When you walk, your feet roll in a forward motion. When you skate, you push off sideways. When you ski and cycle, your feet move differently than when you walk. The place where you put pressure on your feet and body also varies depending on the sport. In figure skating, the correct position of the foot in the skate plays a very important role.
Figure skaters' feet and legs are generally subjected to greater stress, particularly during turns, jumps and landings. Insoles support the natural alignment of the feet, correct misalignments and ensure optimal pressure distribution. This allows athletes to reach their full potential and perform their movements with precision and elegance.
Figure skating is not only an elegant and aesthetic sport, but also one that places high demands on physical fitness and body awareness. Athletes should always pay attention to the balance of training hard on the one hand, but also not overdoing it, so that the body does not recover from the exertion. The recommendation is therefore: it is better to prevent injuries than to cure them. This is where physiotherapists play an important role. The physiotherapist is the specialist in the field of movement and creates an individual treatment plan for each athlete. In this treatment plan there is always room for muscle-strengthening exercises, especially for the legs and torso, but passive treatments can also be considered. Stiff joints can be mobilized and tense muscles loosened.
Injuries in figure skating are different from sports such as football or ice hockey. Figure skating is obviously not a contact sport, so the number of acute injuries is not so high. Most injuries are due to overuse. Here the lower back, knees and feet are particularly affected. Good cooperation between athlete, physiotherapist and trainer is very important in order to train healthily and avoid injuries.
In order to be able to perform complex figures and jumps, figure skaters need not only strong core muscles and joint stability, but also precise alignment of the feet and legs. Since even the smallest imbalance in the foot structures and possible misalignments can lead to long-term problems, it is important to correct them. In this context, individually adapted, custom-made insoles can make a significant contribution to improving performance and preventing injuries and wear and tear. They have effective cushioning, which reduces impact forces. This reduces the strain on joints and muscles. Positioning the feet in the skate is also important to stabilize unnecessary movements, such as bending in the longitudinal arch due to instability.
Even pressure distribution prevents friction from occurring. Friction between the foot and the shoe is often the reason for the formation of blisters and wounds. Custom-made insoles can also help to improve blood circulation in the foot area. This is important to reduce muscle fatigue, promote regeneration and minimize the risk of cramps.
A big advantage for athletes to reach their goals as quickly as possible is if the insoles can also be worn during off-ice training and in everyday life. This way, the body can train in the insoles in addition to the hours on the ice and improve overall stability.
The insoles in the skates are designed in such a way that they do not take away any movement that is needed for jumping or landing. Abnormal movements such as strong inward bending of the foot are absorbed by a cushioning function. This guarantees more stability, but does not restrict the figure skater.
For off-ice training shoes and everyday shoes, we recommend sensorimotor insoles, depending on the case. These function slightly differently. They give the foot the awareness of how to control something using sensory impulses to the muscles. These insoles have a greater training effect and teach the foot to stabilize itself. These insoles support physiotherapy treatment.
So far we have been able to look after a number of athletes. Among them is the ten-year-old figure skater Chiara. Her mother reports:
«My daughter was sent to Laufgsund by her physiotherapist. She is a top-level figure skater. As a result, she trains on the ice for at least 2 hours a day. Her feet suffered a lot when she was skating and there were already signs of hallux valgus. Her legs were not completely straight due to her slight flat feet, which affected the distribution of force when she jumped. She has now received sports insoles and insoles for her normal shoes that are optimally adapted to her foot. After just one week with the sports insoles, there was a great improvement in her jumps. She was able to jump higher and the jumps were technically clean.
We can only recommend Laufgsund.»
We were also able to support Aurora with our physiotherapy knowledge to continue her performance on the ice. This is what Aurora says:
«Why is physical therapy important for figure skaters? Figure skating is a sport that is very demanding on the body and therefore requires a strong and healthy body. Most skaters suffer ankle injuries, I am one of them. I sustained a serious injury to my right ankle where I tore my outer and inner ligaments and had to undergo surgery. This injury was partly caused by ignoring and not taking physical therapy seriously. This accident made me understand the importance of doing physical therapy and warming up before going on the ice. Some very serious injuries involve the back, which is due to the many strong jolts when landing after jumps. To build a strong body with correct posture and stable joints (ankles, knees, etc.), physical therapy is essential. Another great thing about physical therapy is that it helps with recovery after training, muscle massages and taping when needed. Most skaters and sometimes even coaches tend to underestimate the importance of ice sports, and then serious injuries occur.»
It is important to us that we can do justice to every athlete and meet their needs.
We are happy to advise you individually and personally and make custom insoles to positively support your performance on ice!