Hey guys, hopefully some of you will remember me from the Sidewalk forum. Been a while since I posted. I basically stopped posting as I pretty much stopped skating for about 5 years thanks mainly to family/responsibilities etc.
Long story short, I miss it like crazy and I want to get back into it. The problem is, family and responsibilities weren’t the only things that led to me stopping. I have also got two rubbish ankles. I skated for about 20 years (I’m 37) and my ankles (as well as my shins, heels etc) have paid the price. I suffer from ankle pain to this day as I have sprained both of my ankles multiple times and ruptured all the ligaments in one really badly on one occasion. As such, while I’m mad keen to start again, I’m a bit tentative. I know from before that some of you guys are around my age and have been skating for just as long, if not longer. I’m basically resigned to the fact that low impact is my future, lots of slappies, no complies and manuals with some mini ramp skating hopefully but I’m after some advice on ankle supports and general routines which will help me to make sure I don’t end up crocked all the time and don’t do any further damage.
I definitely need ankle supports/braces for both of my ankles and I’m wondering what you guys use? Any other advice you can give would be massively appreciated.
I have just booked an appointment with a musculoskeletal specialist for an examination next week, to hopefully get to the problem of all my pains and hopefully work out some ideas on how to tackle them. Why not do the same?
Initially what inspired me to see this particular specialist was that I saw a programme where a chap had chronic shoulder pain and various other things and was taking loads of medication/opiates which was making him a bit of a moody prick. He was told to see the above to be assessed and he was asked about his injury history, he reeled off minor car crashes and a broken jaw as a teen. They got him to walk, stand on pressure pads etc etc and saw that all his alignment was fucked due to his body compensating for the injury to his jaw and meck muscles. They realigned his back, worked out some moves to get his muscles and whatnot to do what they are supposed to do and within an hour he felt amazing. Within a couple of weeks of just specific stretches etc he was a changed man.
I’m kinda hoping for a similar scenario to be honest haha.
Sorry for the vague condensed blurb.
Cheers guys. I’ll definitely use the affiliate link if I do buy them and I’ll look at the physio guy’s exercises. May also look into the muscoskeletal thing. How do you go about booking something like that? Were you referred by a doctor or can you just book yourself in?
One doctor said I was getting fallen arches for my knee pain, which to be honest, they are still as arched as iron gorge. After pestering for an Mri, the doctors receptionist phoned me to say the mri was fine. I asked for more info and she said the doctor is not taking calls but the results are all fine, nothing to worry about.
So, no, I din’t go through a doctor.
I just did some research and finally got my arse into gear to see someone who is going put some effort in to help as they are not on an appointment time limit. Even if I can’t sort out my shit at least i’ll come back wiser and maybe an idea of who else to see afterwards.
Funnily enough I had been looking at those! Think I’m going to go for them.
On a related topic, any of you guys ever used Footprint insoles? Keep hearing good things about them and I’m thinking of getting a pair. They’re well expensive though so wanted to get some opinions before taking the plunge.
I did indeed mate. You gave me a deal on a pair of Adidas Gonz Vulc, the Black and yellow ones with the gum soles! I skated those shoes into the ground.
I’ve ordered some and the ankle supports you recommended, through the affiliate link. I’m even thinking of getting some of the painkiller socks with shin padding. I basically want my lower legs to be fortified in every way possible!
I’m happy with that. At the end when I skated before, for the last 3 years or so, I had to wear ankle supports at all time, on the orders of a physio so I think dependency on skate gimmicks is something I’ve made my peace with ha ha.
From a mindset point of view, i’d say don’t go back into it expecting to have your old bag of tricks/balance/ability etc straight away. Having to spend the first few months relearning even the most basic of stuff is annoying, but it’ll come back eventually
I’m old, increasingly fragile and generally a bit of a wimp. Both my ankles have been buggered so I always skate with ankle braces - I use Aircast A60 braces and they work a treat. I have actually sprained one again once while wearing them, but it would have been a breaker if I didn’t have them on. Swear by them now.
I also use/have used both the Footprint socks and insoles. In my mind the insoles (Gamechangers in my case) are far more effective than the socks - if you’re that bothered about your shins wear shin pads, which are cheaper and don’t get massive holes in them.
I also use wrist guards and have been known to slip on G-Form knee pads from time to time. Yes, yes… I am completely reliant on this shit and am in no way the coolest kid at the park.
That said I’m a 44 year old man on a child’s toy, so was never likely to be.
Anything that helps me get on and stay on the board is a bonus. I’m not proud. I just want to skate.
Anyway, good luck getting back into it… and have fun!
