Wrap laces around ankle?
- Thread starter WickedWrister
- Start date
DevsFan84
Registered User
- Jul 31, 2007
- 594
- 1
When you wrap your laces around your skate you lower the blood circulation to your foot, and also prevent your ankle (and in turn, your knees) from bending properly.
You also risk injury to your ankle and damage to your skates.
But, as someone who works in a pro shop, I know not to tell anyone what to do. I can only tell you what you're doing and the potential risks.
You also risk injury to your ankle and damage to your skates.
But, as someone who works in a pro shop, I know not to tell anyone what to do. I can only tell you what you're doing and the potential risks.
Hobgoblin Steve
Bacon of Light
Reverend Mayhem
Lowly Serf/Reluctant Cuckold
Its just talk, I play inline hockey too and ALWAYS wrap the laces around my ankles (long laces), my skating ability does not diminish and my ankles feel fine and I wrap them pretty damn tight, then again, skating is not the biggest part of my game, but I can still fly out there.
cptjeff
Reprehensible User
There have been a billion threads on this. Basically, it will prevent you from getting a good knee bend, but will give you more support. It won't cut off blood unless you don it horribly wrong. It will break down your tendon guards, but if you don't mind taking pucks and slashes on your Achilles tendon, it's okay to let those die. You wouldn't be able to wrap your laces if they fall off though.
Tape around the ankle will help prevent the guards from breaking down, and will give you the same stiffening effect.
However, the best solution is to just get stiffer skates.
Tape around the ankle will help prevent the guards from breaking down, and will give you the same stiffening effect.
However, the best solution is to just get stiffer skates.
NYRSinceBirth
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2007
- 2,869
- 0
When you wrap your laces around your skate you lower the blood circulation to your foot, and also prevent your ankle (and in turn, your knees) from bending properly.
You also risk injury to your ankle and damage to your skates.
But, as someone who works in a pro shop, I know not to tell anyone what to do. I can only tell you what you're doing and the potential risks.
Tell me about it. I had a lady refuse to buy skates and just have her kid wear bunga pads and double socks to take up room in skates that were 3 sizes too big yet she kept asking me for advice.
wearethegreek
Registered User
We did indeed have a debate on this only a few weeks ago, and there are probably tons of threads about this in the archives.
My opinion: Don't do it. Get stiffer boots that fit your properly so there's no negative space.
If you need a little extra support use a flexible plastic tape, your ankles need to be able to bend and absorb shock.
My opinion: Don't do it. Get stiffer boots that fit your properly so there's no negative space.
If you need a little extra support use a flexible plastic tape, your ankles need to be able to bend and absorb shock.
DevsFan84
Registered User
- Jul 31, 2007
- 594
- 1
Last weekend, I had a dad purchase, and cut about a foot and a half off a pro flex s19 for his 12 year old son. When asked why:
"He breaks too many sticks. It will be stronger like this"
I tried to explain the problem with that, but when he looked at me like I was some sort of idiot...I rang him up, cut the stick, and sent him on his way. I'll cut the damn thing in half as long as you pay for it.
nyr33
Registered User
- Aug 12, 2008
- 108
- 0
Last weekend, I had a dad purchase, and cut about a foot and a half off a pro flex s19 for his 12 year old son. When asked why:
"He breaks too many sticks. It will be stronger like this"
I tried to explain the problem with that, but when he looked at me like I was some sort of idiot...I rang him up, cut the stick, and sent him on his way. I'll cut the damn thing in half as long as you pay for it.
hahaha
his 12 year old really needs the s19 in pro flex too
1dude
Registered User
i would not recommend wrapping laces...you could get lace bite...not good...the other comment was right that it depends on how tight you wrap...still not recommended..you needed to get a knee bend...if the ankle is tight...u lesson ankle bend...when i lace up i ensure i get the proper ankle bend and then lace accordingly....a tight lace job at top doesn't help...it will just make you a worse a skater....hope this helps
Pierre Gotye
Registered User
DevsFan84
Registered User
- Jul 31, 2007
- 594
- 1
CanadaBacon
#SavetheGoons
Two things i find wrong with this post
1. I have never seen anyone get lace bite from a wrapped lace, I have seen 100's of guys get lace bite without wrapping.
2. A tight lace job at the top will NOT always make you a worse skater, i have to have the top two eyelets tight as hell or my skating suffers. Once again, different strokes for different folks.
so no, it does not help.
PS i wont recommend wrapping to anyone.
DevsFan84
Registered User
- Jul 31, 2007
- 594
- 1
I'm going to leave this thread alone after this.
I have people coming to me every day asking about wrapping laces, or taping, or something else to provide more ankle support. As of this post, every single one of them had at least one of the following 4 issues:
1. They had weak ankles
2. They had crappy skates
3. They had the wrong sized skate
4. They had an incorrect skating technique (usually resulting in them bending their knees like they were wearing a diaper with a 50 pound weight in it, due to the complete inability to bend their knees properly, a result of the lace wrapping)
Now, there are a myriad of things that can go wrong with wrapping laces. Many of these things have been listed here and in other threads that you can easily find. I won't pretend to know everything, cause I don't. And quite frankly, I don't really care how anyone wears their skates.
If you want to advance your skating skills and can't seem to skate properly without those wrapped laces, I would suggest going through the above list and addressing the problem you have.
I have people coming to me every day asking about wrapping laces, or taping, or something else to provide more ankle support. As of this post, every single one of them had at least one of the following 4 issues:
1. They had weak ankles
2. They had crappy skates
3. They had the wrong sized skate
4. They had an incorrect skating technique (usually resulting in them bending their knees like they were wearing a diaper with a 50 pound weight in it, due to the complete inability to bend their knees properly, a result of the lace wrapping)
Now, there are a myriad of things that can go wrong with wrapping laces. Many of these things have been listed here and in other threads that you can easily find. I won't pretend to know everything, cause I don't. And quite frankly, I don't really care how anyone wears their skates.
If you want to advance your skating skills and can't seem to skate properly without those wrapped laces, I would suggest going through the above list and addressing the problem you have.
noobman
Registered User
- Nov 28, 2007
- 4,640
- 4
I don't wrap my laces around my ankles anymore. I used to do it, but found that it restricted my ankle bend, which ultimately affected my knee bend. Despite growing a few inches since then, I actually look shorter on the ice because I skate nice and low. It has given me a boost in both speed and balance.
Another problem I had with wrapping your laces around the back of the ankle is that there was nothing to hold the laces in place. The laces would slide up and down the tendon guard (just a few centimetres, if that), which would alter the feel of the skate.
I would agree with DevsFan here... if you have to wrap your laces to get a comfortable and well supported fit you may have poorly fitted skates.
I do my laces up while leaving the last eyelet open. I do the boot up tight at the bottom, snug in the middle, very tight for the 4th and 3rd to last eyelet (locks the heel in the back of the boot, prevents foot wobble inside the boot) then do the 2nd to last eyelet (last eyelet laced) moderately snug. I usually bend my ankle so that my toes are facing the ceiling while I do the last one, to ensure that I'm not restricting my ankles.
What feels right for players depends largely on their skating style. I rely heavily on my edges, and use a strong toe-push at the end of my strides. I also shift my weight and energy around... using the toe of the skate for backwards skating/backwards crossovers, and the heel of the skate for C-cuts in-tight and tight turns. I would not be able to do this without the ability to bend my ankles in my skates.
Another problem I had with wrapping your laces around the back of the ankle is that there was nothing to hold the laces in place. The laces would slide up and down the tendon guard (just a few centimetres, if that), which would alter the feel of the skate.
I would agree with DevsFan here... if you have to wrap your laces to get a comfortable and well supported fit you may have poorly fitted skates.
I do my laces up while leaving the last eyelet open. I do the boot up tight at the bottom, snug in the middle, very tight for the 4th and 3rd to last eyelet (locks the heel in the back of the boot, prevents foot wobble inside the boot) then do the 2nd to last eyelet (last eyelet laced) moderately snug. I usually bend my ankle so that my toes are facing the ceiling while I do the last one, to ensure that I'm not restricting my ankles.
What feels right for players depends largely on their skating style. I rely heavily on my edges, and use a strong toe-push at the end of my strides. I also shift my weight and energy around... using the toe of the skate for backwards skating/backwards crossovers, and the heel of the skate for C-cuts in-tight and tight turns. I would not be able to do this without the ability to bend my ankles in my skates.
Last edited:
1dude
Registered User
well, wrapping my skates gave me lace bite...i was unaware what i was doing after not skating for 7 years...u might not have seen it...so now uv heard it...i understand ur point number 2 regarding ur skating style...for most people beginning or looking for advice on wrapping or tight at the top...is to stray them away from that so they can get the knee bend...so how's ur knee bend with the TWO EYELETS TIGHT AS HELL?
RandallRitchey
Formerly the Bergy Gif guy on Twitter
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