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ASK MR. EDGE
April 2004
Mr. Edge is a qualified skate technician with years and years of experience. He can answer your questions on boots, blades and foot problems related to your equipment. Questions will be answered in SKATING magazine and later posted on the web site.
When will it all end? Probably never, but at least I can help to minimize the pain and suffering a bit. Over the last couple months I've had several questions about recurring ankle cysts, heel blisters and arch pain.
I realize that not everyone is in an area where there is an experienced boot fitter, but many of the problems I'm hearing about seem to be coming from large metropolitan areas where there should be at least one person who can fit boots properly.
If there is, then maybe the problem isn't the fitter, but rather the skater or the skater's parents. I fully understand that the price of boots can be expensive, but think about the medical bills, lost lessons and missed ice time resulting from an injury. I think that everyone will agree that this more than pays for a couple pairs of boots a year.
For all high-test skaters, I can't stress enough the importance of buying a boot that fits with no room to spare, even though a skater may grow out of them in a few months. Of equal importance is the fact that they should not be too stiff so that they never crease.
I would think that everyone would like to skate injury-free and be comfortable in their skates rather than pay all the medical costs related to a skating injury, even though it may mean buying two pairs of boots a year.
Important note: Once the injury has occurred, expect it to be quite a while before complete recovery, especially if you try and skate through it.
Having said all that, it's time for some questions.
Q: Why after several months do I still get blisters on the sides of my ankles?
Liberty, Mo.
A: A few things could be going on:
- Your boots are too stiff and need to be punched out around the ankle area.
- You need some sort of arch support or orthotic device to correct any pronation problems you may have. This will take the pressure off your anklebone by supporting your feet and preventing them from rolling in.
- The boots may be too large in the heel and ankle area even though they are the proper length.
All of the above are the usual causes for your particular problem and should be tended to immediately to prevent things from becoming worse.
Now a couple of questions that are totally unrelated to heels and ankles.
Q: I want to know how to hand sharpen my own skates, or is it better to have them machine sharpened?
Colorado Springs, Colo.
A: Well, there is no tool in existence that will allow you to hand sharpen your blades and get the same results that machine sharpening will give you.
However, there is a profiler kit that will allow you to tune up your edges and clean out the hollow down the center of your blades. It's a great tool for keeping your edges sharper for a longer period of time, but eventually you will need to have them machine sharpened.
Q: I was wondering how many screws you should
put in the blades in order to hold them onto your boots?
Grafton, N.D.
A: Well, to hold the blade on I've seen as few as two in the heel and only two in the front. But I believe you're wondering how many it takes to securely fasten the blade to the boot, and that's another question.
Myself personally, I'll put three into the heel and two (one on each side) in the front.
Q: I'm wondering how long it takes to break in a
new pair of boots if you're only skating a couple days a week.
Peoria, Ariz.
A: I'll be broad and general about this one only because I don't have information on what level or model boot you have. It could take as much as a couple of months or as little as a couple of weeks.
Mr. Edge and all related elements are property of Arena Sports & Consulting Services, Inc. ©2013. Send your questions to Mr. Edge via mail (Ask Mr. Edge, SKATING magazine, 20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906); FAX (719) 635-9548 or e-mail them online.
The opinions of Mr. Edge are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Figure Skating or SKATING magazine. Remember, if you have problems with your feet, check with a doctor – the problem may very well be with your boot, but it could be more serious. Check with your local pro shop for more information about boots and blades.
