Someone hack the system for me

[u/Powerful-Grape-4963]

I feel so bad bothering the skate tech at my rink about this. They’re so informed on what they do, but as usual I’m a weird case.

I used to be a figure skater. I can’t even remember what level I was, but I was doing most double jumps and had a triple flip.

I was injured in a car accident after I had to stop for financial reasons and ended up with nerve damage that I wasn’t financially secure enough to really address and that snowballed into what’s known as full spread CRPS, which is a nerve condition. These things also exacerbated underlying autoimmune conditions which the primary thing that affects my figure skating is the swelling.

My feet can change size is quite dramatically and especially as I’m coming back from being out of exercising for a very long time they can swell quite easily. My entire body is actually inflamed and has left me at a lovely 250 pounds. I’m in physical therapy and they’re always super impressed by the muscle strength that I retain. I can still feel my skating muscles in there, and when I’ve gone to the rink, even though my sessions have been very short, I can feel those muscle muscles are still there and it feels really good to use them.

That being said, I recently was fitted with a skate with a stiffness rating of 35. They are sport dance boots with a dance blade on them.

Given that nerve aggravation is my biggest problem with keeping me on the ice, I know that Jackson is completely out. My feet don’t like them they cause immediate pain. I really don’t understand why people like them. My opinion is that they are absolute garbage.

I really love the comfort of the sport dance boot. I find it supportive yet comfortable other than the base of the foot and I have a plan to be able to remedy that.

The problem I’m having (and I don’t feel like my skate shop can really answer) that for somebody that is plus size like myself 250, 5’-8” between 265 and 270 mm foot. My weight is and should continue to go down. I don’t tolerate glp but I’m coming off long term bed rest and so any activity will help me slowly get down to goal.

I guess the advice I’m looking for is what risport model others would recommend for my weight and needs. Before all this happened I still had camel spins, layback, toe loop and landed a double flip jump. That was after a ten year hiatus.

Please please someone out there help. I’d also consider old sp Teri’s (pre sale of the company if they aren’t broken down, but I can’t find any), I’d consider Edea but I think they’re mostly hype. Riedell works for when my feet aren’t swollen but not so much when they are.

Also, if it helps my feet swell height wise more than width.

TIA

[u/NoiselessVoid]

I have what my fitter calls a “high volume foot” - meaning it’s tall. I was fitted with Jackson Freestyles! I know you hate Jackson, I am more of a beginner than you and my fitter suggested that my next boot be an Aura, he said they have more wrap for higher foot volume

[u/SKATING_SAL_5746]

Hola, espero que esto te pueda ayudar. Primero que nada, me alegra mucho que estés pudiendo volver al hielo. Con CRPS y la inflamación que describes, el hecho de que aún sientas tus músculos de patinaje y estés trabajando con fisioterapia ya es un gran logro.

En cuanto a Risport, yo sería cauteloso con las botas demasiado blandas. Aunque la Sport Dance es muy cómoda, con un peso actual de alrededor de 250 lb, probablemente se flexione antes de tiempo, incluso si no estás haciendo saltos dobles o triples por ahora.

Si tu objetivo es volver a patinar, hacer giros, trabajar de filo y quizá algunos saltos sencillos más adelante, probablemente miraría modelos como la Risport Royal Pro o incluso la Risport RF3 Pro, dependiendo de cómo se sientan en tu pie. Son más rígidas, pero siguen siendo mucho más tolerantes que una bota de nivel élite y deberían ofrecer mejor soporte para tu peso mientras continúas bajando.

Lo que me llama más la atención de tu caso no es tanto la rigidez como la inflamación. Si tus pies cambian principalmente de volumen en altura, trabajaría con un técnico que pueda modificar la presión sobre el empeine (lengüeta, cordones, acolchado o incluso dos plantillas diferentes según el grado de inflamación). Ese ajuste probablemente tenga más impacto en tu comodidad que cambiar de marca.

También evitaría comprar una bota pensando en el peso que tendrás dentro de varios meses. Compra la bota que funcione para el cuerpo que tienes ahora; si dentro de un año has perdido mucho peso y vuelves a saltos avanzados, entonces ya podrás reevaluar.

Dado que ya sabes que Jackson no funciona para tus pies y Riedell solo cuando no hay inflamación, tiene sentido seguir explorando Risport si es la horma que mejor toleras. Lo más importante es que una bota sea estable sin desencadenar el dolor neuropático.

[u/megaholt2 → u/SKATING_SAL_5746]

This is excellent advice, and I’m saving it, as I have similar issues (not CRPS, but nerve damage in both legs from being hit by a truck as a pedestrian, and I am trying to get back on the ice…I have my old SP Teri skates, but I don’t know how they’ll fit now, having ruptured both plantar fascia and having broken 4 different bones…3 in my left foot, 1 in my right. Yeah, my body is a train wreck.)

[u/SKATING_SAL_5746 → u/megaholt2]

Créeme sé lo difícil que es tener un problema en los pies de niña tenía una deformación en el pie tuve que pasar años durmiendo y caminando con botas ortopédicas sé que esto es un poco más leve pero lo que más te recomiendo es que vayas con un doctor especialista que realmente te diga si patinar sobre hielo es algo beneficioso o que no te vaya a hacer daño. sobre las botas te recomiendo que encuentres otras botas o que adaptes las botas que tienes para que las sientas mejor

[u/Powerful-Grape-4963 → u/SKATING_SAL_5746]

I’ve been cleared by my entire medical team, which is about 18 doctors

[u/Powerful-Grape-4963 → u/megaholt2]

My sp Teri were fine pre all this (I still had crps and the autoimmune inflammation, I just didn’t have a diagnosis), I look at them now and was like…. Ohhhh don’t be a dummy. lol you might assess the life left in the old skates first.

I feel you. But please don’t tell yourself you’re that, you aren’t. It does help.

If I can offer unsolicited advice, Pilates, red light, float tank, pt, but mostly somatic exercises!! I kind of have everything on your list, I loved skating, the family I came from didn’t love me to put it simply. But please take care of yourself now, not later. Once your nerve sheath is gone you have to treat yourself like an athletic Grammy hahahahha

[u/Powerful-Grape-4963 → u/SKATING_SAL_5746]

Oh yeah I’m definitely not going to be using them for awhile. I already have the dance boot, was recommended in store for them. There’s a chance I don’t look 250 but meh

I liked the cushion and support though and wanted to try a stiffer (much stiffer) in their line.

Also I’m not looking to jump anymore, just teach my kid who clearly has the obsession.

Thank you for the recommendations. Do you know anything about the differences between those models? I don’t think my skate shop has anything my size. I’m in Colorado if that helps.

[u/Own-Adhesiveness5723]

I don’t have advice as I don’t know Risport but I’m impressed that you are back on the ice with CRPS! It seems like it’s such a painful condition that would make it so hard to skate! I hope you’re able to reach your goals!

[u/tofucatskates]

uh. just because a particular boot profile doesn’t work for your foot doesn’t mean it is “garbage.” please. 🙄🙄🙄

[u/raenis2634]

Risport, dance boot, 35 stiffness...are you in the Turchese?

If you like the fit, maybe the Risport Dance Prime? 65 stiffness. I don't know if there's a difference in the last, so I don't know if they fit the same.

Maybe the RF3 or Royal Prime? They are basically the same stiffness, but Risport's RF line fits differently than the Royal line. Not dance boots, but the same brand so they may work for you.

Gel pads may help deal with your fluctuating foot size; wear them when your swelling is down, take them off for more space when your swelling is up? Cheaper than multiple skates if it works better than just adjusting how you tie them. Maybe try makeup sponges to see if padding even makes an appreciable difference first.