May wine couch

[missvjc420]

So my whine, to finish off the 31st year of my life is: my arches have disappeared! I've always had ridiculous banana feet, and did so until my crazy nerve damage set in and I had to stop dancing for the longest two years of my life. now I still have beautiful arches while I'm sitting down, but my feet go flat as soon as I bear weight. Global ligament laxity is no picnic!

[Laschwen]

Yep. That is what one German Orthopedist I saw when I was 32 called "Civilization Feet".

Take heart.

It may have been 10 years later or so that my Chiropractor was taking molds of my feet for orthotics and spoke out loud as he filled in the order form. He said "... High Arches".

Huh?

How about that? My civilization feet got better. I'd had lots of physical therapy including deep massage work and wore only supportive shoes all those years.

I don't know if my arches stay up all the time or not and I do get plantar fascitis pain a lot, but getting all the associated muscles sort of rebalanced and strengthened apparently helped.

I think you know I still wear arch support/heel cushioning inserts in my ballet slippers. I stopped briefly when my feet were feeling pretty good, considering, but it brought on another flare up of the arch pain, so I had to put the inserts back in.

Press on.

 

Laschwen

[missvjc420]

Thanks for the ray of hope, Laschwen!

[Pirou]

Arch supports IN your ballet slippers? I have problem feet and problem knees and am currently having orthotics made, but they're not a kind which will fit in my ballet slippers. What kind of inserts do you have? I'd like to check them out.

[missvjc420]

i'm not sure what Laschwen's are, but mine are Braver ballet orthotics. They're ok, I don't like thie way they make my foot look, but they feel nice when I releve or jump. You can PM me with any questions if you'd like.

[Laschwen]

I looked up the Braver Ballet ones and they are very interesting, but I didn't see how to order them in the US or how much they cost on their website.

 

My inserts are any from the drug store that have arch support, heel cushion, and do not have a thick flat bottom in the arch area. They are also cupped a little around the heel. That helps a bit to keep them in place under my foot. I think they are Dr. Scholls.

I tried the really sturdy flat bottom ones that are for athletics, and have saved them for changing into before doing any jumping sometimes. They look hideous. Not that the ones I use do anything much for my appearance, but the bottom is arched and bends a bit when I pointe, so they don't hurt it as bad.

 

I have seen others come into my class with supports or orthotics in their shoes so I don't feel particularly strange. After all, we all are adults there and we understand aching feet. We just want to be able to keep dancing anyway.

[spinbug]

So, I have a question about this. Does ballet help with your feet over the long run? I would think that all of the strengthening exercises would help your arches and misalignments, not vice versa. I have pretty good feet so I don't have any of my own experiences to go on in this area. I do occasionally have bouts of plantar fascitis but it's usually when I do too much, too soon on weak feet that aren't up to the strain.

 

My lower back is another story...It hurts all of the time when I'm not doing ballet regularly. So, to take care of my back I've stayed active in ballet. (But, I don't have to stand on my back like people have to stand on their feet! )

[ripresa]

So, I have a question about this. Does ballet help with your feet over the long run?

 

You may want to ask that in the health section.. but since it's in this section...

 

I think the answer depends on quantity and quality.

 

My ballet teacher was professional and now she has arthritis in one foot and can barely point it

Maybe ballet once or twice a week is good for your feet, provided you have a good teacher and don't over-rotate or force your body to do things it doesn't want.

 

But dancing 5 hours a day, 6 days a week.. for years of your life. I don't think the body was meant to do that. Eventually it'll take it's toll.

 

Just like running is good for you, but doing a marathon every weekend... prob not as much.

[Laschwen]

As to the question of whether ballet helps ones feet over time.

 

I think it must, in moderation of course. I am pretty sure I would be picking up marbles with my toes, using a thera-band, and doing "toe raises" in physical therapy if I wasn't doing ballet classes. The PT's had me doing ballet-esque exercises in the water after my double tarsal tunnel surgery.

I think ballet can do wonders to make keep anybodies feet feet mobile and strong.

 

 

Wait...I forgot the original question here. I'll be quiet now.

[Laschwen]

This ought to be in the Champagne lounge but as we are mentioning orthotics.. I just figured out a new way to keep my heels in my slippers with the inserts in there this week....Rosin. I was slipping around in them as usual when I get sweating and had a little light bulb moment. I took my shoe off and stepped right in the rosin with my tights on. It worked pretty well for a while. I don't know if it will work with bare feet or not yet.

[ToThePointe]

I have to join the wine couch tonight.

 

Three months ago I buckled my knee sideways (not teaching ballet, I also study Tae Kwon Do). I had it back to 95% and was demonstrating in the classes I teach with confidence once again. Last Saturday I simply stepped and turned around.... nothing grand. I can't even claim that I was attempting something grand.... I just turned around when, pop (and I mean pop, it was loud) went my knee.

 

Everything was fairly fine this weekend, but tonight, I'm limping and the back of my knee is swollen.

 

I really despise getting older

[gerlonda]

Okay, so I had a big placement/audition thingamagig today (a 2 hour ordeal) and I hit ZERO double pirouettes. Tried to do the whole schpiel of "lifted stomach, spotting the head, strong rounded arms in first position, pushing sharply with both feet, etc". Why in the world did I come home late tonight, put on my pajamas and night socks, then haphazardly plied in fourth position and took off and got a DOUBLE pirouette in my living room? Why oh why must life be like this

[Laschwen]

This was supposed to be my first week of daily Ballet classes....supposed to be.

Monday I found an infected toe and went to ER.

Tuesday I did make it to class and it went very well.

Wednesday , the antibiotics kicked in with a woman's favorite side effect and I was too uncomfortable to go.

The same thing kept me home Thursday. I was just going to watch the new class I want to investigate but it wasn't happening.

Today that was under control but the nausea kicked in....intermittently. I either want junk food or I am nauseous. I am eating Yogurt and jello mostly but I did have some fish and asparagus tonight.

At least my red streaks around the toenail are fading.

 

A week that was supposed to be wonderful just wasn't.

 

Oh...and I am getting a cold sore too.

 

I should watch reruns of "Just Shoot Me" and get a laugh out of it and myself.

[irishprincess]

It's only a little whine, but the pulled muscle in my right leg isn't really healing, and now my left hip is pulled. Will I ever be able to stretch again???

 

 

*** Just thought the smilies were cute......I add them because they make me smilie.....tee hee!

[eunheejun]

Working on the double pirouettes ending in attitude and arabesque exercise. Keep turning too much ending up in a triple. Although I have no control over my turning force yet, considering I learned my first pirouette 1.5 years ago, I have come a long way and I am proud of my turns!