Why You Should Wrap a Dancer’s Foot and How to Do it

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Due to the nature of the movements and the countless hours of training spent on hard floors, a dancer’s foot is often vulnerable to many types of injuries. Sprains, blisters, bleeding and bruises are just a few of the pitfalls in a dancer’s life.

Dr. Tina Boucher is a foot specialist in Meriden, CT with a love for dance and a long list of dance patients who see her on a regular basis. Properly wrapping or taping your feet if you are a dancer is a way to prevent injury and care for your foot if it has suffered an injury. When it comes to wrapping and taping, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Prevent blisters - Cut some tape twice the width of the affected toe and wrap a portion of the tape back on itself to create a non-stick area. Place that area on the area prone to blistering and wrap the rest of the tape around the toe. If a blister has already formed, put a small piece of moleskin or a corn pad on the blister before taping. Lamb’s wool in the toe of your shoe can help cushion your toes as well.

After an injury - If a toe has been injured, wrap it together with a neighboring toe with gauze beside the toe and in between the two toes. If the ball of your foot is painful, put a long strip of athletic tape on the floor, sticky side up. Place the injured part of your foot on the center of the tape and flatten your foot. Lift the ends of the tape and overlap them on the top of your foot. From the top of your foot, cut the ends of the tape an inch down and fasten the tape down.

Wrapping and taping can be tricky. If you have foot pain from dancing, see Dr. Boucher for help. Make an appointment today by calling our podiatric office at (203) 238-3668 or visit us online www.centralctfootcare.com.

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Saving Your Ankles, A Saving Grace

Sprained Ankle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dancers are some of the finest tuned and strength athletes that live. If you don’t believe this, just try dancing around on your toes for as many hours a week as your training, rehearsal and performance schedules require. Not so easy, huh? Strength and conditioning is a major focus of dancers, but that does not mean they are immune from injuries.

Ankle injuries are common amongst dancers, so to stay in the game, so to speak, what can be done to protect this overtaxed joint and surrounding soft tissue? There are strategies for strength development and conditioning meant to reduce the risk of injury. The serious dancer is always in training in an effort to perfect their stance and form, allowing them to perform at the level that is demanded of them.

One of the most unattractive and weakest forms is when the foot is allowed to sickle. Instead of maintaining a straight line from the leg all the way through the foot, the foot is allowed to bend inward. It is unacceptable, unattractive and weak. This weakened position leads to ankle injuries like strains, sprains and breaks of the ankle.

The click on this link to go to a website that shows excellent visual of what a sickled foot looks like. 

In order to prevent injuries caused by weak positions, the dancer must constantly be using exercises to gain strength and control. This is not a quick fix, but needs to be worked on consistently until sickling no longer occurs.

There are five recommended ways to prevent ankle injuries and a dancer would do well to heed the following advice:

• Warm up – the muscles of body, feet and ankles have to be prepared for work.

• Develop strong ankles and skills – dancers must have strong muscles and ankle strength in order to perfect ballet moves.

• Properly fit shoes and proper flooring – properly fit shoes are close and supportive. Too large a shoe allows the foot to come out of pointe and can result in injuries. Proper flooring is padded to protect from painful ankle injuries. 

• The thin physique of the ballet dancer demands proper nutrition to maintain form and strength. Eat healthy and get the proper nutrients.

• When an ankle injury occurs, take care of it immediately with the proper rest and treatment. When you are ready to resume dance, wrap the ankle for continued support.

Dr. Boucher and her staff are ready to help you. Call her with questions and concerns at (203) 238-3668. Her medical expertise and knowledge of dance is sure to keep you in top performance.

References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/11170-prevent-ankle-injuries-ballet/
http://www.podiatrytoday.com/article/1616?page=1
http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=51274

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Dear Jenn: Ankle Sprains

Dear Jenn,
I've found that I'm spraining my ankle a lot lately. I've been intensely training in ballet 4 hours a day, and I find that I'm spraining my ankle often. What could be the problem?

I've gotten a couple of e-mails about this, so it must be a common problem dancers are having! I personally have never sprained my ankle dancing, but with a weak right ankle, I'm sure it will happen someday.
An ankle sprain is an injury to one or more of the ligaments, typically on the outside of the ankle. Ligaments "band" one bone to another and bind joints together. These are especially important in the ankle because they allow side-to-side movement and stability.
An ankle sprain can be a minor or major injury, depending on how badly you injured the ligament. Is it stretched, partially torn, or completely torn? Remember that sprains are not the same as strains, which involve the muscles. You could perhaps have an ankle strain instead.
Sprains are usually caused by falls, spills, twists, and blows that force the ankle out of its normal position (in ballet, that means every position!). If you have weak ankles or previous sprains, you will be more susceptible to ankle sprains.

Symptoms include: pain or soreness, swelling, bruising, difficulty walking, and stiffness in the joint. Symptoms vary in intensity, depending on how severe the sprain is. You may feel your ankle is wobbly and unsteady. The important course of action is seeking immediate medical attention. It is important to get prompt medical attention because leaving it untreated may lead to chronice instability, which is characterized by persistent discomfort and a giving way feeling. A more serious injury could have also happened with the strain, including a bone fracture. The sprain could also be hiding the real source of the problem, which could be a more serious foot injury.

A podiatrist will x-ray your foot and obtain a history of the problem in their evaluation. They will recommend R.I.C.E., along with anti-inflammatory medications. The most important and hardest part of your treatment will be staying off that foot- I know, hard for dancers to do! But if you want get better and stay better, then you need to rest.

Dancingly, Jenn
jenn@centralctfootcare.com
Dr Tina Boucher, Dance Podiatrist