Why do my Feet Hurt when I Skateboard?

One thing that all skaters have in common is that they will eventually get hurt. I have many scars and bruises, but the worst pains are often not visible.

Usually, you tend to damage your joints; in my case, it is my wrists. However, injuries that are even more common than wrist injuries are foot and ankle injuries. Young adults can often get away from accidents with minor bruises, but they should start making good habits of taking care of their bodies because they won't be invisible for very long.

In this post, you can read about common skate foot injuries and how to prevent/take care of them.

Most Common Skateboarding injuries

Every long-time skater has experienced some injuries; many of my friends have gotten overuse injuries in their feet, resulting in a painful feet. But, unfortunately, almost everyone I know starts worrying about injuries after they get one themselves.

The injury range varies, and it is important that you know what can happen if you don't take care of your body.

Foot and ankle sprains

An ankle sprain is one of the more common skateboarding injuries due to landing wrong. It is usually when your ankle lands on an inward ankle motion.

Sprains occur in 3 different categories.

1. Grade: minimal stretching of the ligament and no tearing

2. Grade: Partial tear of a ligament

3. Grade: Full tear or rupture of ligament

Foot and ankle fractures

Skateboarding is an extreme impact sport; in almost every situation, you have a possibility of getting a fracture.

Most fractures stop you from continuing your activity, but it is possible to get a minor fracture. If your fracture is minor, it is possible to continue, but fractures come with pain, swelling, and bruising; the issue has no quick fix, and continuing your activities will worsen the injury. If you are in doubt about having a fracture to not, you should consult with a doctor.

Achilles tendonitis

Tendonitis usually develops over time, with localized pain with swelling or stiffness. The cause is overuse and happens with the pressure on your feet while skating.

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis occurs when you receive repetitive stress on the bottom of your feet, and it stretches from your heels to your toes. As a result, it causes heel pain and arch pain. This is common for skateboarders because they use intense, gripping motion with their toes and lack calf strength and flexibility.

Neuroma

Neuroma occurs if you get a pinched nerve in your foot. The nerve becomes inflamed, and you will experience pain, tingling, or numbness between your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th toe. The cause of neuroma is over-pronation, overuse, or poor technique.

How to prevent skateboarding feet/ankle injuries

Every skater has to deal with foot injuries at some point, and when this happens to you, it is nice to b prepared. If you choose to use protective gear, you can avoid injuries in many situations or prevent a serious injury from happening in the future. So let's take a look at how you can prevent injuries from occurring.

Skate shoes

It would be best if you used skateboard shoes to avoid injuries because of the flat sole and waffle pattern; they offer maximum grip and board feel. If you have joint or ankle pain, you should get a skate shoe with arch support; you can also add insoles to the shoe if you have plantar fasciitis to provide extra cushioning and support; this removes the board feel, but your well-being is more important. Board feel can prevent injuries simply because you have more control over your board.

Ankle past and weak ankles are good reasons to get shoes with extra support.

Flexibility and strength

Before you start and end a session, you should always do calf stretching; if you stretch, you can prevent injuries you usually would get if you fell; regular core strength exercises will also help.

Location

You need to know your location; if you skate at a skate park, try to notice cracks or if there is debris or rocks on the ground. You should never skate in wet conditions; with skateboard wheels, you will start sliding even with a slight turn.

Skateboard

Remember to check if your board has cracks, wheels are loose, grip tape has grip, and other flaws; these factors don't interfere often, but when it happens, it is sudden; if you have no control of your fall, serious injury is more likely.

Technique

Getting good technique and learning the basics is important before trying more advanced stuff. If you try something you're not ready for; you have a good chance of landing wrong.

Something all skaters should master is roll and fall technique. If you know how to fall right, you will avoid many dangerous situations.

Is Skateboarding Bad for You?

Skateboarding is bad for you, but almost every sport is. When skating, you strain various body parts repeatedly, this isn't good for your body, but with the proper knowledge, you can skate without serious reproductions.

If you enjoy skating, it will be a give-and-take relationship, you will sustain injuries while skating, but you will gain friends, experiences, and hopefully, many friends to share your passion. Personally, I wouldn't give up skateboarding for anything.

Treatments for Skateboarding injuries

Only a proper diagnosis will help if your pain doesn't go away by itself; make sure to contact a doctor if you think something serious has happened.

Anti-inflammatory medications and R.I.C.E

Prescription medicine will reduce swelling and pain, and you should also use R.I.C.E, rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Proper shoes

Using proper shoes can help you with foot pain; you should get high-quality insoles and arch support to tend your feet properly. If you want to learn more about skate shoes, click here.

Physical therapy

Try to learn some stretches you can do at home, or try to get scheduled for massage or physical therapy.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy

You can treat heel pain with shock therapy; it makes micro-traumas that promote healing and repair.

Brace or walking cast

for fractures or other injuries that don't respond to other treatment, a brace or walking cast can be handy to minimize the movement in the area of pain.

Surgery

Surgery is the last resort, but you shouldn't delay it if necessary.

Conclusion

Your body hurting is normal, but you must know when to take it seriously. A lot of pain can be avoided if you take precautions, skating is dangerous, but you can make it much safer, use protective gear if you can, and don't be afraid to seek professional care if you think it is necessary.