Monday, August 8, 2011

Foot Care for Ballet Dancers

To survive dancing on pointe you must pay attention to the care of your feet.  I have to remember that as well.  Sometimes I forget to check the length of my toenails, or cover an area where a blister is forming.
Always make sure your toenails aren't too short or too long.  It's a good idea to give them a quick look everyday, and if you see any that need to be trimmed do so after a shower or bath.
Everyone has certain spots on their feet that are more likely to get blisters than others.  Cover them up with band-aids, toe tape, moleskin, or whatever works best for you.  This goes a long way in preventing blisters.  If you feel a blister start to develop while your dancing, take off your shoe and put some sort of protection there.  It's worth the effort, believe me.  There have been too many instances where I sensed a blister coming but didn't tend to it in time .
It's also smart to pad your pointe shoe.  Try to stay away from anything that's too thick or that will keep you from being able to feel the floor.  There is a wide variety of toe pads to choose from, but you can also stick with simple lambs wool or paper towels.

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