| One of the things I have been most concerned | | | | In order to create the perfect line some dancers will |
| about as a ballet dancer are bunions. It seems like so | | | | move their big toe joint instead of keeping it in line |
| many dancers, across disciplines, get bunions and | | | | with the rest of your inner foot. When we "wing" our |
| suffer greatly from them. Last year at my dance | | | | feet, it creates more pressure on the big toe joint, |
| studio our best dancer had bunion surgery and she | | | | leading to inflammation. |
| was only a senior in high school. Her podiatrist had to | | | | Dance students should focus on healthy alignment, |
| put pins in her big toe joint. She was off her feet for | | | | while trying not to sickle the foot. Heredity is a |
| many weeks, in therapy, and cautious on her foot | | | | factor dancers cannot overcome. If a relative of |
| when she got back to class. | | | | yours has bunions then you may get them as well. |
| One of my ballet teachers talked to us last year | | | | However, dancers in particular need to recognize the |
| about bunions and preventing them. She had us stand | | | | need for proper footwear. Narrow toe boxes in not |
| in arabesque sideways to the mirror and look at how | | | | only your pointe shoes, but your street shoes as well |
| our foot was shaped. Many had "curled" their big toe | | | | should be avoided. Narrow toe boxes may look |
| under and the majority of the weight of their foot | | | | better, but in reality you are squishing your toes |
| was resting on their big toe joint. This is a sure sign | | | | together and setting yourself up for disaster. |
| of things to come. | | | | For those dancers who have bunions but the problem |
| Take a look at your own foot in the mirror in | | | | is not serious enough to warrant surgery, they may |
| arabesque. Where is the weight resting? Now point | | | | want to consider orthotics for your shoes. If there is |
| your foot in tendu devant. Is your big toe joint | | | | a biomechanical problem with your feet, orthotics will |
| sticking out? If so, then you might be going down | | | | help alleviate those issues. There are also |
| the bunion road. I mentioned in my previous blog | | | | semi-custom orthotics that are available for your |
| about the perfect ballet foot. Gaining this perfect | | | | ballet shoes. A podiatrist would have access to these |
| foot, or "winging" it can also lead to bunion problems. | | | | items. |