may become irritated in 20% of figure skaters at some point, causing tendonitis. The most common type is Achilles tendonitis (tendon at the back of the ankle/heel). Prevention includes regular calf stretching, strengthening exercises, avoiding overly stiff boots, and limiting jumps.
Plantar fasciitis. The band of tissue runs along the arch of the foot, connecting the heel bone to the toes, and can become inflamed if the skater's Achilles tendons are too tight. Regular calf stretching and good arch support can again be helpful.
Hip Labrum tear. Figure skating involves repeated twisting and quick changes of direction, which can injure the labrum of the hip joint. Proper warm-up, stretching, and strengthening exercises such as side-leg raises and squats can help prevent this injury.
Stress Fractures & Bone Bruises
Shin splints. Also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, this condition causes pain along the tibia of the lower leg. It results from repeated, high-impact movements and involves muscle irritation with bony stress injury along the tibia of the lower leg. Rest and proper training can help mild cases, but talk with your pediatrician if this condition worsens or pain persists despite rest.
Stress fractures of the foot. Frequent jumps and landings take a toll and can lead to stress injuries of bones in the foot. These include the the metatarsals (five long bones running between the toes and ankle); the navicular (boat-shaped bone in the midfoot); and the sesamoids (pea-shaped bones within the tendon at base of the big toe). Prevention includes additional padding, especially under the forefoot, and avoiding excessive jumping.
Spondylolysis. A recent
study found 30% of adolescent athletes with low back pain have spondylolysis, a bony stress injury of the lumbar spine. A number of factors may contribute to spondylolysis in skaters, including decreased foot flexibility from stiffer boots (popular for extra support during advanced twirls and jumps), which can lead to increased arching of the back to help maintain balance. This, along with repetitive high-impact landings, may cause the injury. Prevention includes proper training along with strengthening exercises for the core and lower back.
Apophysitis. For skaters who are growing, apophysitis (inflammation and pain where the muscle attaches to the growth plate) can be caused by overly tight muscles in the hip, thigh, and knee areas. One example of apophysitis is Osgood-Schlatter disease, which involves a growth plate near the knee, but apophysitis also appears around bony pelvic areas like the iliac crest. Stretching is especially important for prevention if skaters do a lot of repeated twists and turns during jumps.
AAP Tips to Prevent Figure Skating Injuries:
Share the tips below with your child and his or her coaches.
Participate in off-ice workouts that develop flexibility and strength. Focus on
core stability so you can stay strong on your skates.
Warmup AND cool down after each skating session. Focus on dynamic, movement-based stretching and strengthening exercises during warm-up. Do static stretching (holding a stretch while resting) for the cool down.
Make sure your skates fit properly and are broken in. When boots are too stiff, your motion is limited. This puts stress on the ankle, knee, hip, and back. Resist the urge to buy skates a "little too big" to allow room for growth, and check the fit regularly to make sure your child has not outgrown them.
Sharpen your skates―but not too sharp. Overly sharpened skates tend to pull rather than glide. This may lead to injuries with new skaters.
Check the ice for chips, bumps, and divots. These can cause acute injuries from slips and falls.
Limit the number of repetitions when learning new moves. Hard landings put a lot of pressure on the body. Limiting the number of repetitions of high-impact landings may prevent injury.
Increase training load gradually. According to the
U.S. Figure Skating Association, skaters are more likely to become injured when they increase training intensity or time on the ice by than 10%, espec