Ballet is an athletic art that demands precision, strength, and dedication. For aspiring ballet dancers, the transition to pointe work is a significant milestone that requires careful consideration and preparation. A crucial step in this journey is to undergo a pre-pointe assessment with a qualified podiatrist. This article delves into the reasons why ballet dancers […]
Tag Archives: Dancer and ballerina injuries
Common feet and ankle problems and injuries experienced by ballerinas and dancers.
Due to the nature of the movement and footwear, the pressure placed on feet, toes and ankles means ballerinas and dancers are often prone to a wide range of foot problems and injuries.
Deformity, pain and other complications are preventable with the correct, well-informed treatment and advice from a specialist dance podiatrist.
A podiatrist can help to emphasise the specific risks affecting each dancer based on extensive foot function testing, level of experience in ballet and dance, as well as medical and family history.
The intrinsic foot muscles are four layers of small muscles in the foot that are fundamental for dancers. They control small foot and toe movements and play a crucial role in the structural support of the arches in the feet (yes, there are more than one!). It is essential for dancers to have good coordination […]
So common in dancer’s that it has earned the colloquial name ‘The Dancer’s Fracture’, a 5th metatarsal fracture can be a tricky injury to diagnose and manage. Identifying signs, symptoms and risks at an early stage is essential to decrease downtime away from dance and improve treatment success. This article will break down signs, symptoms, […]
Ballet podiatrist Eastern Suburbs and Sydney. The team at Performance Podiatry is pleased to announce that specialist ballet dancer podiatrist, Tayla Forland, has joined our team. Whilst Tayla is qualified to treat all podiatry problems, she has completed further specialist training and certifications to assist all dancers with pre-pointe preparation and assessments, pointe shoe fitting […]
Common feet and ankle problems in ballerinas and dancers. Claw toes, hammer toes, mallet toes, bunions and all the other similar changes and deformities are frequently noticed in ballet dancers, largely because of the movements and footwear. Ballroom dancers and Irish dancers often suffer similar foot problems. Though, deformity, pain and other complications should be […]
Common feet and ankle problems in ballerinas and dancers. Hypermobility seems to be quite common in dancers. It can be an important consideration to make for dancers, particularly ballet dancers and ballroom dancers. It can be a significant risk factor for injury and later deformity like hallux valgus (bunions). Hypermobility can be influenced by genetics, […]
Common feet and ankle problems in ballerinas and dancers. Now, more than ever, we’ve seen an increase in injuries related to the type of flooring used for practice and rehearsal in dancers. A large contributor to the recent spike in flooring-related injuries has been online or at-home dance classes following dance studio closures due to […]
Orthotics for dancers and ballerinas. A common misconception that we hear is that foot orthotics work like ‘crutches’ and make the muscles in the feet weak. The idea is that they ‘hold up’ the arch of the foot and therefore, weaken the foot and ankles muscles due to not having to work to support the […]
Common feet and ankle problems in ballerinas and dancers. How many times have you heard that ballet or dancing causes bunions? ‘Bunions’, medically known as hallux abducto valgus, usually affects the big toe and is commonly highlighted as a risk particularly for dancers. This article discusses the impact of dancing on bunions and other causes […]