Like all other athletes, ballet dancers need to take extra care of their bodies. Behind their effortless grace on stage are countless hours of grueling practice and training, which can make dancers prone to musculoskeletal injuries. According to a report on ballet injuries, 63% of the professional dancers surveyed fear sustaining a dance-related injury. Moreover, they believe that there is still plenty of stigma surrounding ballet injuries. This leads to many ballerinas delaying reporting pain or seeking medical care. Younger performers, especially those whose bodies are changing during puberty, are particularly at risk for injury.

Foot Injuries in Young Ballerinas

Female dancers wear pointe shoes, which are dancing slippers with a strong tip to support the body weight and elongate the legs. While male dancers, on the other hand, don’t dance on pointe shoes, they do a lot of lifting and jumping. This is why several injuries may affect the back and lower extremities of young ballerinas. Three injuries, in particular, can restrict a dancer’s movement and cause pain:

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a type of tendonitis that affects the plantar fascia, which is the dense band of fibrous tissues that connect the heel to the base of the toes. If the arch is improperly supported by footwear, dancers can experience pain and swelling at the inner base of the heel and arch area.

Sesamoiditis

Sesamoiditis is a chronic inflammation in the sesamoids, which are very small bones found in the tendons connected to the big toe and serve as a pulley. Sesamoiditis is often caused by overuse, dancing on hard surfaces, jumping, shock, or dancing on demi-pointe. Young dancers may experience pain under the ball of the foot, inflammation, and tightness in the Achilles tendon, which may limit their motion.

Hallux limitus or rigidus

It’s called hallux limitus or rigidus when the joint at the base of the big toe grows extremely inflexible. As the toe joint fails to bend sufficiently, it jams and causes pain. Repetitive jamming can wear out the joint’s protective cartilage over time, causing the bones to rub against each other and creating pain or swelling. Bone spurs may also develop on top of the joint. Overuse and repeated strain on the toe joint through ballet are often the cause of hallux limitus or rigidus.

Treating Ballerina Feet

Ballet may take a toll on the body and cause lifelong issues, so it’s always best to seek treatment in case of injury. Here are some tips to consider:

Practice regular foot care

At the end of a long day, it’s great to unwind and soothe your tired toes. Soak your feet in warm water with Epsom salts to reduce any inflammation. Afterward, put some petroleum jelly on your feet and wear a clean pair of socks before going to bed.

It’s also important to consider the condition and integrity of your pointe shoes. A study comparing new and dead pointe shoes found that performing with “dead” (or worn out) pointe shoes may contribute to overuse and acute injuries, which means they can be dangerous to perform in.

Consult a health specialist

It’s always best to see a health specialist when any injuries occur, but young ballerinas may have limited options during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth can be a better alternative, as young dancers can get the medical attention they need without leaving home. This type of arrangement also relieves pressure from the healthcare sector. An article on dance medicine specialists points out that any nonsurgical primary-care provider who is willing to listen and has experience with runners may be of great help to young ballerinas during an emergency.

With telehealth, nurses are likely to be your main point of contact in the healthcare system. The good news is that those who took a specialized nursing degree will have trained in digital health fields, such as informatics, which makes them fully qualified to provide care through digital channels. This in turn makes them ideal professionals to determine the severity of your foot or ankle problem. For more serious cases, they can point you to podiatrists and other specialists for closer care. Getting help from a well-trained nurse can prevent serious problems or infections from occurring in the future.

Strengthen your feet through exercise

In our exercise guide, we discussed how tight muscles and weakness in the lower extremities leave the feet susceptible to injury. It’s important to practice foot and ankle exercises that improve your strength, balance, and joint flexibility.

Conditioning and stretching your arches using correct techniques are necessary to prevent foot problems. An ankle pump-up, toe splay, or plantar fascia massage can keep a young dancer’s feet healthy. You can also ask for tips from an expert podiatrist, like our Dr. Ejodamen Shobowale. Schedule an appointment with us at DeNiel Foot & Ankle Center today.

Written by Farah Huntley for denielfootandanklecenter.com