Feet Rolling In

[Flowerpot]

My dd is 8 and for the past few months she has had corrections by her regular dance teacher and her associate teacher that she has a tendency to roll her feet inwards. This is happening most classes. Although she says she understands what the teacher is teaching her and tries hard to do it correctly in class, she says it hurts her feet, is uncomfortable and feels off balance.

Could it be a problem with her feet or is it likely to be that she just needs to perfect the technique?

Has anyone else's child been told this?

I think she is feeling a bit disheartened with being told the same thing each lesson when she is doing her best to correct this without success. 

 

[Picturesinthefirelight]

She may need a referral from her gp & possibly orthotics in her shoes if she has a tendency to roll. 

[Pups_mum]

It depends how severe it is. Best thing is to see a physio, preferably one with an interest in dance, but if there's nobody dance orientated in your area I'd see a sports physio. It's a family failing to varying degrees in my family. My DD managed to correct things with exercises but it looks like her brother is going to need orthotics. It seems to be a fairly common problem - your DD certainly isn't alone.

[betterankles]

Rolled all career on left  foot, both on and off pointe, despite trying to correct - still managed a very good career!   

[Legseleven]

I would definitely ask her teacher and associate teacher for a physio recommendation as your DD is having difficulty with this correction; they may know of a dance physio or of one who has previously treated dancers. It would be good to get physio advice and treatment while your DD is so young in the hope that her rolling can be corrected at this early stage.

[ArucariaBallerina]

I had this problem for a while, and my mum (who did not know anything about ballet or dancing) bought some special shoe insoles that prevented any rolling in (they had a sort of ridge at the inner arch). After about a month, the rolling stopped both in my normal shoes and without them, and I do not need the insole anymore (but still wear it as it is comfortable!)

 

[Flowerpot]

Thanks for all your replies, will have a word with her teacher about it.

Can anyone recommend a dance physio in the Manchester/Cheshire area?

[Dancing unicorn]

Hi Princessballerina

You say her associate teacher has also mentioned this! I am assuming you mean RBS Assiciate teacher? If so, your dd will have daily foot exercises given by her associate teacher that she does with a theraband. Is she doing her exercises as this will strengthen the feet and therefore help with the problem! 

Edited November 19, 2017 by Dancing unicorn

[Flowerpot]

Dancing unicorn, she is with Elmhurst Associates.

She gets different homework each week which she writes in her book.

She doesn't use her theraband regularly, we will start to do that.

One of the Mums at ballet said a balance/wobble board might help?

[junedancer]

DD has suggested reducing turnout until able to control her feet and move back out gradually.  She agrees with Dancing unicorn that regular use of a theraband (used correctly foot aligned) would help strengthen and also suggests an exercise in lifting arches.  DD's teacher doesn't like wobble boards for young dancers as without the strength to control it she could do more harm than correct.  All that said ask her teachers what they suggest.

[Dancing unicorn]

Ohh ok!

Another exercise RBS teacher got them to do to help balance, exercises the arch in the feet and is fun to do is, when brushing teeth balance on one leg on demi pointe as high as she can with the other leg in retire! (Rather than using a balance board - saves money too!!)

[sarahw]

I can recommend a dance physio called Julia Fisher who does sessions in Manchester. She has been fabulous with my dd.

 

http://www.csp.org.uk/physio2u/practices/julia-fisher-physiotherapy-clinic

 

 

 

[JoJo]

My daughter had this issue. Brushing teeth on demi pointe in retire has been the norm for her for a number of years now, she does a range of foot stretch exercises daily each morning and evening, including use of a theraband and she has specially developed insoles for her day shoes from her podiatrist (she’s worn these from about the age of 11). All helped - she’s now a professional classical dancer and keeps all of this up.

[Flowerpot]

Thanks so much. I have just read out all the responses to my dd and she feels a bit more reassured. 

We will concentrate on the exercises mentioned and hopefully it is a strength issue that will improve and will have a chat with her teacher tomorrow.

 

 

[Anna C]

Lots of excellent advice here.  It's good that your dd is still young.  My daughter had this problem but it was first revealed by a bout of achilles tendonitis.  After physio she was referred to a Podiatrist who prescribed custom made orthotics. Eight years on she still needs orthotics in street shoes and wears stability running shoes, but with prescribed ankle exercises, theraband exercises and a balance board, she trained herself not to roll in during ballet.  Do get specialist advice but this is easily sorted given time, work and patience. 

[sarahw]

Yes almost the same scenario with my dd Anna - it's common and easily sorted.

[Hambleton]

Some physios are not keen on orthotics, whether made to measure or not, as the person's feet can rely on them not to roll out, rather than rely on the intrinsic muscles.  Podiatrists are usually happy to recommend them in my experience (three different podiatrists, three different pairs of orthotics), as that is the business they are in, and they most likely believe they will help.  I speak from personal experience of both my DS and myself.  My DS was not born with the best feet but he has worked on them every day for years and has improved them so much, and is about to graduate from RBS so they can't be too bad now! We both do physio prescribed foot, ankle and leg exercises, and over the past 18 months my own feet have changed so much that my made to measure orthotics are no longer the correct shape for my feet and I am genuinely better without them.  Sarahw,  it is a common problem, but not always easily sorted imho.  I have had quite a lot of foot pain over the years through issues created from rolling in, particularly as I am very mobile (not hypermobile, but very stretchy tendons).  However, it can most definitely be sorted, especially if you start working on your feet at a young age.

    

[Pups_mum]

I think it's important to stress to your DD that there isn't a quick fix - sustained improvement is possible but it takes a long time. It can be a bit demoralising when they are dutifully doing the exercises but don't see any noticeable improvement, but that's because the change is so gradual. Stick with it and the improvement will come in time.

I remembered something else my DD said, which is just a mental thing but it helped her. She finds "positive" corrections much easier than "negative" ones even now, but as a young child that was definitely the case- being told not to do something is harder than being told to do something. So with this issue she found the positive instruction to keep her little toes on the floor much easier to follow than the negative one of being told not to roll in. Might not work for everyone of course, but she definitely found thinking about it that way helpful.

[sarahw]

Regarding orthotics both the physio we saw (rec above) and my friend who is a podiatrist BOTH told us to buy ready made insoles. They said in dd case they would be as good as expensive personally made ones although I realise this may not be the case for everyone.

 

My dd uses Scholl ortho heel regular orthotic size Small.  Her feet are 2 1/2 and narrow. Get in Boots. 

 

Another related problem is that so many girls school shoes (even Clarks) have completely flat, unsupportive, thin insoles.

Edited November 21, 2017 by sarahw
Added info

[Anna C]

The NHS can and does supply custom orthotics if you over (or under) pronate to such an extent that pain or damage (e.g. achilles tendonitis) is the result.  If off the shelf orthotics fit, that's great, but they can be difficult to mould to the precise shape needed. 

[LinMM]

As an adult returner to Ballet ( of some years now) my arches had dropped so ankle position not great and in alignment with knee etc. I've used orthotics for the last four years ....even in my ballet shoes...and cannot recommend highly enough personally....but for younger people definitely the exercises described above  will help as well before the feet and legs etc are fully grown.

I don't need a podiatrist now but when I went initially she made a  temporary "personal" made to measure insole for my ballet shoe but then said try an off the shelf one as well as may do just as well and be a lot less expensive than having to have personal ones made.

I mostly use  Foot Logics medical insoles ....different strengths etc and use the sport model for my ballet shoes but a firmer one in ordinary shoes. I'm sure having the foot in a better position as long as worn regularly will also help the muscles to adjust as well.

 

One thing that I have seen in both adult beginners and children is that they sometimes try to turn the feet out more than the hip can sustain at that point. Often just lessening the turn out a little in milder cases can help a lot. The turn out must start from the hip joint and as the muscles strengthen then turn out can increase. If there is no real strength coming from the heel of the foot and up into the hip then the turn out is too much for the ability......and feet will roll ....even in people who don't have any further underlying problems.

This is my experience of many years of dance on and off though I'm not qualified in any other way.

[LinMM]

I would just like to add that most good ballet teachers can see this happening in children and know why it's is happening and  should be able to correct the rolling by advising on lessening the turn out of the feet.

Of course some pupils may have particular problems with hips or ankles which needs a proper look at and they would advise this too.