One of the best ways to enjoy cooler winter months is by getting into the sports of the season, including ice skating. A great family activity and a great form of exercise, gliding across the ice should be a pleasure. But if you keep asking why do my ice skates hurt my feet, here’s what you need to know!
Why Do My Ice Skates Make My Feet Hurt? ![]()
Because ice skating is such a popular sport, both for amateurs and athletes, foot pain during or after ice skating is a very common problem. So, if you’re wondering why ice skates are hurting your feet, it’s time to do some digging. In our Medford podiatry practice, we look at the fit of your ice skates; the shape of your foot and your body’s biomechanics; and the potential for injury if you come in complaining of foot or ankle pain during or after ice skating.
When Ice Skates Hurt Feet
If your ice skates hurt your feet, the fit of your boot could be to blame. Choosing pairs that are too loose or too tight could increase your risk for ingrown or black toenails. Lacing your skates improperly could leave you with top of foot pain; it could also compromise your balance and ankle mobility, increasing your risk for falls, ankle sprains and fractures. As such, if you keep saying “My skates hurt my feet” and you’re hitting the ice regularly, you may want to bring your boots into the office for some help finding a proper fit and lacing technique.
Now, you may find it difficult to get an ideal ice skate fit if you have a high-arched or flat foot. In such cases, we may recommend using custom orthotics in your ice skates. Not only can this stop your feet hurting after skating, it could also improve athletic performance for those who are training as serious hockey players or figure skaters.
Injuries Related to Ice Skating
Even when you take every precaution, sports injuries are always possible. So if your skates hurt your feet and you’ve checked the fit and added orthotics, it’s time to come into the office to rule out an injury. An acute ice skating injury, like an ankle or foot sprain or strain, should be fairly easy to detect. You’ll likely experience sudden pain and tenderness, followed by swelling, after taking a tumble or twisting your ankle on the ice. (The same is likely true of an acute fracture.)
But ice skaters, like other athletes, also have to worry about overuse injuries due to overtraining. That could mean a stress fracture, but plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis are also common overuse injuries for ice skaters. Symptoms for each of these conditions will vary, but when your feet hurt after skating, and the pain doesn’t resolve quickly after leaving the ice, it’s worth coming into the office for a comprehensive examination. When you see our Medford, OR podiatrists with a suspected sports injury, we can perform diagnostic imaging in addition to a physical checkup. In that way, we can quickly determine why ice skates are hurting your feet, and help determine the best treatment plan to get you back on the ice, safely and comfortably.
Treating Ice Skating and Other Sports Injuries in Medford Oregon
Whether you’re skating for fun or training as an athlete, we know you don’t want ice skates hurting your feet to keep you sidelined for too long. For that reason, we urge you to stop skating and give your body a break as soon as you notice lingering foot pain. If the discomfort resolves in a day or two, feel free to get back on the ice and see if you feel better. But if your pain persists or worsens, or if it returns the moment you get back in your ice skates, it’s time to make an appointment with one of our three podiatrists in Southern Oregon: Dr. Chase Christensen, Dr. Devin Dimond and Dr. Evan Merrill.
When you come into the office, make sure to bring your ice skates, so we can look at the fit of your boot, checking to see if poor fit is causing your discomfort. From there, we can determine whether the additional support of custom orthotics for ice skates can help relieve your pain and prevent further injury. Finally, we can take X-rays in the office, making sure that you haven’t sustained a stress fracture or other injury to your bone. Then, once we diagnose exactly what’s making your feet hurt during or after ice skating, we’ll come up with a plan to get rid of the pain, making sure it doesn’t return as soon you get back in your ice skating boots!