balletgremlin Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 I've bought some new pointe shoes (Bloch Eurostretch). On flat, they feel like slippers and they look lovely en pointe. However, I have the wimpiest feet in the universe and the slight discomfort in my big toe I felt during the fitting has turned into actual pain when I've tried them on again at home. So my question is - how can I tell if the pain is due to the shoes being hard due to not being broken in yet or if they're the wrong shoe & I'm putting too much weight on my toe? I don't want to start squashing the box if it turns out I'm going to need to return them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 I think other current pointe shoe users will be able to,help you more than myself. However in my experience to date ( was en pointe back in the 70's and 80's ) I've NEVER experienced a really comfortable NEW pointe shoe!! They did get more comfortable as they got softer of course.......and I'm afraid I literally used to wear them into the ground ....till I could feel the floor with my toes.... Because I hated the idea of new ones so much! I know these days there is a lot more choice so have a better chance to get a reasonably good fit etc but I would be really interested to know if any others here have felt no pain at all in their pointe work classes!! especially with new shoes!! ......And advise ballet gremlin of course with her shoe situation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Are you using any padding, balletgremlin? Could the box be slightly too wide so that your foot is slipping down en pointe and putting too much pressure on your big toe? Is your big toe a lot longer than the other toes? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletgremlin Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 1 minute ago, Anna C said: Are you using any padding, balletgremlin? Could the box be slightly too wide so that your foot is slipping down en pointe and putting too much pressure on your big toe? Is your big toe a lot longer than the other toes? I've got toe pads and yes my big toe is way bigger than my other toes. I was worried I was slipping down. It doesn't feel like my foot's slipping but that's the problem I had in my old shoes (European Balance). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I wonder if lamb’s wool would help under your other toes? Is there any way you can go back to the shop and ask for the shoes to be looked at again? If there’s any chance you are slipping down en pointe then don’t squash the box because it’ll just make it wider. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoLeftFeet Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) My dd changed to Block eurostretch a few months ago and she also finds them quite painful to wear around her big toe also (the top joint of the toe, not the top of the toe) . She was used to wearing Gaynor Minden which I believe is a very different shoe in the way they are made. She had no problem at all in the Gaynors but going back to a "regular" shoe really is proving difficult. She is wearing Bloch toe pads and also using lambswool but found no ease of pain. Balletgremlin have you changed from another brand shoe? Edited May 17, 2019 by TwoLeftFeet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletgremlin Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 Thank you everyone for your comments. I went back to the dance shop (fortunately it's only round the corner) and saw their senior fitter. She's made me go down a width and shoved some lambs wool under the other toes which was a bit more comfortable. But then I tried the European Balance down a width and with the lambs wool and that was a major improvement I returned the Stretch and have gone with the Balance instead. She also said that with large big toes, narrow heels and different size feet I'm always going to struggle to find a shoe that's pain-free and suited to my foot shape. She also thought I wasn't 100% over the box in the Stretch so my weight was going through my toe at an angle and that could have been causing me pain. I've definitely got to work more on my strength and technique but when I'm in a painful shoe I don't want to practise so fingers crossed lambs wool's going to help. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 39 minutes ago, balletgremlin said: She also said that with large big toes, narrow heels and different size feet I'm always going to struggle to find a shoe that's pain-free and suited to my foot shape. Can't really help with any other suggestions, but apparently different size feet shouldn't be a problem at all because ballet shoes have no right and left. You just buy a pair in each of the two sizes. You then have four shoes, two larger and two smaller. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummy twinkle toes Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Gel toe pads may help. Dd2 wears these as she was getting pain in big toe. They have extra cushioning by the toes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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