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For modern dancers, keeping your feet strong and healthy is important.[/caption]
Most dancers are well aware of the importance of their feet, but that still doesn’t stop us from taking them for granted. Until something goes wrong, or our feet start to hurt, we rarely think much about them.
But while it’s all-too-easy to neglect your feet, if you dance barefoot, foot care is especially important. Modern dancing can be an amazing dance form, but it’s vitally important to practice good foot care, to keep your feet healthy and strong, and reduce the risk of injury or infection.
Whether you’re new to modern dance or just looking for some tips on keeping your feet healthy, here are some ideas that will get you off to a great start, and help you to avoid some of the pitfalls of improper foot care.
Trim Your Toenails Properly
Keeping your toenails trimmed short and straight across can help to prevent ingrown toenails. The optimal length for your toenails is just at the place where the white begins, with a small amount of white showing.
Watch Out for Blisters
Blistering is also another concern for dancers. Caused by constant rubbing in one place, blisters can occur if you have shoes that fit poorly, or, in the case of barefoot dancers, by the repeated motion of your foot hitting the ground. With modern dancers, they often occur under the ball of the foot. If you spot a blister, you should protect it by covering it with a Band-Aid or piece of athletic tape.
Monitor Your Calluses
While calluses aren’t the prettiest thing in the world, they can be helpful for dancers, helping to reduce the chance of blisters. However, if you notice that they’re getting too big or if they’re causing pain, you’ll want to file them down with a pumice stone or foot file. Just be careful not to file them down too low. It is also important to try to prevent your callouses from becoming cracked, so try to keep your feet well-moisturized. You may also find it helpful to soak your feet in Epsom salt.
Try to Prevent Splits
Skin splits between the toes can be a dancer’s worst nightmare. Few things are more annoying and painful. Prevention is always the best strategy, since once you end up with splits they can be difficult to treat, so keeping your feet clean, dry, and moisturized always a good idea. If you do end up with splits, make sure you bandage them and wear socks while dancing until they split is healed.
Infection
Perhaps the biggest threat when it comes to cracks, splits, or blisters is the risk of infection. Infections can be transmitted in studios, especially if you’re dancing barefoot, and have cracks or splits, which provide an ideal environment for fungus to grow. It’s a good idea to wear socks if you have cracks or splits, and to keep blisters covered to help prevent infection.
Rest If You’re Injured
Finally, while it’s not uncommon for dancers to push through any pain or discomfort they are feeling, if you’re injured, it’s important to stop and rest. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something’s wrong, and often, ignoring the injury and continuing to dance will make the injury worse. If you are experiencing foot pain, it’s better to rest and let your foot get better, rather than to press on and risk aggravating the injury, which could result in you having to be off your feet for a longer period of time.
Foot care is important for everyone, especially dancers. Your feet endure a lot of wear and tear, and deserve some care and attention. Taking the time to keep your feet clean, dry, and moisturized, and watching out for injury can go a long way towards helping to keep your feet in great shape.
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Image: Fel-Sterling
