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ASK MR. EDGE

November 2006

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.

Over the years I'm sure everyone has heard both coaches and parents talk about how their students' or kids' feet roll in or, in medical terms, pronate. Most often this problem goes hand in hand with having flat feet, but not always. I bet you thought I was going to address the issue of flat feet – fooled you.

Since pronation is so common, I'd like to address just the opposite, the rolling out of the feet, which, in medical terms, is referred to as “supination.” Since hardly anyone ever addresses this issue, I thought I'd attach a picture of probably the most extreme case I've ever seen.

If you notice, the skater is standing on the far outside of her feet, or metatarsals. Not only does she stand this way, but she also walks on her metatarsals and, oddly enough, skates while standing on the outside of her feet. Imagine what great balance and strength this person must have, not too mention the incredible strength in her feet.

Needless to say this did present a problem when it came time to support the entire inside of her foot from front to back. Actually, it was a quite simple solution. All she needed was an extended arch support through the inside of her feet. Mounting her blades, on the other hand, was a bit trickier but not impossible.

Now, once again, it's time to answer your all-important questions.

Q: I would like to know how to sharpen my blades with my own tools without paying $300, and how to keep them in good condition.
Cheyanne from Ashville

A: Using your own tools to sharpen your skates is not a bad idea, except that you'll probably pay a lot more than $300 when you realize you need to replace them after the first time you try to sharpen them. A good sharpening will cost anywhere from $15-$25. I suggest you ask around and see where you might find someone who can sharpen them correctly. It's not uncommon for skaters to send their blades away for sharpening.

Q: Is it good or bad for one to leave her skates out of their bag overnight?
Sydney from Nashville

A: Leaving your skates to dry out overnight is a good thing. If this is not done, you run the risk – and this will happen – that your boots will never dry out, and all that moisture will continue to be absorbed into your boots. This in turn causes them to remain moist and, therefore, will begin to lose their support before too long.

Q: When I take off my ice skates, my toes look like they're squished and shorter. I wear a size 7 sneaker, but my skates are 3-½. Are my skates getting too small for me?
Ann from Berkeley Heights, N.J.

A: Three guesses, and the first two don't count.

Correction alert! Linda from Oundle, England, found an error in something I had written recently. She had asked how to determine what size skates you wear, to which I had replied, “Same as your shoes.” Obviously, this is wrong. Your shoe size can run anywhere from a half to 2-1/2 sizes smaller than your skate size. Thanks for the correction, Linda.

Well, skaters, that's about all the space I have for this issue.

Best of luck to you all,
Mr. Edge

FYI, my December trip takes me to the Ice Land Arena in Strongsville, Ohio. Unfortunately, I haven't a date as of yet, except to say that it will be a Monday.

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.