Name a sport where the players don’t wear supportive footwear.
“Huh?” you say. Does that even exist? And is there a podiatrist in the river region who would even condone playing a sport that does little to absorb shock, support your arches, and otherwise protect your feet?
Well, if you’re a person – or a parent of a person – who loves to dance, Dr. Chanda L. Day-Houts and Dr. Heidi M. Christie of Montgomery Foot Care Specialists understand that it’s a passion that won’t be denied. Dance is a beautiful art as well as a sport, and one that puts incredible demands on one’s feet. Ask any serious dancer, and they’ll tell you all about the tendinitis, stress fractures, and rounds of physical therapy that they’ve endured as a result of their art.
How dancing is tough on feet
For the dedicated dancer, foot problems are just an inevitable thing to deal with. And they usually fall into one of two categories:
- Traumatic injury – sudden injuries such as sprained ankles and fractured bones that result from jumping, turning, or incorrect landing.
- Overuse injuries – these are much more common than traumatic injuries and have many contributing factors in dance, including
- Age – Be wary of pushing a child along before their feet are structurally able to handle it.
- Bad technique – Help avoid injury by choosing a reputable school and/or coach who really understands how dancing affects your whole anatomy.
- Shoes – Get professional advice on how to fit your foot for dancing. Dancers have been known to adjust the fit of their shoes by stuffing them with foam padding or even paper towels, which can lead to blisters and toe deformities.
- Ambitious schedule of classes – Too much too soon in any sport is a recipe for injury.
- Not giving injuries time to heal – Dancers, like all athletes, should wait for their doctor’s go-ahead before heading back to practice after an injury.
When faced with the challenge of foot pain in a sport that really depends on healthy feet, remember this: get pain checked out right away by a qualified podiatrist. Treating pain early on can prevent an injury from getting worse, keeping you sidelined, off stage, and away from your passion. Visit us in Montgomery, AL by calling (334) 396-3668 or clicking here.