ballet_fanatic Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 Is there a way to stretch your arch and instep so they "arch" more by yourself? My arch is ok on both feet but my instep is really bad, and I was just wondering is there a way to improve both? Are there specific exercises to do? Thank you! Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 Manipulation and massage of the foot can do some good, but there's not a lot can be done with a structure so complex and so closely packed. Orthopedic surgery might be able to do something, but you don't want to engage with that unless you're having MAJOR problems, usually involving basic locomotion! Quote Link to comment
ballet_fanatic Posted December 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 Are manipulation and stretching the same? Ok, thanks. Is it bad you stretch your foot, for example, with a thera-band? Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 No, that's not bad. A theraband has give to it, and you are in control of it when you are working with it. You can do a lot better with a theraband than you can with, say, the living room sofa. Quote Link to comment
ballet_fanatic Posted December 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 Ok thanks! Are there any specific stretches I can do? Quote Link to comment
Ballet Bunnie Posted December 24, 2011 Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 Hmm... I know I am the weird one here, but I remember being told NEVER do stretches with theraband by the dance medicine doctors at Boston Children's Hospital -- they said that there had been cases that the theraband snapped and hurt people's eyes, or some other dangers things could happen.... And they recommended doing it with towels instead. (and they recommended checking your therabands for rips and tears on a regular basis...) Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted December 24, 2011 Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 Same idea I was preaching earlier - in stretching, the amount of control YOU can exercise over the process is of the greatest importance. If you can be sure that resistance therapy bands are secure and in good shape, then use them in good health. In case you don't have the bands, a good-quality towel can do every bit as well. Besides gaining a stretch, you reduce random accident to a minimum chance, and that's a good thing. Rather than prescribe a stretch, here's an idea for you to try. Point your foot as you do in a tendu, only don't use your muscles on the inside to do it. Use your hands and point the foot using them. Chances are, you'll discover a lot about your foot in the process. Quote Link to comment
ballet_fanatic Posted January 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 Ok, I did that! And my foot didn't really change much...what are you supposed to learn? Maybe I'm not doing it right, sorry! Please bear with me! Quote Link to comment
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