katie2001 Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 I have recently gotten my first pair of pointe shoes. When I was getting them fitted, my fitter noticed that when I was on pointe my right leg wasn't touching the floor. All of my weight was on the left leg and when I tried to balance my weight out I would lean to the right side so much that it was uncomfortable. I have noticeably odd sized feet with over half a shoe size difference. Is there anything I can do which will even my pointe work out? Would custom shoes be worth a try? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 Are you still growing, or have you stopped gaining height now? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katie2001 Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 I'm 5'2" and have stopped growing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 Has your ballet teacher mentioned anything about your hip placement - are you standing square, or are you uneven? Something you could do, would be to buy two pairs of shoes in different sizes - since pointe shoes don't come in left and right, you could wear one of each, and have two pairs to use. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katie2001 Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 It's never been noticed until now. I feel it may be due to my uneven sized feet but surely having different sized shoes would'nt make a difference. I might go back to the shop and ask if it is possible to try two different sizes on to see if that helps. Thank you for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I would suggest a visit to your doctor actually. My DD has different sized feet and it has never made the slightest bit of difference for pointe work. One of her friends had what you are describing and it turned out to be her hip placement. They said as children grow legs can grow at slightly different speeds and this friend's natural position had become so that she walked and moved with her hips ever so slightly out of alignment. It was not noticeable until she tried her first pair of pointe shoes -( she too had already stopped growing) when it in essence it made it seem like one leg was longer than the other. The good news is that after wearing special insole in all of her shoes over a number of months the problem corrected itself. Now you may not have the same issue, no matter how common it is, but I would get yourself checked out to be sure.. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchkin16 Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Definitely see someone as it can have a knock on effect on other parts of the body. My modern teacher noticed a difference in my legs lengths at 14 but I ignored it as we thought it was them growing at different rates. At 21 I started to get pain and tightness in my right hamstring. Thought I'd pulled it and went to the chiropractor hoping they might be able to sort it. Turns out I had pseudo leg length discrepancy so one side of my pelvis was tipped forwards, the other back, which was making my legs rather different lengths! It had put a lot of pressure on the surrounding muscles as obviously I was walking and dancing wonky. He's straightened them out but I still have pain in my hamstring and have to be careful. It also meant I was weak in certain muscles supporting my legs so he gave me strengthening exercises which actually improved my dancing. Whatever it turns out to be, better to get it checked early as the long term effects if you leave it are harder to correct. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katie2001 Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 thank you everyone for your help. I will book an appointment at my doctors as soon as possible. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katie2001 Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 Also, when I relevé on my right food i have noticed it is significantly weaker than my left. Could this be linked to my hip placement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Katie 2001 as well as going to the GP I would see a physio if you can afford to. GPS often have little training in these issues. Good luck. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 30 minutes ago, sarahw said: Katie 2001 as well as going to the GP I would see a physio if you can afford to. GPS often have little training in these issues. Good luck. I agree, your average GP won't know anything about the issues affecting dancers, so a referral to a specialist dance physio would probably be the best thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 A non specialist musculoskeletal physio will probably have a better training for dealing with this than a GP if you can't find a dance one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Yes, or an osteopath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Just to say I'm not being disrespectful about GPs but as a Dr and a dance mum I know I'd take my dd to physio... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katie2001 Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 Thank you everyone, I will do research into local physio's and see if there are any dance specialists within a reasonable distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdance Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Don't get too hung up on needing to see a dance specialist physio as you don't actually have a dance related injury so it doesn't need any specialist knowledge. Any physio would be able to assess whether you truly have a leg length difference but ultimately, even if you do, it's not something that can be treated, you just need to learn to work with it. Also, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you? As you've said you've stopped growing but just got your first pair of pointe shoes which leads me to think that perhaps a career as a ballet dancer is not your ultimate goal here? (I apologise if I've mis-concluded). If I am correct, and pointe work is not a career requirement then if you do have a leg length difference, or indeed a foot-length difference that makes pointe work painful or very difficult, it might be worth weighing up whether it is worth pursuing. I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but I've seen lots of people attempt pointe work "for fun" when physiologically unsuited to it (through no fault of their own) and suffer unnecessary pain, injury and frustration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katie2001 Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 I'm 15 and ballet isn't my strongest nor my favourite style which is why I have only recently chosen to get my pointe shoes. Also due to an operation on both my ankles 2 years ago I had to strengthen my ankles to get my pointe shoes. Ballet is definitely not my chosen career path as I am more of a contemporary/jazz dancer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 (edited) Most people are not wholly symmetrical, and most people actually have slight differences in length, shoe size, etc, but not enough to notice. However, the extreme requirements of ballet technique (extreme in relation to everyday movement needed just for living, that is) sometimes show up the asymmetry of our bodies. You know the kind of thing - whether someone is a right or left turner, for example, or I find that my left leg goes higher and with less hip movement than my right, because my right side is stronger. So it's probably about learning to work with it, and ballet can actually help in learning how to balance out bodily asymmetry. I know a professional dancer with a mild scoliosis & something like a 2cm difference in the length of her legs. Ballet keeps her spine straight! And I echo DrDance re pointe work - it's not for everyone, and in my view, it's far better to work really really well on demi-pointe, than mediocrely (or even badly) on pointe. I've seen too many adult dancers who can't get over the block, and really sickle etc, when on pointe. But as others have said, you can purchase 2 pairs of pointe shoes each in a different size, and you may also have to think about how you use padding to help even out as well. Edited June 1, 2017 by Kate_N 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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