Dance Smart, Dance Healthy: Tips to Avoid Plantar Fasciitis
Written by Dr. Dana Arie PT, DPT, OCS
Experiencing foot pain? It could be your dance shoes!
Your dance shoes play a huge role in keeping your feet comfortable and healthy. They can help in the prevention and management of many foot injuries and discomfort that could keep dancers from enjoying dancing or prevent them from dancing altogether. In this post, we will dive into one of the most common foot injuries among dancers- plantar fasciitis, and see how we could help you manage and even prevent it, so you can keep dancing for many more years.
What is the Plantar Fascia?
The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue in your foot that attaches from your heel bone to the base of your toes. It is essential in supporting your foot arches and maintaining foot stability during weight-bearing activities. Dancers face an increased risk of developing problems along the plantar fascia as they spend a lot of time on their feet, often in heels or narrow shoes. Additionally, wearing heels or shoes that are not suitable for dancing, can affect their ability to move and turn smoothly, resulting in increased stress on the foot and plantar fascia.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
The most recognized symptom of plantar fasciitis is discomfort in the heel region, often most noticeable in the mornings or after prolonged periods of weight-bearing activities such as running and dancing. The pain seems to be a result of increased strain on the plantar fascia causing inflammation and structural changes leading to weakening of this band affecting the stability and support of the foot. Recovery is often prolonged, and the symptoms can interfere with your dancing and training.
What Should Dancers Do to Take Care of the Plantar Fascia?
Following this list below will help you to take care of your foot and plantar fascia structure so you can dance for many more years.
- Use appropriate footwear: Shoes specifically designed for dance can help support your feet during dance movements to reduce strain and injury. Fuego dance sneakers are designed to be lightweight, ergonomic, and supportive to stabilize the feet and reduce strain during dancing and turning. Fuego dance sneakers are a great solution for dancers because the dual pivot points in the sole allow for smoother turns and spins, which can be especially helpful when dancing on a variety of surfaces.
- Stretch your plantar fascia: Regularly stretch your calf muscles and plantar fascia especially in the morning and – most importantly – before training and dancing.
- Strengthen your foot and ankle muscles: Simple exercises such as foot doming and towel folds are easy to incorporate into warm-up and strengthening routines and help support and stabilize the plantar fascia.
- Give yourself foot massage: Place a roller or bottle of frozen water underneath your foot and apply pressure as you roll it along the bottom of your foot to massage and stretch out your plantar fascia.
If you want to be free to dance all night long and for many more years, make sure to take care of your plantar fascia. Recognizing early signs of heel pain, wearing the right shoes, and doing regular stretching and strengthening exercises will ensure that your feet will be healthier and keep you dancing with minimal pain.
