XxAriaxX
I tried to ice skate the first time like for 2 hours and 30 minutes . I was just standing on ice, tried to walk on ice and skate... My friends tried to help me by holding my hands, but most of the time I was holding the side bars and tried to skate.
I only feel pain when I touch my ankles, particularly on a ''bone'' ( I'm not sure how to call it, anyways somewhere on my ankles). It has been 5 days, it still hurt when I touch my ankles.
My friend said it's because of the skates I was wearing, like when I try on new shoes...
sad I find it weird that it last so long (the pain).
Do you think I should not ice skate this week to prevent the pain ?
Do you have any tips for learning to ice skate ?
I can walk and run.
You should have your skates tied (or strapped) as tight as possible, to give your feet and ankles as much support as possible - that is very important. Some people (myself included) find it more comfortable to skate with two pairs of socks on (a thicker pair on the outside, with a thinner pair directly covering my feet).
A very important tip is to keep your knees bent (and your butt out). That lowers your centre of gravity, making you much more stable - so if you feel as if you're going to fall over, bend those knees and stick your butt out even more! Furthermore if you find yourself losing your balance, make sure you don't send your arms backwards, or else that will counterbalance your body weight and your skates will fly out in front of you, as you fall backwards, with the potential of hitting the back of your head on the ice. And keep your head up! Don't keep looking down at your feet (your body knows what it's doing) because not only will you not know where you're going but your head's heavy (not to make fun of you!) and it will counterbalance your body. Also, to stop; look up the "snow plough stop" on youtube.
As long as you didn't fall over suddenly; subjecting your ankle(s) to a forced inversion/eversion that could fracture your fibula/tibia respectively, I wouldn't have any worries - it's most likely you overstretched a ligament or damaged some soft tissue (in this case, you'll get a bruise) than broke something; you shouldn't need to present to a doctor. However if you do have unbearable pain when walking or you do have serious concerns, do make sure you go to your nearest hospital ED (A&E) - it is important that broken bones and other serious injuries are addressed as soon as possible or you could risk permanently damaging that limb, compromising your quality of life.
But in this case, it just sounds to me like you simply need to get used to ice skating, it does put quite a strain on your ankles that you wouldn't have whilst walking and naturally your feet and ankles will ache for a while afterwards, particularly when you're new to it and after long sessions like the one you just had. So for now just try (even if it's a little painful) to stretch your ankles; roll your feet inwards/ outwards (inversion/ eversion), circumduct, dorsiflex and plantarflex at your ankle joint - look up these terms on google images to get an idea of what I'm suggesting. For the pain, take some ibuprofen (or paracetamol/ acetaminophen).
NOTE: With all medication taken -
BE SURE TO CHECK WHETHER:
1. You are allergic to it (in the case of using ibuprofen gel - if you develop a rash where you have applied it, stop its application immediately).
2. It will interfere with anything you may already be taking.
3. You have already been told by a doctor to avoid the drug - eg. in the case of ibuprofen; if you suffer from a severe liver disease, severe heart failure, a history of peptic ulcers and hypersensitivity to other NSAIDs (eg. aspirin).
4. It is unsuitable in the case you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
And stick to the recommended dose - please refer to the drug information leaflet for that and any other information required. Don't take any more than what is recommended and make sure your parents know, if that's applicable to you.
But if there is swelling, you should
rest your limb as much as possible, put
ice packs on it (or a bag of frozen food) and keep it
elevated (lay down on a couch and put your leg(s) up, above the level of your heart). If it is swollen significantly or the swelling or pain isn't resolved with painkillers, you should go to the ED.
It is hard for me to tell you what to do because I cannot assess your injury but if you broke or tore something or caused any serious damage that required urgent medical attention, you wouldn't be able to run or walk, let alone weight-bear on it at all. With that in mind though, I do urge you that if you do have major concerns do go and see a doctor.
I hope this helps! If you have any other questions or concerns regarding your injury or skating technique, don't hesitate to ask on here or PM me!
smile
