Best Exercises to Strengthen Feet for Ballet Dancers

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It goes without saying that if you are a ballet dancer, your feet are a prized possession. Not only are they the extension of the beautiful lines of your legs, they provide the support, stability and balance for every leap, spin and step you take.

Dr. Tina Boucher is a foot specialist in Meriden, CT who has many dancers visit her podiatric office for foot care. Taking good care of your feet and monitoring potential injuries is very important. Strengthening your feet will help prevent injury and provide a great foundation for executing the difficult moves required in ballet. The following are some ways to put your feet to work and build up some strength before your next show:

• Point and flex with a resistance band. Lie on the floor with knees up and feet flat. Put the band around the arch of one foot and extend that leg straight up to the ceiling. Hold the band tight, point your foot and hold. Now flex your foot and hold. Finish with a series of pointing and flexing without holding.

• Do a series of barre jumps. This is a great exercise for dancers on pointe. Stand in first position and without going into a plié; use your feet to jump. Land as softly as you can down on the balls of your feet through your heels, ending in a plié. Repeat 12-15 times. 

• Complete repetitions of tendues, which are basic stretching and pointing movements of the feet. These can be performed in any position. Do on both legs, repeating 3-5 times on each leg.

Keeping feet strong is essential for a ballet dancer and quick treatment for injury is just as important. If you are a dancer in need of foot care, please call us today for diagnosis and treatment. Make an appointment by calling us at (203) 238-3668 or visit us online www.centralctfootcare.com.

Related articles

• Plantar Fibromas and Ballet Dancers
• Coming Back From a Dancing Injury
• Barre Work: Ballet and Beyond

Plantar Fibromas and Ballet Dancers

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Feet are a dancer’s foundation. To glide around the floor, jump, leap and land, feet are needed to execute even the smallest movement. Unfortunately, due to the stress and strain put on feet during dance, injuries are common.

Dr. Tina Boucher, foot specialist in Meriden, CT treats ballet dancers specifically on a regular basis. The types of movement required in ballet take a tremendous amount of strength and training and when you add in wearing pointe shoes, dancers are prone to foot pain.

A common ballet injury is plantar fibromas. On the bottom of your foot runs a thick band of tissue called the plantar fascia. Plantar fibromas grow deep inside the bottom of your foot on the plantar fascia. They are benign tissue growths or tumors that can cause significant pain and pressure on other parts of the foot. These growths can also cause secondary foot problems to develop.

Certain movements, injury or overuse can cause a plantar fibroma to develop. They typically start out small but often get larger and more painful over time. Unfortunately, a plantar fibroma will not go away on its own. Relieving pressure on the arch of your foot is the first step in treating a plantar fibroma. Custom orthotics and cortisone injections can often provide relief but there are cases when surgical intervention is the only way to full treat the problem.

Surgery can often lead to further complications so Dr. Boucher is proud to be able to offer another form of treatment called cryosurgery. This is a short procedure, with little to no pain that gets you back to wearing shoes and on your feet within 48 hours. For more information about cryosurgery or treatment for a plantar fibroma or other dance injury, please contact our podiatric office for help. You can request an appointment by calling (203) 238-3668 or online at www.centralctfootcare.com.

Related articles

• Plantar Fasciitis
• Preventing Injuries in Dance
• Coming Back From a Dancing Injury