Ballet and Dance
Background and how injuries happen
Ballet and dance place significant demands on the feet and ankles through repetitive jumping, landing, balancing, turning and dancing on the toes. The combination of high impact movements, extreme foot positions and repetitive loading can place stress on the tendons, joints and bones.
DDancers are often dancing on pointe or demi pointe, increasing pressure through the toes and forefoot, with repeated ankle movements and extreme ranges of motion. They often have inadequate recovery between rehearsals, classes and performances or may have poorly fitted dance shoes or excessive friction around the toes. These are all common factors which contribute to injuries in dancers.
Common injuries we see in ballet and dance
Dancer’s heel, where there is pain at the back of the heel or ankle, often aggravated by pointing the foot or dancing on pointe.
Achilles tendinopathy, which involves pain and stiffness along the Achilles tendon due to repetitive loading and jumping.
Stress fractures caused by repeated impact and excessive training loads.
Ingrown toenails caused by repeated pressure and friction from tight-fitting dance shoes.
Bunion pain around the big toe joint often aggravated by pointe work and pressure through the forefoot.
How we can help
At Aligna Podiatry, we assess the underlying cause of your pain and how it affects your ability to dance.
Your initial consultation includes:
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Biomechanical assessment: Assessing foot alignment, joint movement and lower limb mechanics.
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Gait and movement analysis: Identifying areas of excessive pressure or inefficient movement.
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Footwear assessment: Reviewing your dance shoes and everyday footwear.
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Load management: Understanding your training schedule, rehearsal intensity and recovery.
Based on your assessment, your personalised treatment plan may include:
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Hands on therapy and joint mobilisation.
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High power laser therapy and shockwave therapy where appropriate.
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Strengthening and rehabilitation exercises.
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Taping and footwear recommendations.
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Custom orthotics where clinically indicated.
Prevention and self care
Help reduce your risk of dance-related injuries by:
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Warming up properly before classes and rehearsals.
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Building foot and ankle strength to support repetitive movements.
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Increasing training intensity gradually and allowing adequate recovery.
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Wearing appropriately fitted dance shoes.
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Addressing early signs of heel, ankle or forefoot pain before they worsen.
Book your appointment in Balwyn North