How to Care for Feet After Being on Pointe

Ballet on pointe is one of the most graceful and beautiful forms of dance. To aspire to this level of dance a ballerina must endure countless hours of practice and training on her toes in pointe shoes. The care of a ballerina's feet after being on pointe is extremely important for her future as a dancer and her general overall health. Good foot care after being on pointe should be given high priority as a dancer.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Epsom salts
• Medicated ointments
• Thick foot balms
• Dance gauze or foot bandages

1. Soak your feet in a warm soapy bath to clean them as well help relax the muscles and joints after being on pointe. Use Epsom salts to soak your feet if your feet or toes are swollen. Cleaning the feet soon after being on pointe helps keep down the risk of developing foot and toe fungus.

2. Apply thick moisturizing foot balms on your heels and areas where corns, blisters and calluses may develop. Do this every day, if possible, and even before getting your feet ready to wear pointe shoes.

3. Keep your toe nails trimmed properly. Pointe dancers should not allow their toe nails to be long, but rather trimmed neatly straight across. Do not cut too short or cut into the sides as this may prompt development of ingrown toe nails or other foot problems due to the extreme pressure put on the toes while dancing on pointe.

4. Wear the appropriate type padding in your pointe shoes every time you put them on for rehearsals or performances to protect your feet and toes from the pressures of being on pointe. The toe or box area should be padded with either gel toe pads or lambs wood toe pads. In addition, if your toes and feet have been bleeding from injuries due to dancing, wrap the injured areas in medicate dance gauze or bandages before you then add the toe pads.

5. Use arch band supports on your feet to avoid developing tendonitis. Use stretchy bandages to wrap the feet to help support areas that have had a sprain or fracture. Use these with your pointe shoes and with your regular street shoes to help heal injuries.

6. See a podiatrist or foot care specialist for medical assistance with areas that keep bleeding on a regular basis. Pointe dancers do not wait to get a serious infection in their toes or foot area as this will keep them from dancing and performing.

Tips & Warnings

• Pointe dancers should have more than one pair of pointe shoes if they are dancing or performing everyday. Switch between the pairs of shoes to allow the pointe shoes to air dry properly before wearing again.
• Pointe dancers should replace their pointe shoes often and be sure to wear the appropriate size. A dancer's feet may need a larger size shoe as they grow older, due to the calluses that harden on their feet and toe areas.

[beeqn1624]

on 12/29/2008 If you soak your feet in warm water then your work will be lost. If you want to gain foot strength, my teacher recommends placing your feet into ice. (I know that sounds weird, but it works!)