If your feet or ankles hurt when you skate, what’s the first thing you blame?
Your skates.
Too tight.
Too stiff.
Wrong shape.
“Bad fit.”
So you upgrade.
And if the pain’s still there… you suffer for weeks or months and then upgrade again.
I’ve seen skaters go through two, even three pairs of skates trying to fix a problem that wasn’t coming from the equipment in the first place.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
👉 It’s usually not your skates.
👉 It’s your technique.
More specifically — pronation.
When your skates collapse onto the inside edge instead of staying upright, all that pressure gets pushed into the inside ankle (around the malleolus). That’s where the rubbing, strain and pain often show up.
And no skate can fix that for you.
A real example from one of my students:
“I had quite a bit of pain in both feet at the malleolus bone and I had it in my head that the reason was a ‘sticky out’ bone…
Then I tried my other skates and the pain was just as bad, so I was even more sure my theory was correct.
Until I saw your video about not blaming the equipment and first thinking about pronation and form.
Anyway, I’m now using the course to confront my pronation problem, which is getting better and the pain is reducing.”
Why this matters
Blaming your skates feels logical.
It’s easier to change equipment than to change movement.
But skating is a technical skill — and small changes in alignment make a huge difference.
When your skates are:
- Upright
- Stable
- Rolling cleanly through the centre
Everything improves:
- Less pressure on the ankle
- Less rubbing
- More control
- Better flow
And yes… less pain.
The real “upgrade”
Better technique.
Not new skates.
Because when you fix the way you move, you don’t just remove pain —
you unlock smoother, more efficient skating.
And that feels completely different.
Before you buy your next pair…
Ask yourself:
Have I actually checked my technique?
If this sounds familiar
This is exactly what I help skaters fix inside my courses — starting with the fundamentals that most people skip.
Because sometimes the solution isn’t new gear…
It’s learning how to use what you already have.
Learn with the Skatefresh Method using these FREE Video Packs. Juts choose your level or grab them all for when you’re ready.
Inline Beginner Starter Pack.
Static Prep, Basic Movement + 2 Stride & Balance Drills
https://skatefresh.com/freebie-beginner/
Inline Intermediate Freebie Pack
Lunge Turn & 3 FREE Stride Fitness Drills
https://skatefresh.com/freebie-intermediate/
Inline Advanced Freebie Pack
Full Barrel Roll (& variations) lesson + 2x Double Push Drills
https://skatefresh.com/freebie-advanced/
Quads Beginner Video Starter Pack
Static Preparations, Basic Movement, T-Stop
https://skatefresh.com/freebie-quads/