Pressure en pointe

[balletmania]

I'm a pre-pro student and have been dancing en pointe for years. Previously, my Freed of London Classic Pros have always served me well; however, recently I've noticed that I've been experiencing enormous amounts of pressure to the point of not being able to go en pointe towards the middle of the day. The pressure is usually on my big toe but since my second toe is the longest, it also experiences quite a bit of pain.

 

I doubt it's a fitting issue as the shoe seems to be more or less the right shape and size and make my feet look nice. I use gel pointe shoes, toe caps on my big toes, and more recently 2nd skin gel squares. I suspect the problem might be sinking but don't know which dancewear stores in my area actually have quality fitters to help me get the issue checked out.

 

What could be the problem and what can I do to fix it?

 

Here are the options I'm considering: getting fitted for new shoes (and beginning the long, arduous, and expensive process of shoe searching once again...), trying perfectfit toe pads, or adding some other form of padding.

 

I would appreciate any form of help! Thank you so much in advance

[Jan McNulty]

Which area are you in @balletmania?

[Kanangra]

Have you tried PerfectFit Pointe inserts? You get a kit and create your own inserts using a mould. My daughter tried the usual toe pads and taping but these solved her problem. 

[alison]

Are you saying that your second toe is longer than your big toe?  Ouch.  I believe that's a problem Belinda Hatley had, although I don't suppose that will help you much.

[balletmania]

Thanks all for the responses! To answer your questions:

 

- I'm in the Chicagoland area

- Yes, I'm considering PerfectFit shoe inserts Just dragging my feet since they're quite expensive haha

- Yes, sadly my second toe is longer than my big toe.

Edited October 2, 2023 by balletmania

[Kanangra]

On 02/10/2023 at 01:52, balletmania said:

Thanks all for the responses! To answer your questions:

 

- I'm in the Chicagoland area

- Yes, I'm considering PerfectFit shoe inserts Just dragging my feet since they're quite expensive haha

- Yes, sadly my second toe is longer than my big toe.

They're worth it - they last for quite a while. Made a huge difference to my daughter.

[Ondine]

On 02/10/2023 at 01:52, balletmania said:

Just dragging my feet since they're quite expensive haha

 

Good grief just looked at the price.

 

Back in the day, used to use fluffed up animal wool to pad and wrap.   Still less than a fiver.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carnation-2627479-Animal-Wool-25g/dp/B001DZOK4S/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=hikers+wool+for+blisters

 

As mentioned here.

 

https://bestpointe.com/en/blog/1381-greek-type-of-foot-ideas-for-not-letting-your-longer-second-toe-hurting-you-anymore/

 

I believe Anna Pavlova had feet like this. (I used to buy shoes from a man who as a boy delivered her shoes. She gave him apples.)

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by Ondine

[Pas de Quatre]

The other great advantage of wool is that it absorbes moisture so your feet don't get sweaty. Silicon and gel inserts only  became  a thing after I had retired from performing so I have never used them, but I imagine they hold the sweat which leads to softened skin, blisters, cracks and athlete foot.

[balletmania]

Thanks for all the tips! I'm trying the PerfectFit ones now and they seem to be working for me Glad to have found a solution!

[Peanut68]

I used to use bubble wrap to fill in space between tights over toes & shoe & to protect rubbing at front top of the box…. Worked really pretty well (must say never had bare feet as seems to be todays fashion/dancer preference which I suspect would lead to sweat issues as PDQ suggests…)
You did get the occasional ‘pop’ noise as a bubble came under pressure & burst

😂😂😂

It was my very non dance Dad’s suggestion (he came from an engineering background designing steel supports for underground tunnels….maybe shouldn’t got him to turn his design skills tl designing  the perfect point shoe 🤔) 

[hfbrew]

On 29/10/2023 at 16:15, Peanut68 said:

I used to use bubble wrap to fill in space between tights over toes & shoe & to protect rubbing at front top of the box…. Worked really pretty well (must say never had bare feet as seems to be todays fashion/dancer preference which I suspect would lead to sweat issues as PDQ suggests…)
You did get the occasional ‘pop’ noise as a bubble came under pressure & burst

😂😂😂

It was my very non dance Dad’s suggestion (he came from an engineering background designing steel supports for underground tunnels….maybe shouldn’t got him to turn his design skills tl designing  the perfect point shoe 🤔) 

I used bubble wrap too. Was too poor for any thing else.

[Peanut68]

That was my Dad’s thoughts too…. He did also pull off strands of lambs wool from barbed wire when he saw his much a box of ‘animal wool’ was in the Nottingham dance shop 😂

I recall bubble wrap was quite the new thing for packaging in the early 80’s…. 

[Ondine]

3 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

a box of ‘animal wool’

 

i bought mine nicely cleaned in a box from Boots.  I still have some in a box from Boots!  It's rather old now. But fluffed up and put in the toes of shoes it worked well.

[balletmania]

Thanks guys! I think the Perfectfit inserts have more or less solved my issue but I'll try the animal wool trick for sure if I experience problems again in the future