can you order replacement insoles without a new prescription and paying full price?

The OP's 3-turn problems sound like she's not checking the exit properly, or maybe her blade needs an adjustment.

[Mel On Ice]

ortrhodics made a huge difference in overall physical activity for me, as well as vastly improving my skating.

[SkatEn]

^^ I totally agree.

I have high arches that collapse so I need orthotics to support them. I have a slight pronation too. You can do exercises to control the pronation and make you stronger but those will not get rid of the pronation. I got the OTC orthotics. My podiatrist and physio told me to go that route and then if it doesn't work, I can get a custom one. Looking at the prices alone, I was hoping the OTC orthotics work fine! And they did.

You may have difficulties in finding orthotics that fit the narrow bed of skates. All I have is a arch cushion. It's not an insole. And it works well.

Go get orthotics, you won't regret that.

[rsk8d]

Look in the 'superfeet' website for non-custom orthotics. There is a kind (yellow ones) made specifically for skates. A skilled boot fitter can cut them down for you if needed. Definately agree with dbny's first reply.

[Bunny Hop]

How good/well trusted was the skate fitter?

I only ask because I had a fitter swear that I pronated and sold me some of the Superfeet inserts to correct this. They didn't help any of the issues I had at the time, either with not being able to skate properly or arches in agony.

Next fitter was :?? as to why I'd been told I pronated in the first place.

Not saying that orthotics won't help, just that perhaps a second opinion is in order.