Recently I've started skating barefoot, and am now getting all sorts of fun cuts on my ankles. The outsides are the worst- but I'm also getting cuts on the insides and to a small extent, the tops of my ankles.

Now- I'm assuming the change is that I stopped skating in tights- but I've also increased the time I am skating. When I was skating in tights I was loosing feeling in my feet- so I just can't do that any longer, I'm considering wearing stirrup tights to help my ankles, but now that my feet sweat a bit I'm also having slipping problems towards the very end of a 4 hour stretch.

So- will the bunga ankle sleeves help this? Do I only need the sleeves- or do I need to get the "kit" with the gel discs? Would you recommend the pad with the heel? Or just the sleeve? I've also seen someone purchase a long sleeve and cut it in half so they have one for each ankle- would you recommend this?

Also- this is a picture of what the cuts on the outside of my right ankle look like- if it helps determine if the sleeves will actually help this or not. (The lines are from my work shoes/socks not my boots- and I left as much of my foot out of the picture as possible, because feet are not cute!)
http://pics.livejournal.com/skittl1321/pic/0002y7h8/

Thanks so much- I really want to get whatever is going to help, but I don't want to shell out $60 if that's not what I need. Right now bandaids work, but between two ankles, a heel blister (that is actually from my regular shoe) and two hot spots on my toes I'm going through 12 bandaids a session! When I tried sports tape it didn't help at all.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Ugh! Those look awful. I had a similar injury on my ankle after the first time barefooted in my boots. Until it healed, I had to use bandaids, but afterwards, I have no problem with cloth medical tape. This is not at all the same as sports tape. I posted the exact brand and type of tape on the other thread, if you are interested in trying it later.

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Well the first time I skated barefoot I had no problems, but the times after that it got bad. They don't really hurt bad while skating- more just annoying, but off ice in regular shoes they hurt.

I will check out the brand from the other thread-see if I can find it- as I really think it's the cheaper way to go. But since so many people recommend the bunga pads anyway- I'm wondering exactly which ones would help cushion this sort of thing.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Bungas can help that. I get a similar problem when I start breaking in boots. I wear bungas during break in and it resolves the issue.

How odd! Are those from the backs of your boot hooks?

Silipos (sp?), Bunga, or any other gel ankle sleeves should definitely do the trick, especially if it's between the ankle and the top of the boot. The other brands are cheaper than Bungas and just as good, IMO.

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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

Nope- that's where the top of the boot rubs my ankle, and the lower one is from the side of the tongue.

I had ZERO problems when I was skating in tights with my ankles- so these aren't from breaking in- although they are still stiff, that process is pretty much over.

The main problem I've had with the boot is loosing feeling in my feet, and taking off the tights solved that. These are way less painful than that was- but I'd still like the remedy it.

Would you say I just need the Gel Sleeve- or should I get the discs that go under it as well?

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

I have the same cuts inside and outside my feet above the ankle. I always wear tights/hose, and it's definitely from rubbing.
For me, it started after I had my skates rebuilt - I think the top edges ended up in a more sensitive spot on my leg.

These have helped eliminate it (in order of usefulness):

∙ Used a suede brush to clean off a bit of leftover leather glue from the upper edges of my boots.
∙ Pushed out the upper edges away from my calves where they were actually making dents.
∙ Had Klingbeil give it a go - they bent the edges outward, "rolled" the edges clean, and added a bit of extra padding.
∙ Bought new skates. (After the tongue started biting, too, and my ankles complained from the lack of support.)

The gel sleeves sound like a cheap and easy solution, give them a try.

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Just the gel sleeve would be fine, but make sure you don't cut it narrower, since you want it to come all the way to just above the top of the boot.

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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

I love a little gelly pad called "party feet" but I can only wear it over my tights in my shoes, cuz otherwise it feels icky in my shoes and I feel like I'm slipping in my shoe (although I'm really not) but those help me...

I've used both the sleeves and the gel pads in the past when breaking in painful boots. The disks/pads are mostly used in conjunction with the sleeves for breaking in new boots to overcome pressure points - and they work extremely well for that. I'd venture to say that you don't need the pads though since you say your boots are broken in.

Still, if the tights applied enough pressure to make your feet numb, I wonder what the thicker Bunga sleeves will do? Maybe the placement of them higher on the ankle will prevent numbness(?)

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Bill Schneider

I would definitely use bunga pads. I used to have cuts from the top of my boot also. And what they call lace bite, that's more on the front of the foot where the ankle bends and the laces cross. Very painful and it was a constant open sore. Once I used the sleeve bunga pads my sores went away.

Maybe the boot is the problem? Did you ask the manufacturer or your boot fitter for advice?

I had the same problem when i switched to barefoot. I much prefer skating barefoot and the gel sleeve solved all of my problems. Cutting them is also find as long as they are big enough to cover the entire area plus a little extra on either end (once they are older they slip when you sweat). The only problems that I have had since then are when they slip and i'm too lazzy to fix them (happens once every few months). gel sleeves are wonderful and worth every penny! I've never used the pads so I don't know about them. The gel sleeves last just about forever too (at least as long as your boots last).

You may - and I only say "may" find you can fix that by washing them regularly with hand soap and water (do it when you wash your hands), drying gently on a towel, or better still, allow it to air-dry, and then sprinkle with a little talcum powder.

I find that works for my gel bunion pad. I try to remember to do this weekly.

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Mrs Redboots
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