About a month ago I developed a VERY itchy rash just above the point of the ankle bone on both feet (nothing like symmetry!). Soap & water or foot powder alleviates the itch temporarily.

It seems to have something to do with either my skating boots (Jackson Elite) or my tights (Mondor) but doesn't really show up until hours later. If I wear synthetic socks, the problem shows up earlier. Even my synthetic sheets seem to aggravate the problem.

My feet do tend to sweat a lot when I skate so I thought maybe it's "athlete's foot" but the rash is more little red bumps and does not respond to the treatments for athlete's foot. I have powdered the inside of my boots and the foot of my tights with Gold Bond but it doesn't help.

Has anyone else had any kind of foot rash? What did it turn out to be and how did you get rid of it?

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I had something kinda similar from my old skates. I went to my dermatologist and he perscribed me a type of cream, and about 3 weeks later it was totally gone... (I had had mine for along time).

Athletes foot happens mostly between the toes, it's a fungal infection. Your rash sounds like an allergy to synthetic fabric - maybe you will have to wear cotton or silk socks for skating, and wash them in a hypo-allergenic detergent (or even with soap).

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

Could be Prickly heat, I had it on my feet once when I wore my boots to work all day. Picture on this link:

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec18/ch206/ch206b.html

Gee, that's what the rash looks like! It would make sense - sweaty feet, foam padding in boot. I have steroid cream so I will try that.

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

that's how my eczema started. Hypoallergenic or artificial leather helped.
Lyle

Let us know how you get on, it's a miserable condition, so see the doc if the cream doesnt work.

I have Jackson Elites also, and have a rash that develops on the big tendons on the transition between my foot & shin. I can identify it as eczema, having had that as a child and young adult.

The Elites have what looks like a latex foam backing on the tounge. I thought maybe I was having an alergic reaction to the latex. I tried placing a thin sheet of flooring underlayment foam for a soreness problem & it ended up getting rid of the rash on that foot. So now I'm skating with this thin closed-cell foam in each boot and things have improved.

I've also used a cream perscribed by my doctor. It's called Elidel and it isn't a steroid cream.

Another thought, since your problem is back on and just above your ankle bones. Is this where the edge of the boot tounge is? If so, you could try thinning the tounge along it's edge by shaving it down in some way. Maybe sandpaper, or a small belt sanding machine.

Maybe you can try to put a medical hypoallergenic patch on that area and test it out for a bit to try narrow down the cause. Like if you don't get that rash thing then maybe it's something to do with the material on that part of the boot....such as allergic reaction, or rubbing or whatever. Or even the socks material.

For the last few sessions I have been powdering my feet with "Gold Bond" foot powder before I put on my tights and then powdering the inside of the boots as well and have not had the rash since, nor have my feet been sweating like they usually do.

With everything all powdered up though I did notice today that my foot is moving around in my boot (just a tiny bit) and giving me a "nylon burn" on the bump behind my big toe so I think I will try cotton socks or barefoot (IN the skates, not without the skates!) for tomorrow's session.

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Thanks for keeping us updated Rusty, always good to know how you got on and what treatment you used, foot problems are something we all suffer from and its good to know what to do if we get this particular one.

Samba

Tried barefoot today - LOVE the feeling! - but the itch came back with a vengeance in an hour! Obviously has something to do with the lining of the boots. I gave them a good spray with an antibiotic when I got home. Maybe I have bacteria living in my boots!!!

(The rash isn't where my foot contacts the tongue, so it shouldn't be a latex allergy.)

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Does the rash correspond to the transition from the tounge to the boot?

Yes Jonathan, that's precisely where the rash is! What do you know that I don't?

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I know less than you think I do (unfortunately). I was just trying to narrow the cause down.

I think you need to establish if the irratation is from something chemical/microbial (alergic reaction), or if it's a from pressure & friction.

Can you try isolating that area with a thin piece of plastic sandwhich wrap? Just lay a piece of it over the area that gets the rash & then lace up as usual. Try this with only one foot and use the other foot as a control.

If this kept the rash away, I'm thinking it's an alergic reaction.

If that did nothing, then I think you're having fit issues & it's most likely the edge of the tounge.

I don't think my comments are much help. Sorry.

It's not friction or pressure - I recognize those right away. It occurs in the only place where there is a little air space between my foot and my boot and where there's a little "fresh air", which is why I suspect it may be bacteria. (That and my feet sweat when I am skating which would make it a perfect breeding ground for annoying little bugs!)

If the anti-bacterial spray works tomorrow, I will know. If it doesn't I'll try to get in to see my G.P. and see if she recognizes the rash.

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I've got a one track mind. I woke up thinking about this! Here's what I came up with (it may be a tall tale.):

The outside of the tounge has dye that can transfer, due to heat and friction, onto the liner . More than any other place, at the area above your ankle the boot liner & tounge rub back and forth against each other as you flex. Here, then, is the greatest opportunity for heat and friction against the dyed area of the outer boot.

I conjecture that the outer boot dye has transferred into the liner and every sweaty skating session has caused the chemicals to migrate out into the adjacent liner.

Next theory, please.

Jonathan.

I had something similar in the same place a little over a year ago. I alsohave Jackson boots, Elite Supreme Dance. Weird, huh? Anyway, Mine lasted basically an entire summer but it did finally go away. I was usuing anti-fungal stuff, as my mom's theory was that I had picked up something in the locker room at the rink. At least one of the guys I skated with had the same thing, and our coach said he had had it a couple of times back when he was competing. So at least you're not alone! Sorry I cant give better advice, but my rash really did seem to go away as randomly as it arrived.

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

Tell me they were skating in Jackson Elites to! If they were, we may be on to something!

Jonathan, there isn't even a hint of dye transfer on to the lining and no sign of any dye loss from the tongue. I am sorry my foot rash has become your first thought in the morning It has been a long time since I have held that prestigious place of honour in a man's life

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

For any that are interested, I used anti-biotic spray for my boots and feet today and had no problem with the rash/itch.

It also happened that I saw my podiatrist today and discussed the problem with her. She was emphatic that the location and symmetry (both feet, outside, above the ankle bone) indicated there was something in the construction of the boot that caused an irritation - probably chemical/material - and the irritation led to the rash and itch.

If anybody has experienced anything similar with Jackson Elite boots, let me know. If there are a few cases, maybe Jackson will tell us what's in the Elites.

Thanks!

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I promise I didn't wake up thinking about it again.

But I will mention one thing I forgot about my feet itching in my Elites. Twice early this season (September/October) I was awaken in the middle of the night with extremely itchy feet around the upper outside instep (upper foot) area. So itchy it took a big effort not to scratch. It was maddening. Both times I put on a lot of my eczema cream & the itch subsided.

That was it. No more occurances.

Since then I have washed my inner soles & wetted the inside of each liner with a commonly available deoderizer/sanitizer. I also have been using fresh socks at each skate. My boots smell a lot better and no more middle-of-the-night itchies.

Now another possibility: A number of years ago I also had an alergic reaction to laundry detergent. When my feet perspired, it released the remaining unrinsed detergent and made my feet prickly and red. This was before I skated & in regular street shoes.

Double rinsing stopped that problem. We have since purchased a new washer & had no more issues.

OK. Off to work.

Jon

Ah Ha!!! further justification for that new washer/dryer I am buying!!! Seriously, I also am sensitive to certain soaps/detergents/additives...so my clothing has to be rinsed very well. I skate in Jackson Elites (without socks) and haven't run into any problems other than the normal break-in torture. I do use a deoderant/antibacterial spray (my own concoction) and air out my skates after every session (i.e. take them out of my bag and open them up).

I do know that the chemicals used in leatherworking are very harsh-not all of them are removed by the end of the process. Perhaps the sweating caused some to leach out of the leather (especially at the sides of the leather where it is open) and basically caused a chemical burn? Just a thought.

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