Many dancers are guilty of using their feet to their limit, but neglecting to look after them sufficiently. Dance would be considerably harder if feet did not do their job properly, which is why foot care for dancers is paramount. Foot care does not need to take hours, just a little care and attention each day to ensure you are able to dance to the best of your ability.
Whatever your dance discipline, foot care applies to each dancer. Dancing barefoot for contemporary dance means feet could be subject to floor burns and hard skin; this itself can be a good thing to help you turn however too much hard skin may see cracks forming in the skin which can be prone to splitting or infection. Some dancers wear socks to dance in, however if you prefer to remain barefoot you can use a foot file or pumice stone to pare the hard skin down. If calluses develop some dancers may soak their feet in Epsom salts. Here, prevention is the best cure by keeping your feet moisturised, but clean and dry.
At the other end of the spectrum, ballet dancers in pointe shoes also suffer with their feet, and must care well for them in order to prolong their dancing lifetime. Spending days on end in pointe shoes does your feet no favours, but in order to treat them well some dancers soak their feet each night, and attempt to harden their feet manually in order to resist pointe shoe pain. Bunions and blisters can be rife, so wear shoes which fit properly when you're not dancing.
Overall, ensure your feet receive the relevant care they need by spending time looking after your feet on a daily basis, to ensure they are receiving the best possible care for dance.
Treat your feet
Many dancers are guilty of using their feet to their limit, but neglecting to look after them sufficiently. Dance would be considerably harder if feet did not do their job properly, which is why foot care for dancers is paramount. Foot care does not need to take hours, just a little care and attention each day to ensure you are able to dance to the best of your ability.
Whatever your dance discipline, foot care applies to each dancer. Dancing barefoot for contemporary dance means feet could be subject to floor burns and hard skin; this itself can be a good thing to help you turn however too much hard skin may see cracks forming in the skin which can be prone to splitting or infection. Some dancers wear socks to dance in, however if you prefer to remain barefoot you can use a foot file or pumice stone to pare the hard skin down. If calluses develop some dancers may soak their feet in Epsom salts. Here, prevention is the best cure by keeping your feet moisturised, but clean and dry.
At the other end of the spectrum, ballet dancers in pointe shoes also suffer with their feet, and must care well for them in order to prolong their dancing lifetime. Spending days on end in pointe shoes does your feet no favours, but in order to treat them well some dancers soak their feet each night, and attempt to harden their feet manually in order to resist pointe shoe pain. Bunions and blisters can be rife, so wear shoes which fit properly when you're not dancing.
Overall, ensure your feet receive the relevant care they need by spending time looking after your feet on a daily basis, to ensure they are receiving the best possible care for dance.