Pain-free skating: custom boots and foot scans for atypical morphologies

You have probably had to deal with ill-fitting shoes in your life: whether they are too narrow or too wide, whether they pinch your toe or compress your heel, they are definitely not for you. Find out what type of foot you have and what solutions you can adopt to say goodbye to pain and enjoy your skating.

First, let's remember an obvious and logical fact: there is no such thing as a standard foot. However, most feet are within the range of this standard, and most people have no problem finding comfortable shoes. Cadomotus boots are based on a fairly broad standard, which means that they will satisfy a large majority of our customers. And if you fall outside of this standard, we offer custom solutions – but we will get to that later.

Atypical feet and common problems

Some feet are well outside the box. The following atypical foot shapes are common, however, and can cause all sorts of issues in your daily life, from persistent foot pain and pinching in shoes to chronic back pain and balance problems. And if you are a skater, the strain exerted on your feet can cause even more pain.

Here are some common atypical foot shapes and problems:

Wide feet: If you have wider than average feet, you often find yourself wearing shoes that compress or pinch your feet because they are simply too narrow. As a result, you are prone to painful pressure points and frequent blisters.

Narrow feet: One of the main disadvantages of narrow feet is the reduced lateral stability. The surface area in contact with the ground being smaller than with a standard-width foot, the risk of ankle sprains increases. Narrow feet can also cause pressure points and blisters.

Flat feet: Flat feet have a sinking plantar arch and a non-existent internal arch. This can result in foot, ankle, knee and lumbar pain. In the case of skating, on ice as well as inline, this phenomenon manifests itself especially by sometimes extreme pain in the metatarsal bone, that is compressed by the boot.

Bunion: Commonly known as a “bunion,” hallux valgus is a deformation of the bone of the big toe that pushes inward, causing a protrusion at its base, on the outside of the foot. This bump often causes discomfort, usually pain and sometimes even inflammation. Hallux valgus is caused by hereditary factors, improper footwear and biomechanical abnormalities, among other factors. Properly fitted shoes can prevent many of the above problems. At an advanced stage, surgical correction is sometimes necessary.

Bump on the inside of the foot: extreme stress on the foot in flexion, extension, torsion or tension, excessive pressure or a congenital anomaly can have an impact on the navicular bone and cause a fracture or a modification of its structure. However, the cause of this malformation is often prior to birth. The foot is made up of 26 bones, grouped into three parts: the tarsus (hindfoot), the metatarsus (midfoot) and the phalanges (forefoot). The navicular bone, one of the seven tarsal bones, is located above the arch, on the inside of the foot. If it does not form completely during fetal development, an additional bone is created, which can produce a bump on the inside of the foot if it is heavily used. In some cases, this bump can be caused by intensive skating on rough or very uneven surfaces.

Heel Spur: Also called calcaneal spur, it is a bony outgrowth at the bottom of the heel. It can form when the tissues overlying the sole of the foot pull too much on the heel, creating an inflammation called plantar fasciitis, when the foot is overstressed. Treatment consists mainly of rest, often physiotherapy, the use of orthotics or adapted shoes and, in some cases, surgery.

Custom boots for everyone

Having sore feet or having your feet compressed in your skates because you deviate a little too much from the norm can ruin the joy of skating – and this problem affects many people. So there is a reason why almost all top skaters use custom-made boots. For them, the boot has to fit perfectly to provide a fast and accurate response when they skate at high speed. The last thing you want is to have painful feet in your boots. The slightest imperfection can have major consequences, and having your feet supported comfortably and without pressure points has a big impact on the quality of performance. It is precisely this technology, this expertise that we have developed with high-level athletes, that we now offer to all skating amateurs and lovers, whose feet present more or less significant variations.

Fast and reliable: the Cádomotus foot scan

Thanks to our intelligent technology, we offer this efficient service at an affordable price. In the blink of an eye, perform a scan of your foot at your skate dealer. The results are then examined by a ProReva orthopedist, with whom Cadomotus works closely, and we start the custom manufacturing of your shoes. You get unique boots made for your feet in just six weeks. Learn more about the process here. If you have wide, narrow, hollow, flat or atypical feet, say goodbye to foot pain! Thanks to the know-how and experience of Cadomotus, you will finally be able to enjoy the most beautiful sport without hurting anymore.