Let’s Keep On Dancing

Dancer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is nothing easy about a ballet dancer’s life. It is stressful with constant worries about winning a role, guarding their position, rehearsals, performances, money and competition. The calm look on the face of a dancer as she performs might be masking a world of pain. They are on their feet so many hours a day, and on top of it they probably have one or more foot conditions that they experience pain from. Common disorders that they must bear up under include bunions, ingrown toenails, blisters and corns which can easily become infected.

Today let’s learn a bit about bunions and treatment methods that may allow a dancer to keep on dancing. A bunion is a deformity at the base of the big toe, which is caused when the big toe becomes misaligned and extra bone growth appears at the joint. It mostly affects the inner side of the big toe. As the misalignment continues, the big toe slants toward the other toes and the joint becomes more enlarged. If allowed to grow untreated, a bunion can become very painful and make even walking nearly impossible. This is why it is necessary to begin treatment of a bunion early and be persistent.

Symptoms to look for include:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Protruding at the joint
• Pain
• Tenderness

It used to be generally believed that a bunion was caused by tight and ill-fitting shoes. This may be somewhat true, but now it is also believed that genetics plays a part because of bone structure.

Different treatment methods for bunions include:

• Rest
• Anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen
• Exercises and stretching that encourage correct positioning of the big toe
• A nighttime bunion splint
• Bunion sleeve
• Cortisone injections
• Surgery
• Shoes with a roomier toe box

In order to allow a dancer to continue performing, with bunions present, Dr. Boucher may suggest rest as much as possible and take over-the-counter medication for pain. An elastic sleeve can be pulled on over the foot to maintain correct position or gently reposition the big toe.

If you are a dancer and suffer the constant discomfort of bunions, as many do, contact Dr. Boucher at (203)238-3668. Dr. Boucher was a dancer also, understands your needs and how important it is for you to keep dancing.

References:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2006/sep/05/dance

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