Sprained ankle and not getting over the platform on pointe

[pointe shoes]

I took my dd to be fitted for new pointes yesterday and the fitter was puzzling over the fact that one foot had a lovely arch and fully on the platform and the other was not. I mentioned to the fitter that dd had fallen and twisted her ankle some time ago and her teacher has mentioned that sometimes she has been favouring the good foot. The fitter felt around her ankle and the back of her leg and suggested I take dd to see a psyio. She said she could feel a lot of tension and tightness in the leg/ankle and she felt that was stopping dd getting over properly. Dd has never seen a psyio before nether have I and I suspect we cannot afford one at this time. Can anyone offer us some advice? Is a psyio the way to go? I am feeling very guilty that we did not take the sprain more seriously at the time.

Thanks

[LauraR]

After dealing with dd's peroneal tendinitis last March, we learned a lot about ankles. Sprains are iffy. Sometimes they heal and are fine, and sometimes they leave a residual weakness in the ankle and foot that can lead to problems down the road. Finding a great PT was so key to my dd's rehab. I really can't emphasize how valuable it was. If I have a financial issue, then I tell them that I can only afford X. I have found that people are usually open to work with you if they know what your boundaries are. I'm glad my PT is covered by insurance, but even copays add up quickly. If there is anyway that you can get at least one visit with a PT, then your dd can get an evaluation and recommendation for specific exercises to be done at home. The money spent now can prevent money being spent later on an injury.

[vivaballet]

DD also suffered a sprained ankle and agreed PT can be expensive. We work with a massage therapist, Chiropractor and a few visits to PT to get exercises to strengthen the ankle. We are also borrowing a friends portable ultrasound device and our chiropractor has been quite instrumental in helping us use it properly. It can take quite a while as Laura R posted to get over an ankle injury and having had one my self (2X) it was nearly 6 months before my ankle was better (grade 2 sprain) as I kept exercising on it. Best to visit a professional to assess what can be done before the scar tissue builds up. A few visits with instruction can make a world of difference.

[pointe shoes]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have made an appointment with a pt and also with a our gp as I have been told our very local hospital has an excellent phsio dept.

[Clara 76]

Sounds good!! After that, when she's feeling stronger, head over to the Pointe Shoe area and fill out a form for Miss DeVor! That way, we'll be sure she's also in the right pointe shoes!