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Achilles Tendon en pointe


dance_through_life

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My achilles gets very sore during pointe class and I worry that I am straining it or gripping it too much. Is this completely normal, or is it something I should try to fix? To clarify, it is not sharp pain, it does not feel like it has been injured, it just aches and is sore when we do lots of pointework like developpes en pointe at the barre so I am on my toes for a long time. Sorry if this is totally normal and I am worrying about nothing. Thanks!

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It's not unusual, but it is a sign of overuse and strain. If the pain isn't persistent, that is, lasting a long time after class is over, then you should tell your teacher, and ask to beg off some of the exercises which cause the pain. Do them on demi-pointe, for example. Now, if you feel pain long after class, then it's doctor time. The Achilles' tendon is nothing to take lightly, and prompt early action can prevent serious developments later.

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Is it only rest that will fix this? Will it just gradually get fixed with rest or will it always be a problem for me? Is it something I've been doing wrong technically or just the overuse? Sorry for all the questions, and thanks so much for the prompt response!

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All I can give you is an educated guess, based on experience and what I've seen other students over the years do. Rest is part of it, and of course, ice, compression, (in this case soft compression, like resting the ankle on a piece of fleece or foam during) elevation. If I could see what you're doing, I would probably be better able to assist you, but we're stuck with this medium, so we have to do the best we can.

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I know that sometimes my achilles becomes sore after a lot of pointe work. I have found that somtimes I have alot of knots in my calves and that's what's causing the problem. Usually I just roll my calves on a tennis ball and it seems to prevent the problem.

Edited by tutucute4u37
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Just a quick reminder here, though. Tendons and muscles are very different kinds of tissue. Tendons are cartilage, and muscles are, well, muscles. You should look into this topic on your own more thoroughly.

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Guest UBAgirl15

I have the same problems my Achilles Tendon hurts when i pointe my foot the day after i have overworked it. It gets all swolen and it gets really tight. Are there any stretches or any way to prevnt this from happening. :yucky:

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