| If you have ever been to a dance performance, | | | | are in pain, do not ignore the pain. Your feet are |
| you have probably been among the many in the | | | | trying to tell you something is not right. Redness, |
| crowd who have wondered, "How do they do | | | | swelling, and irritation are all initial symptoms. |
| that?" A lot of what dancers are able to do is | | | | Blisters and sores around the knuckles of your |
| with the help of their feet. Taking a look at a | | | | feet is also an indication of a problem. Taping and |
| dancer's feet may cause you to gasp in horror | | | | bandaging your feet in problem areas will help |
| however. Dancers who are professionals and | | | | relieve some of the blistering and soreness you |
| amateurs are subject to crippling foot problems. | | | | are experiencing. |
| Because of the physical and artistic nature of this | | | | Wear shoes that are designed to support your |
| sport, dancers often have many problems with | | | | feet. That may sound like a difficult task, but |
| their feet. Whether the dancer does tap, jazz, | | | | there are dance shoes that are easier on your |
| hip-hop, contemporary/modern, ballet, or pointe, all | | | | feet. One brand, Gaynor Minden, has |
| forms of dance are hard on the feet. | | | | revolutionized pointe shoes by using foam, |
| Unfortunately as well, the shoes worn by dancers | | | | elastomerics, and impact-absorbing materials. |
| do not support or protect the feet. | | | | Gaynor Minden pointe shoes have received a seal |
| Dancers may suffer from bunions, warts, fungal | | | | of approval by the American Podiatric Medical |
| toe nails, heel pain, bursitis, plantar fasciitis, | | | | Association. Special orthitics, specific to dance |
| hammertoes, ingrown toe nails, and much more. | | | | shoes are also available |
| What they will suffer for their art! Female ballet | | | | Dancers with flat feet or high arches need to be |
| dancers in particular have many issues because of | | | | particularly careful when selecting dance shoes, |
| pointe shoes, the shoes worn to help a dancer | | | | making sure that they do not add any further |
| "stand" on their toes. The common misconception | | | | damage or harm. When dancing, make sure that |
| is that pointe shoes are made of wood. Perhaps | | | | you are always standing with all parts of your |
| back in Degas's time pointe shoes were made of | | | | foot on the ground (both sides of the foot, equal |
| wood, but not so today. Most pointe shoes are | | | | weight on heel and ball, etc), and when coming |
| constructed from cardboard/burlap, massive | | | | down from jumps/leaps/allegro movement, that |
| amounts of glue, and satin. | | | | you roll through your foot toe-ball-heel into a plie. |
| So what can you do if you are a dancer? First | | | | Without your feet, you cannot dance! |
| and foremost, take care of your feet. When you | | | | |