Sore Feet, I'm sure dancers know what this is like!

[Highland Lassie]

Ever since November or December I have had awful pain in my feet. ( i'm a highland dancer) I'm someone that usually likes to practice alot. In highland Dancing You have to stay on the balls of your feet while dancing. So you have to build up your strength in order to stay on the balls of your feet. After a long time you are able to flex your feet farther than most people can. But their is such thing as flexing them to far , while dancing of course. That's what happened to me. (my doctor said anyways) I stretched the ligaments to far and I over used them. Which can be quite uncomfortable for the dancer. Believe me it's very painful! I have actually started to walk on the side of my foot , not intetnially i guess it just happened. Their is nothing to do about it except rest your feet
and let them heal. I can still dance as long as my feet don't hurt but my doctor said I have to do shorter practices and I have to somehow not stand on the balls of my feet to high while dancing. That is going to be a little difficult. Is their any other dancers this has happened to? i'd like to hear from you , and see if their is any stretches or anything you can do to help!

Happy Dancing!

[gwenlee]

Vickey: I'm so sorry to hear about your feet. You know I don't highland dance, but I do Scottish Country Dancing and we too have to stay on the balls of our feet. Prior to class our instructor encourages everyone to walk around the room in time to the music, we then do an easy dance for warm up, after that dance we then do stretching. We stand in a circle, doing toe points and some form of leg stretching. Last October I was in a workshop all day then that night I went to a gala and then danced in demos Saturday and Sunday. By the end of the weekend I felt like I had rode my horse for too many hours and my feet and right knee were killing me. My doctor put me on motrin and rest. Looking back I know I had ignored my body's message to slow down. You may have to rest for a while and slowly start again and work up to longer sessions. Take care of yourself and take care of those feet you only have one set.

[Highland Lassie]

My feet sure need rest. lets hope not for too long. I have to get prepared for competition season!

[gwenlee]

Vickey-When does competition start? I know when my daughter ran in college she had to miss a few meets she ignored the doctors orders and since then she has had problems with her feet. I can't help but think if she had rested as instructed she wouldn't have the problems she has. My other daughter that dances with me started having problems with her feet. We thought that maybe her dancing shoes were not the right fit, but they are ok. So tomorrow we are going to see the doctor about them. So rest I know you are anxious to compete but take care of those feet!

[Irish Stepper]

I had that same problem last year on my right foot. Even with walking, it would hurt every time I'd bend my toes. Luckily it happend right before Christmas break, so I made sure not to dance AT ALL during those 2 weeks. Do your normal stretches for your legs to keep them flexible, but try not to dance. A 2 week break does wonders for healing your legs and feet.

[Highland Lassie]

My feet are feeling better. im almost postitve that I will be attending dance class this week. It's been about two weeks. My next competition is in July After dance camp. Although my Sister is starting april 3rd. I get to just sit back , relax and watch some dancing for a change. I guess I should be more careful dancing and make sure I dont over use them.

[Irish Stepper]

Well you've got plenty of time before your next competition. For the next month or so, don't go on high toes during that time. Keep your heels closer to the floor for practice. Then gradually work back up to it. This is an injury that will keep coming back to haunt you if you don't take care of it the first time. Good Luck!

[Highland Lassie]

I went to dance class last night. I rested my feet for two weeks and then went back. My feet were fine the first half of class but towards the second half they started to hurt. Then my right foot started to burn badly and hurt alot too. So then I stopped dancing for the remainder of class. I don't know if I can go to dance camp if my feet are still like this a month from now. (the dead line is april 30th) hopefully they are because I love dance camp , and it really helps me.

[Irish Stepper]

The key is knowing when to stop pushing it and sit out the rest of the class. That way you can work back up to it. Probably sometime before it was "burning" would have been better. If dance camp is more than an hour a day, that I would not recommend pushing your feet that far. It won't do any good to injure yourself so badly that you won't be able to compete this season. Good Luck. I've got a competition in WV this saturday. I really have been so sick the past 10 days, that I doubt if I'll do well....that's if I compete at all! I'll have to see how it goes...

[Highland Lassie]

I hope you do well in your competition! I love competitions , its so much fun. My younger sister has a compettion tommorow in NH. She's sick also , Hopefully she'll be feeling better tommorow. Dance camp is six hours a day for 5 days. I love it their its so much fun. I love it because it's on Route 66. It's called the brahmar School of Highland dance. My brother goes their too , we always have so much fun. Dance camp is at the end of june But the deadline is april 30th. I wish their was a quicker way to heal my feet!!

[Irish Stepper]

Hey Vicky! I was just wondering how your feet are doing? Did you go ahead and sign up for dance camp?
I'm out of dance for awhile and on crutches for the moment. I didn't follow my own advice and pushed too hard. Now I have at least 1 stress fracture, possibly 2, on my right foot. I'll be seeing a sports medicine orthopedic on Monday. So we'll see what he has to say. There goes my competition for the end of this month! Guess I have no choice but to be good now!

[Dalriada Dancer]

I am so happy that there is alot more of information sharing and health awareness in dance now. "Back in the Day", it was stretch a little, get up and dance. Dancers have access to so much more support now. Doctors are more aware that dance is akin to sport and that simply quitting is not an option! At least for the true of heart dancers. There are better exercises, physical care, and teachers who are in the know - so they train the dancers better. Seldom do you see a dancer performing on pavement or cement anymore! This from a dance teacher who suffers a deterioating miniscus!

Hope you feet feel better!

[Highland Lassie]

Hi! My feet are feeling better. I went to see a orthopedic , and it turns out that I have Plantar fascitis. I also found out that I have flat feet , and people with flat feet are more lilkey to get plantar fascitis. I have to do aggresive stretching everytime I warm up , and every time I cool down. My feet are feeling so much better now! I did go to dance camp , but I have to say that it wasn't a positive experience. I'm sorry to hear about your feet , let me know how their doing!

[Dalriada Dancer]

My husband deals with plantar's fasciatis due to his job. Years of therapy at a foot specialist, special inserts for footwear, and proper rest are bringing them back to normal.

One of the big helps for this is a rub down of the foot. It's caused by tiny tears in the muscle tissue and the massaging speeds the repair (not to mention, feels great).

[Irish Stepper]

My foot is mostly healed up. I had a sprained 4th metatarsal. It's still a bit sore since I've started dancing again, but I have cushioned the heck out of my shoes! I put gel insoles in my ghillies, AND I'm also wearing ouch pouches. I have a competition this Sunday. After that, I'll be changing schools, so I'll have to do a 6 month suspension from competition. I think I'm going to give myself off a couple weeks after this Sunday.