I would love to be able to blame my skating uncertainties this week to the blow to the head from our ice dance weekend. I feel like I’ve spent quite a bit of time this week figuring out exactly where to be on my blades. Major case of the wobbles!

But no, the problems are only partly in my head. Mostly I think they are in my feet, which were the subject of interest at my last visit with PT Sarah. We went over how both my feet need strengthening and realignment in different ways.

My arches are both pretty flat, which means that under normal circumstances I would pronate and roll towards the inside of my feet.

But since I have never been one to adhere to the normal. Instead, I tend to walk on the outside of my left foot. If you look at the calluses on the left edge of my left foot (fine, just imagine the dang calluses, okay?) you will know what I’m talking about.

So what’s up? Sarah came up with a very plausible explanation, which is that my left foot has compensated so that I’ve created a kind of artificial arch by rolling my foot outwards. Mere mortals with normal gait and foot alignment could never imagine what this is like, but I seem to have achieved an entirely different state of foot-being. (Not a higher dimension, not the sublime. Just different.)

Okay, back to the point. I have been assigned a number of exercises to help develop my left foot so that I can reconnect with my true archness. These are variations on things I’ve done before, such as the “short foot” and the calf raises I know and love so well. I’m doing a lot to mobilize my big toe (by pressing it down and using the muscles just in back of it to make my arch).

Next session will be about the right foot. Aren’t you excited? Here’s some hopeful pictures until that happy time comes.

Sculpture garden under construction, just like me!

The near-dead jasmine plant revives!

Tam and Harriet after a hard practice.

So close. . .

. . . and then it blooms.

Author: Joskates

Don't see me on the ice? I may be in the classroom or at the theater, or hanging out with my family and friends.