Pointe and pain

[snickerplum]

My 11 year is now in pointe shoes and is struggling with the pain. She's starting to say dance is no longer fun (and she LOVES ballet). Any tips from those of you who have danced or have children that do Pointe? Her teacher just keeps telling them you get used to it. [emoji52]

TIA

 

 

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[Lady Marmalade]

My DD was en pointe for two years before we couldn't fit it in the schedule anymore.  She never experienced real pain while wearing her pointe shoes, and I credit that to her fitter.  They really took the time to consider the shape of her feet, and tried out different pads and spacers on her finding the perfect combo that would pad and protect without hindering.  

 

Also, feet can change quickly once they are actually wearing the pointe shoes- it could be that the actual fit has changed in just a short amount of time.

 

So my first suggestion would be a trip to the fitters to have the fit checked and to see if they have different ideas with regards to spacers and pads.  

[HSMWB]

I agree with the previous poster, I would ask around and try to find another fitter. If that is not a possibility maybe take the shoes back to the same store and try different combinations of different options as far as spacers and pads. Properly fitted shoes on healthy strong feet really shouldn't hurt, IMHO and personal experience.

[Guest]

If she's strong enough and ready and wants to be on pointe, then it's probably the shoes or her padding. If one of the previous isn't true, and you have a good teacher otherwise, then add that factor, too.

 

If she's just started then she should only be doing a bit in the shoes at the end of a class or a pointe-only class that is designed to mostly introduce moving in the shoes. Brand-new-pointe-girls shouldn't be flitting about in center, etc. If they're doing much more, then you have a bad teacher. 

 

(Can you tell that I detest instructors who put girls up too young and push too far, because someone (they or the parents or the kid) want head pats and internet points?! Your 8yo does not belong on pointe and I do not need to see anyone's undieroos doing tilts for instagram likes!) [[sorry for the digression]]

Edited September 27, 2017 by Guest

[The Governess]

I agree with the other posters. The times dd has had pain with her pointe shoes it has been due to:

 

1) foot grew and shoes are too small, so toes are squished down in the box

 

2) shoes are old and box has become too soft, no longer supporting her foot and allowing her to sink down into the shoe

 

3) shoes are too wide, also allowing her to sink.

 

I would find an excellent fitter that will take as much time with her as she needs to find a pair of shoes that work. When she tries them on at the store, the shoes should be almost uncomfortably snug around the ball of her foot so that she is not feeling all of her weight on her toes. Shoes that feel nice and comfy when they are new tend to end up too wide for my dd once they break in. A good fitter should be able to find a shoe that will work for her!

[snickerplum]

Thank you for your thoughts. We just bought these a month ago and I know her foot hasn't grown (not that it couldn't in a month, I just know it hasn't). The owner of the studio came and was VERY hands on during the fitting feeling each girl's feet, watching them, describing how they should feel, trying to ensure no scrunched toes, etc. She wanted all three girls to have the same brand and style of shoe... They obviously had very different sizes, but she was specific in the style.

Maybe I should ask her? I don't want to come off like a helicopter mom, but I don't want my dd wanting to quit after the first month... [emoji26]

 

 

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[Guest]

 She wanted all three girls to have the same brand and style of shoe... They obviously had very different sizes, but she was specific in the style.

 

This is a red flag for me... not all shoes fit all feet... arch, toes length and shape, ankle flexibility, etc...

[Ali in OR]

She wanted all three girls to have the same brand and style of shoe... 

 

 

Agree with previous poster that this is a problem. When dd started pointe, her teacher, a former Bolshoi dancer, had a preference for Grishkos and that's what the little store next to the studio carried. When she personally tried to fit them to dd, she said they wouldn't work for her shape of foot (very wide in toe area) and she sent us to a store in Portland with a specific recommendation to look at Bloch European Balance. In Portland they tried several brands and the Blochs ended up being the best. Feet are shaped differently and different brands are shaped differently. If my dd had tried to cram her foot in those skinny little shoes she would definitely have quit by now!

[bettyandbob]

Even girls who wear the same size sneaker can wear very different pointe shoes. If I'm recalling correctly, my dd's pointe shoe size was based on 5 different measures in one particular brand. Another girl might fit a different brand better and have different sizes for the 5 measures. 

 

Once my dd was fully grown her pointe shoe sizing was odd enough that I could only one place to order the combination of length, vamp, hardness, etc that was her fit. 

 

I think success in pointe is very dependent on correct fit. If the school is not sending the girls to someone who is an expert in fitting pointe shoes then I might question whether the school was doing a good job teaching and training in this technique. 

[Miss Tick]

Her teacher just keeps telling them you get used to it. [emoji52]

TIA

 

 

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This was the red flag for me. The teacher/fitter who put my dd in pointe shoes a year ago specifically told her to be sure to let the teacher know if there was any pain. It sounds like perhaps the teacher is not taking your dd seriously. Putting all the girls in the same style sounds unusual also.

 

Is there someone else who can give you a consult?

[catz]

This is a red flag for me... not all shoes fit all feet... arch, toes length and shape, ankle flexibility, etc...

 

:iagree:   My dd started en pointe with like 9 other girls.  NONE of them had the same first shoe.

Edited September 27, 2017 by WoolySocks

[Lady Marmalade]

This is a red flag for me... not all shoes fit all feet... arch, toes length and shape, ankle flexibility, etc...

 

:cursing:

 

I totally agree with Pumpkin Spice Surprise!  It is NOT okay to insist on specific brand/style.  THAT is why your DD's feet hurt, because the chosen shoes do not fit her physically. There is so much more to pointe fit than just making sure the toes aren't scrunched.

 

It can permanently deform your DD's feet if she continues to dance in ill-fitting pointe shoes. 

[Lady Marmalade]

Also, while her feet probably haven't grown (as in, normal growth), depending on how many hours she is spending on her toes, her feet may actually have done some adjusting, so a shoe that fit better a month ago is now feeling icky.  Hopefully as a new pointe dancer it's only a small bit of time a week, but it IS possible.

 

DD also had to wear the European Bloch pointe shoes in a 5X for width.  Within a few months they were too roomy and she then fit in a 4X.  Her feet did not grow in size, just changed enough that a smaller shoe was suddenly the better fit. 

[catz]

Pointe shoes are funny.  My dd's 2nd shoes were totally different than her first shoes. 

[Guest]

This is a red flag for me... not all shoes fit all feet... arch, toes length and shape, ankle flexibility, etc...

 

Absolutely agree!

 

OP, a suggestion: if you are not currently a member of the Ballet Talk for Dancers forum, please become one.  Clara76 is an expert shoe fitter who can evaluate the fit of your dd's shoes if you send photos.

 

Where does she feel pain?  My dd never had pain en pointe except when she'd get the occasional blister on her heel.

 

Feet are like snowflakes.  One cannot try to fit all girls in a class into the same style of shoe.  Ugh.  I can see if someone wants to fit all girls with Freeds but then carefully gets the maker right for each pair of feet.  But even that might not always work, especially if particular makers aren't available.

[umsami]

My Mom was a professional ballerina and taught ballet for years (50+).  

 

No, they should not hurt if they are properly fitted, but she shouldn't be on them a lot in the beginning also.

 

How many classes per week is she taking? I want to say my Mom required three/week before even considering pointe.  She may not have the foot strength if she is not dancing enough.  If your daughter is not taking at least three classes/week, it is a giant red flag to me as is the insistence on the same brand of shoes.  

Edited September 27, 2017 by umsami

[Rebel Yell]

Thank you for your thoughts. We just bought these a month ago and I know her foot hasn't grown (not that it couldn't in a month, I just know it hasn't). The owner of the studio came and was VERY hands on during the fitting feeling each girl's feet, watching them, describing how they should feel, trying to ensure no scrunched toes, etc. She wanted all three girls to have the same brand and style of shoe... They obviously had very different sizes, but she was specific in the style.

Maybe I should ask her? I don't want to come off like a helicopter mom, but I don't want my dd wanting to quit after the first month... [emoji26]

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Diamond danced en pointe for 7 years, beginning at age 12. In high school, she worked at a local dance shop and was a pointe shoe fitter. It is extremely unlikely that those three girls were suited to the same brand AND style of pointe shoe. In a class of 20 girls, maybe 2-3 wear the same brand/style. SweetChild danced en pointe for 4(?) years. She was very close to needing two completely different styles of the same brand for each foot. If she danced more intensively, we would have had to go that route.

 

Anyway, other than mild discomfort and annoyance of breaking in new shoes, neither had any actual pain from their pointe shoes, ever. Maybe one blister. It girls at their studio were expected to wear whatever brand and style fit them, as there were excellent and trusted fitters at the local shop ;)

 

Tips from Diamond:

Always wear the same tights for pointe shoe fittings as you wear in class yes, there is a difference between the try-on nylons and dance tights, and even professional mesh tights and microfiber blend tights. For some people, it's negligible, for others it is significant.

Always bring the toe pads. They significantly change the fit or feel of shoes

After she has been en pointe for a while she may need a different brand/style/size/width/shank strength as her feet will change, even if her shoes size is the same and her sneakers still fit

Never allow room to grow in pointe shoes. Ideally, the shoes will wear out before they are outgrown

Aside from supporting your local dance shop, avoid ordering online for a better price until her feet stop growing and you are consistently buying the exact same shoe every time, or need several pair at the same time to pack for a summer intensive.

Try different positioning of the elastic and ribbons to further customize the fit. (Diamond had to sew her ribbons unequally on the inside and outside. She also needed crossed elastics, not positioned evenly. No one in the audience noticed or cared)

 

If the teacher is super picky about their shoes looking the same perhaps they can all buy the same ribbons and elastic (different brands are colored differently) and use some base makeup or shoe dye to match them for performances. Hopefully she will get over it for class :rolleyes:

[Bootsie]

What kind of pain is she having?  Is she getting blisters?  Is she complaining that they are too tight?  Do they hurt when she isn't on pointe?  Is it limited to foot pain?

[lulubelle]

Very helpful advice! Good luck! My dd11 is going on pointe end of October. I'm very nervous about the whole process.

[edelweiss]

Absolutely agree!

 

OP, a suggestion: if you are not currently a member of the Ballet Talk for Dancers forum, please become one. Clara76 is an expert shoe fitter who can evaluate the fit of your dd's shoes if you send photos.

 

Where does she feel pain? My dd never had pain en pointe except when she'd get the occasional blister on her heel.

 

Feet are like snowflakes. One cannot try to fit all girls in a class into the same style of shoe. Ugh. I can see if someone wants to fit all girls with Freeds but then carefully gets the maker right for each pair of feet. But even that might not always work, especially if particular makers aren't available.

I agree with the others. It is crazy to expect all of the girls to wear the same brand of pointe shoes. I honestly question the expertise of your daughter's teacher if she is insisting on that.

 

I also agree with joining Ballet Talk for Dancers and asking Clara76. I am fortunate to live in the same city as Clara76 and she has fit my daughter in pointe shoes many times. She is very helpful and really knows her stuff.