Skating Boot Burn

After being off the ice for a few weeks due to my foot 'issue', I found that the first time I skated in Lake Placid I started getting calluses on both legs. Depending on your boot height these usually appear just appear a couple of inches above the ankle.This can hurt--a lot--I call it boot burn.

In case you've never had these before, or don't have a friend who is willing to show you theirs, I'll show you the one on my right leg. 

So, how do you protect yourself?

I use our friend the faithful gel ankle tube. (I popped across the street to the skating shop at Lake Placid and bought two gel ankle tubes for exactly the same price as I could get on Amazon! That was great!)

The first time I put the gel tube on for the boot burn, I let them rest directly on my skin. Apparently, I have sensitive skin, because it stung like a demon when I laced up my skates.

I unlaced my skates and put on a skating sock first and put the gel tube over the sock.

Over that, I put a thin knee high because I double sock.

That's how I skated every day since.  No pain at  all, but I am glad that Phil at Harlick's made sure I had extra wide boot tongues.

So, if you ever get boot burn, this is what worked for me.