I really appreciate the help I got in the 'Pain from new boots' thread. I've ordered some Bunga pads and have been skating well since I started lacing them without doing the top loops. Plus now that I can bend my knees again and am more mobile the boots are really softening up.

I have, however, another moan and wondered if anyone's experienced this (my instructor said she'd never heard of it). The soles of my feet cramp up while I'm skating. It is REALLY painful, a constant aching, and I can't figure out why. I've tried loose boots and tight boots, I don't clench my feet up and it continues. Has anyone else felt this?

I really must stop complaining, sorry!

Sounds like the skates are too narrow for your feet across the balls/arches.

You could get new skates or have these stretched a bit by a pro shop.

Another reason could be from not stretching your feet before putting on your skates. Going straight from a day in high heels to skates can give you that ache.

__________________

boy I know how that cramping feels! I don't know exactly why this happens but seems like always happens to me in new boots. What helped me was arch supports and lace the midfoot loose. Take off every 30min even if they don't hurt. I really think that I just had to outlast the leather moulding to my foot shape.
Lyle

My daughter had this happen, only because she has fairly flat feet. Once we took out the insoles she was fine. I think the arch support in the insole has to match the arch in your foot.

__________________
Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

I have this probelm too and my skates are plenty wide enough. It definately helps to massage and stretch your feet before putting on your skates though, and to loosen off the laces over your instep. I'm only just getting the hang of this and often have to relace before I'm comfortable.

__________________
Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

It happens to me when I'm working on something I find really challenging, especially if I'm not properly warmed up. I rather think that I sort of clench my feet (if you see what I mean), which is what causes the cramping and aching. Usually I go and skate hard round the rink and that eases it.

Mind you, sometimes I just plain get cramp (I am very prone to cramp in my feet), and if it's bad enough I have to take my boots off, but usually it passes.

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

What rock has your instructor been living under? If you spend a little time around here, you'll see that it happens all the time, for various reasons.

Anyway, when I was a new skater, it happened if I laced my skates too tight over the instep (and anything tighter than simply 'laying there' is too tight, trust me), or if I was really working hard on something that made me unconsciously 'grab' my skate with my toes/foot. (Back crossovers were notorious for this for me, until I learned how deep to bend my knees, and how to curl my toes UP so I didn't scrape the toepicks.) I kept a small bouncy ball in my skate bag, and I'd roll that over my foot both before and after skating, and it helped.

Now, I totally understand that 'constant' cramping feeling, because my beloved skates are just the *tiniest* bit too narrow from just behind the ball, to across from the end of the arch. I'm fine for 10 minutes or so, but then the cramping starts, and doesn't quit until I do. I've tried stretching, but that spot in the boot just resists it, so I just deal with it, until I grow a money tree to afford a new, split-width pair of boots! (I hardly ever skate anymore, though, so dealing with it occasionally isn't a problem.)

__________________
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
--Thomas Jefferson

www.signingtime.com ~sign language fun for all!

I agree with all that has been said, also I believe a lack of potasium can cause it, which is probably why you see tennis players eating bananas at intervals apart from the added energy boost.

I had sore, crampy feet all the time before I found boots that actually fit my feet (aka custom Harlicks!). As others have said it's a boringly frequent occurence and a real pain (no pun intended!).

If the pain is lasting for longer than when you're wearing boots it could be plantar fasciitis. I had it once (just before a week long dance course!!!! ) and it wasn't pleasant at all

__________________

The best whisper is a click

See - I do have SOME restraint! *Isk8NYC, who thought the same thing, but didn't say it!*

__________________

As Isk8NYC suggests, if your feet are cramping, it could be that your boots are two narrow. I found this out the hard way and got new boots.

If the boots are okay, it could be something very straightforward - lacing your boots too tightly over the top of the feet? I've made that mistake a couple of times and boy, my arches hurt like heck.

S xxx

__________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Actually, this happens in my custom Harlicks regularly! (My skates are plenty wide enough ) My skate guy and I have found usually this comes from my arches and spreads. So what we do is we pull up the bottom part of the skate (the insole?) and measure a piece of suede to cover from my arches to my heels. We cut it to about the middle of my arches and glue it in, then put the insole back over. It compresses after awhile so you may have to do it again (my weekend project, actually). It just depends on how your foot is shaped and what is causing it what you need to do. I also have to be careful, as others have said, not to lace the part over my arches quite as tightly.

__________________
"Without a struggle, there can be no progress" ~ Frederick Douglass