Ankles Hurt When Ice Skating? Causes + Soothing Tips

The joy of gliding on ice is often dampened by ankle pain caused during ice skating. Ankle pain, unfortunately, is so common with ice skating that skaters irrespective of their level and proficiency in ice skating can experience it. The most common reasons why ankles hurt when ice skating are improper ankle support on account of poorly fitting ice skates and strain on ankles on account of overload on ankles due to a possible faulty skating technique.

Why do ankles hurt when ice skating and tips to prevent ankle pain — Ankles are highly engaged during ice skating

In addition to these reasons too, there are a number of reasons why your ankles hurt when ice skating. This article will break down all those reasons for you and provide solid actionable tips that could help you relieve your ice skating ankle pain or prevent it completely.

Important Note and Disclaimer: It’s important to talk to a doctor if you’re experiencing persistent or severe ankle pain while ice skating. A doctor will diagnose the cause of your pain and recommend a suitable line of treatment to help you recover from ankle pain. Do not use this article to substitute or complement medical treatment. This article is purely written on the basis of general research and is not meant to offer medical advice of any sort whatsoever.

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Causes of Ankle Pain When Ice Skating and Tips to Prevent Ankle Pain

Before I share tips to help alleviate ankle pain during skating, let me share the various reasons that could be responsible for your ankle pain.

Inadequate Ankle Support

Inadequate ankle support is often the primary reason why ankles hurt when ice skating. Inadequate support may be a consequence of

ill-fitting skates – skates that are too loose (many moms buy a bigger size for their kids to get more worth out of their buck but this is a wrong practice that could lead to ankle pain and other complications)
improper lacing of skates causing the skates to rub back and forth on the ankles
improper break-in of new skates i.e. wearing thick socks with new skates or not following a proper break-in routine

How to prevent ankle pain caused by inadequate ankle support

A few ways in which you can ensure your ankle is properly supported when skating is by

buying your own pair of skates instead of using rental skates that may not offer the best fit
buying skates that fit properly. Do not buy a size too big. Kids new to skating could use a good pair of adjustable skates to extend the life of their skates and get more out of a pair. Read my article on adjustable skates for beginners here.
Break into your new skates properly. Consult an expert or your coach for a proper break-in routine.
Tighten your laces at the ankle. Leave room around your toe for movement but never at the ankle.
Get your skates remoulded (only by an expert) who may push out the ankle a bit for a proper fit
Wear gel mesh tubes like this one

The proper way to wear this is to cut it into a small square that only covers the ankle and sits flat against your foot. You do not want any lumps or creases as they could impact the fit of your ice skates.

Professional skates or any skates baked to fit your foot may not accommodate a gel mesh tube. But most beginner skates or adjustable skates would be able to hold a gel mesh tube.

Remember to use this tip only as a last resort.

Poor technique

Ice skating posture — Correct ice skating technique

If you notice your ankles rocking when skating, you are bound to experience ankle pain. Poor technique resulting in ankle pain involves:

Skating with your feet too wide open
Skating without bending your knees

How to prevent ankle pain caused by poor technique

As a skater, your goal should always be to perfect your skating technique. It is never too late to rework your basics.

So first things first, start. by

making it a habit to position your feet square under your hips – not too wide, not too narrow. This may be tough initially if you are too habituated to balancing using a wide stance, but it is a non-negotiable technique correction if you want to protect your ankles in the long run.
making it a habit to bend your knees. Bent knees take the pressure off your ankles and distribute your weight evenly across your body. Ensure that your knees stay right above your ankle at all times when skating.

If you are learning how to skate yourself and if you continue to experience ankle pain, please get your technique evaluated by an expert. Join a class.

Strain or overload on the ankle

While strain or overload on the ankle may be caused due to poor technique, it could also be a direct result of over practice. If you are working too hard on skating, skating for long hours, or skating too frequently, it could result in overuse of the ankle.

Strain or overload could also be a result of practicing the same movement multiple times. Repetitions of the same movement, jump, or routine could cause stiffness or swelling.

How to prevent ankle pain caused by overuse, overload, or strain

Go easy on practice for a few days till the acuteness of the pain reduces.
Rework your skating schedule to ensure it doesn’t cause an overload on your ankle or on your body in general.
Practice diverse movements to avoid pain caused by over-repetition of the same movement.
Always warm up before ice skating.

Quick note for absolute beginners: If you are a complete beginner who has recently taken up ice skating, it is common to experience ankle pain. This is because your ankles are not used to being overloaded with physical activity. The pain should subside within a few sessions of ice skating as your ankles get used to the new type of movement. It is best to space out your ice skating sessions initially – leave at least a gap of 2 days between sessions.

Lack of fitness

Most workouts do not engage your ankles as much as ice skating. As a result, our ankles are not trained to handle the pressure that falls on them during ice skating causing them to hurt.

Likewise, if you are obese or overweight, your extra pounds may be causing more pressure on your ankles resulting in ankle pain.

How to prevent ankle pain caused by lack of fitness

Having a proper workout routine (off-ice) is extremely important if you want to excel at ice skating and also skate without experiencing pain. In my article on off-ice techniques to improve ice skating, I mention multiple workouts that you should include in your off-ice routine. Many of those workouts help strengthen your ankles. You can read my article on off-ice techniques to improve ice skating here.

Alternatively, you can even practice drills in this video. They are all directed toward ankle strengthening.

Always work toward ensuring optimal body weight. A fitness routine and a balanced diet are key.

Cold Temperatures

What should beginners wear for ice skating — Wearing proper clothing during ice skating to protect against cold temperatures

Skating in extreme cold without wearing proper clothes to shield against the weather can cause your muscles and joints to stiffen. Your ankles may not be able to move as well as they would and could cause pain.

How to prevent ankle pain caused by cold temperatures

Skate at temperature-regulated indoor rinks
If skating outdoors, protect yourself from the harsh weather by wearing proper clothes. Refer to my guide on what to wear when ice skating here.
Always wear a jacket until your body warms up and at times even after if the rink feels too cold. I have a detailed guide on the best ice skating jackets that could help you figure out which jacket you need to stay appropriately warm on the rink. Read the article here.
Do not skate without socks. Many ice skaters find better control when skating without socks. But wearing thin socks is a great way of keeping your feet warm when skating without losing control.
Tying the laces snug at the ankles to prevent cold air from getting in.
Wearing over-the-boot leggings also helps keep the ankles warm.

Ice Skating Pants for Beginners — See these over-the-boot leggings perfect for ice skating on Amazon

Improper or uneven rink surface

Avoid skating at improperly maintained outdoor rinks or rinks that get too crowded

Outdoor rinks often have an uneven surfaces. Some even have ice that’s too soft. Both these conditions exert more pressure on the ankles causing pain.

How to prevent ankle pain caused due to improper or uneven rink surface

Opt for an indoor rink that’s well-maintained
For skating outdoors, do not skate at naturally created rinks like frozen lakes, etc. Opt for artificially created rinks or rinks that are properly maintained.
Avoid skating at rinks that are too crowded. Uneven tracks could develop due to multiple people going over certain parts of the rink.

Final Thoughts

In addition to the above factors, certain pre-existent underlying medical conditions may also be a cause of ankle pain. Please consult a medical practitioner to understand more about the possible ankle pain causes.

Likewise ignoring ankle pain for too long could cause long-term ankle damage. Many ice skaters run the risk of pronation, supination, bursitis, and other physical alterations and other injuries. Please do not ignore persistent ankle pain.