Ice-skating - pros and cons and getting skates to fit

[Eloise]

Hi all, just wanted to start a thread on all aspects of this - when I searched a few people had mentioned it in intros or exercise etc, but nothing where I could really ask my questions.

My little girl who is 5years and a bit started ice-skating just before Christmas. We went a couple of times and she managed to stand on the ice and move a bit with help and so I signed her up for lessons. She loves it and has a great time, but falls over a lot and it seems like it is going to be ages before they class her as fast enough or stable enough to move up into the next section.

Personally I think in the long term it will be great for her. It is low impact on the joints (unless she learns big jumps) but should strengthen the core, knees and hips as well as aiding balance and co-ordination, as long aaa she doesn't pop anything while falling over.

I was also thinking that it should be quite supportive on her ankles - but here comes the problem. She has very long thin feet and they are that flat the instep bulges outwards on her footprint. She also has knock knees. She has hospital piedros with very built up insoles inside. So I have been getting the size bigger in the hire ice-skates, putting the hospital insoles in them and making her wear two pairs of socks and ensuring the laces are done up nice and firmly. However, she still manages to bend her ankles out under her, so that the blades are at about a 75 degree angle to the ice rather than 90. Some of this is her knock knees (about 5 degrees) but the rest is the boot.

Can anyone offer any suggestions? I tried putting gel pads on the inside of her ankles - but this made no difference. Do I try and squeeze her insoles and feet in the size lower? Will I end up having to get her own skates - if so has anyone any experience or advice? Will she be able to master this herself and just need to let her strengthen up - or I am I expecting too much of her at her age?

I really want to find a way of making it better as she does love it and has so much fun but I am worried she will get frustrated as she sees kids move up the groups and she never does.

Also, am I mad to be thinking about doing the lessons myself? ATM I go on and it does hurt my back and hips and knees, but I am wondering that if I start getting it then it will improve my core muscles and the smooth glide should make it better than walking etc. Plus if I can get it then I can explain it and help my daughter out.

I have loads more questions etc - but I will wait and see if anyone else out there has experience or tips or just wants to join in. Mods - is this the best place? Was wondering if the kids section maybe better but also wanted to keep it open for the adult skating as well.

[PhillMc]

I learnt to ice skate at the age of 27 and it was brilliant! It took a while for me the strengthen up enough not to wobble but i got there, i can only go round in circles and i can't stop so have to slow down an aim for the barrier. The only thing that i couldn't stregthen was my ankles, no matter what i tried my ankles bent. I would give her a little while longer to strengthen up a bit, it can take a wee while. Re the skates i would think the bigger ones with padding will be ok, i don't think it makes much difference to the ankle anyway what size the foot is.
god luck and give it a go, it's so much fun even if your not very good at it.

[tigerbunny]

How about instead of one (or maybe the two) pair of socks, you try those elastic ankle supports? I'm in the states, and we can get them without prescription.

I skated as a kid, but I didn't have the ankle problem. I used to cringe when I'd see the kids who skated on their ankles. I was plenty bendy, but my pain didn't really set in til I was about 28.

My ankles are extra floppy when I'm sitting around, or in bed. Sometimes I wear the supports to bed and it helps if they've been hurting.

It's great that you put the inserts in. Have you had any skating pros show you things like the proper way to lace? I had been skating a long time before I was taught that the laces go tight around the foot, but you should be able to put a finger easily into the top of the boot. I know that sometimes when I lace my shoes too tight, the bones in my feet get mad because they can't move.

[Fiona-Jane]

hiya, are the skates rigid plastic or leather/stiff fabric?

i could never use the leather type skates as i'd bend them inwards like your daughter does, but the rigid plastic ones were always ok as they were hard enough to block my pronation. if it doesnt work then maybe taping her ankles and feet over a pair of socks may help (so they tape isnt on her skin so wont tear it etc when removed). that may stabilise them enough that she can use the skates she currently uses


i used to love ice skating!


fi xx

[Eloise]

My little girl is loving her ice-skating still, even though she is still having problems. I tried squeezing her into her actual shoe size but her little toe got a blister - so didn't do that again, also it didn't seem to help support her ankles any better either!

So I took the plunge and bought her some skates off eBay. They are pink and a slim fit and very supportive but padded inside so comfy. I put her hospital insoles in them and she loves them saying they still hurt a little bit but much better than the hire blue ones! Also, she is tending to turn her feet out less. However she is very knock-kneed so her feet always go out at an angle from her knees!

She is still in the first stage of lessons and I don't think she is ever going to progress. They have to do a "dip and glide" where they push off skating and then bend their knees down to glide, and they have to get so their knees at at 90 degrees and their laps flat (like sitting on a seat). Well she can't dip down that far. In fact she can't do it off the ice either. Like me doing swats is fairly impossible. I keep trying to practice with her at home, but like me if she gets that far down there is no way back up again. So I just don't know what to do. I told her teacher at the end of the lesson that I don't think she can and she said she will have a look next week - but with 18 kids in the class and only 30mins she doesn't get much attnetion.

Oh well i have come to moan and don't expect any miracles!

On the plus side - at the fun skate session we went to on Saturday she has learnt to spin round. She forward skates and then puts her feet apart and turns them so that she spins in a circle and goes round the full 360 so for that I printed her out a certificate I made on my computer, and she took it with her to church on Sunday and the lady who does the notices read it out which was really sweet and has given her some pride and encouragement

[Jess]

Just have to jump online Eloise's little one pasted her level 1 last night!!!!

[Eloise]

I am so proud not sure which one of us had the bigger smile - probably her as she was treated to a mac Donalds after!

We did loads of extra practice this week, with it being the Easter holidays, this also meant she rested her legs more as less running around at school. She can finally squat down with her thighs parrellel to e ground and did it consistently during the lesson. Also, with it being the bank holiday only 9 out of the 18 kids in her class turned up and the "extra" coach was in their class to help with the assessments. I think having more space on the ice gave her the confidence to keep showing off to the teachers who had time for her

Her pink ice-skates are also helping a lot, and as long as I take time to make sure they are done correctly she is able to keep her blade nearly at the right angle to the ice, though as she gets tired her feet drift outwards.

So she is onto level 2 and will get to learn to stop and go backwards! Also, I have moved to the earlier session, so although it will be a rush from school, she will only be in a class of 3 to 1 teacher so this will really help her.

Now I am thinking of lessons, but my hip pain (even in my good hip) has been right up after 2 fun sessions is week. I know in the long term it will be good to strengthen up my legs and core, it's just convincing myself it's worth the little extra pain as I start it.

[madmum]

Well done little lady. Well done proud mum.

[paw]

How are the ankles fitting in the new skates? As I was reading your first couple posts something popped into my head. Imagine a tiny little soft cervical collar neck brace just the size to fit round her ankles before you lace up the skates. Of course a neck brace wouldn't fit in skates. You could find some soft foam though and cut it to size and either make a cloth cover that would velcro closure or just tape it on before putting on the skates.

When I worked for the foot surgeon he used to have sheets of foam that had lines on them and I had to cut them to fit the patient. Maybe you could buy something like that from a foot doctor or maybe get adult extra large soft foam insoles (not orthotics, just insoles) and cut them to the right size. Those insoles are cheap here, I could get a 2 pair pack for a dollar so you could experiment and not spend much. If you decide to make a cloth cover so you can use them for a long time it could be from adult socks or cut up an old tee shirt and sew it to fit.

I used to skate myself and I know my hips would never allow me to do it now. Last time I went I discovered that my balance was still good on the ice (not sure it would be now as everything has been dislocating and popping out of place, much more than it did 8 years ago when I last skated) but it really wore me out and made everything hurt.

Let your little girl skate as long as she doesn't get a lot of injuries and as long as she enjoys it. Personally I would keep it just for fun and not push the advancing to higher groups. She might advance a little slower due to the HMS/EDS and that's fine. The important thing is safety and fun. I hope she continues to have fun skating.