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Copyright © 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 by Mitchell R Grunes

Modifying Skate Fit and Balance
for Health, Longevity and Performance

© 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 by Mitchell Grunes

A remarkably large number of skaters live with the consequences of ill fitting skate boots. Even some of the world's top skaters, using boots custom made for them by the best, suffer injuries. In addition, their boots and blades do not last as long as they should, and may have problems performing as well as they should because of these issues.

I believe that most people can modify their boots to fix most of these problems. The high cost of skates makes this highly desirable.

I claim:

1. Your feet should almost never be in pain as a result of exercise. If they are, one possible explanation is poorly fitting shoes or boots. I've seen excellent skaters, even coaches, whose feet are extremely unhealthy, in ways that are obvsiously due to bad skate fit. Most people should not develope blisters, corns, calouses, scars, hammer toes or other visible or felt signs of excess or insufficient pressure or abrasion. Totally unnecessary, unless you have certain rare medical conditions. Proper fit can also reduce the frequency of other injuries like bone fractures, ligament sprains, muscle strains, and back pains, because the pressure and tension created by you weight and inertia will be born on the correct body parts.
2. Proper fit will lead to superior athletic performance, because there will be no slipping, shifting or rocking within the boot, nor will you need to waste energy compensating for poor balance.
3. Proper maintenance and fit may make your boots last several times longer than otherwise.

   Caution I am not an certified expert. This treatise is based on my own and other's experience, together with the basic principles of physics, chemistry or biology. Boot fitting is more art than science. People use variant techniques to fit and modify boots. People vary substantially in sensitivity to boot fitting problems and to the chemicals contained in the leather, in the amount and composition of sweat, skating styles and disciplines, the amount of reinforcement and motion they expect from their boots on various parts of their feet, the frequency with which they skate, and the weather and climate in which their boots are stored. There are very knowledgeable people who disagree with anything and everything I say here.

   Further, skating boots need to fit more tightly than would be considered healthy in normal footware, to achieve better blade control.

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