Sorry If this article has already been posted, but i can't find it.

I have skates that are Jackson Mystique. Was wondering if you have any tips on how to break them in. Our oven is not working so it won't work even though it is heat moldable.

Thanks for any advice. My ankle is in a lot pain, although i bought bunga pads

Why not take them back to the fitter to get them heat molded?

Get the ankles punched out at your pro shop. Skate in them or do knee bends in them for awhile, then mark your ankle indentations inside each boot with a pen. That way they know where to punch the ankles out (that means stretching just that spot to give you room for your ankle bones).

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

When I got my Jacksons I walked arround with them. To me that helped a lot! Just walk arround your house with blade protectors of corse. Do a few stretches by "atempting" to bend by your anckles. Good luck!

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What Nourishes Me Destroys Me

Instead of marking the inside with pen, at work (we punch skates..) we mark the outside in pencil when we are going to make an ankle punch (the mark is then easily erased). The reason for this is simple, when we put the skate on the punch we don't really see the inside of the skate as it is positioned on the punch. Also, we can mark the skates when the skater has them on and points out the painful areas.

I'm hoping you are not talking about your home oven that is in the kitchen, because I have to stress that using this method to heat mold skates is never a good idea (some people have ruined perfectly good, and might I add expensive, skates this way). A specialized heat molding oven is always the best option, however, one safer alternative is a hair dryer which as long as it is not pointed too long in one area will not damage the skates.

Another suggestion, is Gel Socks, we recommend them with all new skates and I personnaly wear them everytime I go out on the ice. They are great for breaking in new skates, especially when the top of the skate is rubbing on the leg (as the skate is no longer digging into the skin).

These are the basic suggestions we give out to clients (and that I have used), unless there are bigger problems and issues...

Oh, and wearing your skates around the house while bending and such is always a great idea, as suggested above.

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Megan
Ice Angels Synchronized Skating member
Jump! the skate and dance store employee

"I won't quit skating until I am physically unable." Tony Hawk (not quite the same sport but it's the right sentiment. )

As a coach, when a skater says their foot hurts, I put a sticker on the spot and send them off to the pro shop to get it punched out. Try some cushioning the ankle if you're unable/unwilling to have them heat-molded.

Did you try the "Search" function of this Board? It can give you lots of information about breaking in skates within a few minutes. Click this link to search for "breaking in new skates": http://www.skatingforums.com/search.php?searchid=112539

Congratulations on getting new skates. Check out the sticky threads for taking care of them!

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