Stay in Shape Over Break

The holiday season often means a week or two of from school and dance classes.  The holidays are a nice break from class and a great time to catch up with friends and family.  However, don't let yourself get behind over break.  Try these five tips from Dancefullout.com to make sure you are ready to hit the dance floor after the new year.

1. Stretch Every Day

To avoid having extremely sore muscles when you return to class, keep yourself limber by stretching everyday.  It is a great way to avoid being sore and a way to ensure you maintain your flexibility. Put the Stretch-EZ optic on your Christmas list.  It can be found at Our Online Product store and is great for aiding in physical mobility and flexibility, the Stretch EZ's cradle design encompasses the foot allowing for a comfortable stretch to the foot, heel, Achilles tendon, hamstring, quadriceps, inner/outer thigh and calf.  A break is also a great time to schedule an appointment with your doctor or podiatrist about any problems you may be having.  Call us at 419-423-1888 or visit our website to request an appointment. 

2. Take the Dog for a Walk or Go for A Walk Outside

To keep yourself active while your outside the studio, try a light form of exercise like walking your dog, riding your bike, or even walking around the mall.

3. Try a New Form of Exercise

Since you have some extra time over the break, try a different type of exercise.  Maybe go to your local gym and take a pilates, kickboxing, or swimming class.  Dance is a great form of exercise but you may discover another activity you love while keeping your body in shape for dance class!

4. Review Your Notes

Looking over your notes from class and thinking about your corrections will help you become more aware of them when you head back to class.  If you don't take notes after class already, now is a great time to gather a notebook and start!

5. Watch a Dance Performance

Sit back, relax, and let someone else do the dancing!  Watching a dance performance will inspire you and remind you why you love to dance.  It is also a great way to take control of your dance education and learn about different forms of dance and revisit the classics.

Finally, don't forget to enjoy your break.  Dancing is so much fun but it is also nice to let your body relax and take a break from dancing for a few days.

Nail Polish Do's and Dont's for Dancers

Most female dancers enjoy spicing up their feet for modern class or sandals with some nail polish.  It is fun, festive, and a great way to make your feet look a little less beat up from the dance floor!  However, there are some dangers to wearing nail polish, especially for dancers.

The first danger of nail polish is the limited visibility of toenails whilst wearing it.  If you cannot see your toenail, there may be problems with your feet you are unaware of.  For example, your pretty polish may be covering up bruised toenails, which can be a great source of pain and may cause your nails to fall off!  Your polish could also be hiding fungal toenails. Fungal toenails can be spread in public areas, so you may be unknowingly passing it on to your friends in modern class on the hot marley floor. If you are unaware of the problem, there is no way you can fix it! The second danger of nail polish is the harsh chemicals in the polish and remover. Some polishes contain formaldehyde, which has been proven to be a carcinogen, and other dangerous chemicals.

 If you want to wear nail polish try Dr. Remedy's line of enriched polishes and removers.  You should also allow your nails at least one week out of the month to have fresh air and to check for any toenail problems the polish may be hiding. Dr. Remedy's enriched polish remover is available through the product store. If you notice any problems with your feet or toenails upon the removal of your polish, call our office at 419-423-1888 or visit our website to request an appointment. You should also make an appointment with your podiatrist if you notice any other problems with your feet, not just your toenails!

Dance Moms

The Cast of the New Series Dance Moms

The new lifetime reality series Dance Moms, showcases a dance studio, its dancers, and of course, their mothers.  The cameras follow the talented young dancers and their mothers to the studio and to their weekly competitions.  The show is the typical reality television show, filled with conflict, mothers out for blood, and a demanding dance teacher in black.  Once the viewer digs beneath the drama and fighting, he or she finds very talented young dancers working hard night after night.  However, all of this hard work is bound to take a toll on the young dancers.

The show depicted Brooke, a thirteen year old dancer going to see a doctor concerning an ailment in her hip.  The young girl was very mature in making the decision to see a doctor about her pain.  Young dancers should take notice of this mature behavior and see a doctor about pain, especially in their feet. Dancers should also alert their parents and teachers of their pain so they do not further injure themselves. Some common problems to look out for include Achilles tendinitis, sesamoidits, and plantar fasciitis.

ACHILLES TENDONITIS is the inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which attaches the calf muscle to the heel bone. Achilles tendonitis is first noticeable as a mild pain during and after exercise that gradually worsens with continued use. Running and jumping generally increase this pain, and feet may feel weak during repeated relevés and fast allegros. The tendon will often feel stiff until calf muscles warm up. Sometimes there is a point about an inch and a half above the heel bone that is tender to the touch. Achilles tendonitis is caused by tight and/or weak calf muscles, jumping without being fully warmed up, chronic rolling in and not putting heels down in successive relevés or when landing jumps.


If left untreated, inflammation of the tendon can irritate ankles and may cause a partial tendon tear or rupture. A rupture is an emergency requiring surgery. If the tendon ruptures, you won’t be able to stand or walk on the affected leg. Rehabilitating from a tear or rupture takes much longer than treatment for tendonitis.

To avoid injury or irritating an existing injury, maintain both flexibility and strength in calf muscles. Warm up calf muscles with ankle circles and by sitting with legs extended straight in front of you and pointing and flexing feet 30 times or more. Release tension from the calf muscles by stretching after every time you dance. Assess foot mechanics, taking care to put heels down during demi pliés, before taking off for and when landing from jumps. Stretching the calf muscle regularly will help to break the habit of popping heels.

SESAMOIDITIS is inflammation of the sesamoid bones, or the bones that move the big toe downwards.  It occurs on the bottom of the foot behind the big toe. It is caused by excess force on the bones or sudden upward movement of the toe.  Sesamoiditis may be treated with anti-inflammatory medication, cortisone injections, taping, or orthotics.

 PLANTAR FASCIITIS is a painful foot condition caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of connective tissue between the heel bone and the ball of the foot. When you walk, run and dance, this tissue transmits your weight through the foot. Plantar fasciitis causes pain on the bottom of the foot close to the heel. Discomfort is most acute when trying to walk first thing in the morning or after prolonged sitting. Many patients with plantar fasciitis also develop a heel spur—a protrusion of bone that can be seen in an X-ray jutting from the heel bone.

Pronation (rolling in), very high arches, sudden weight gain and tight Achilles tendons can all cause plantar fasciitis. Less common causes are poorly fitting shoes or running without warming up.
Left unattended, an inflamed plantar fascia will continue to pull on the bone spur, making it larger and more painful. Continued spur growth could require surgery.

To prevent plantar fasciitis, if you were born with high arches, regularly massage the bottoms of feet with a tennis ball. Maintain strong and flexible feet and ankles through daily exercises with an exercise band. When dancing, keep weight equally divided between the pads of the big and little toes and the heel. Also, your toes shouldn’t grip the floor when standing or in demi-pointe. Try the footroller depicted above, available at our product store.

If you are experiencing any bad pain in your feet or ankles or think you may be suffering from one of the conditions listed above, call our office at 419-423-1888 or visit our website to request an appointment.

Attention Young Dancers---Protect Your Feet

Although dance is an excellent and safe form of exercise, improper training and bad habits can cause the body harm.  Ensure that you are taking lessons from a trained professional and in a quality facility.  Your teacher should know basic anatomy and how to keep you safe from injury.  The facility should be safe and have non-concrete floors.  Most studios have marley floors, which are sprung floors specially designed for dancers.  Beginning dancers should take these six guidelines to account to protect their feet from damage. 

1.     The feet should be held evenly on the floor with the toes straight.

2.     The feet should never sickle, especially in demi-pointe or releve.

3.     Children should not curl their toes to give the illusion of higher arches when pointing their feet.

4.     A demi-plie should be taught to originate from the hips and children should not force it by pronating the feet.

5.     A half-toe position should not be held for an extended period of time because it can cause irritation to the bones in the feet.

6.     The heel must remain on the floor as long as possible in tendu to properly stretch the leg and foot.  When the heel and arch leave the floor, all the muscles in the ankle must stretch and the muscles under the instep should tighten slightly to avoid sickling the foot.

Pointe work is another important issue for young dancers.  Begininning pointe work is very serious and should be done with care.  Dancers should not begin pointe work until they are at least eleven or twelve.  She should be mature both mentally and phsycially.  She should also have the strength for pointework, as being weak on pointe makes you very prone to injury.  It is very rare for a class to begin pointework as a whole, so if you are behind your class don't worry! Just keep working up your strength and focus and you will be caught up with your class soon.

If a child does start pointe be sure they are prepared.  They should be properly fitted and have proper padding in their shoes.  This may include a toe spacer, like the one on vailfoot.com, to avoid bunions. If you have any further questions about how to protect your feet or need to adress a problem with your feet, call our office today at 419-423-1888Remember, your health always comes first!!

Holiday Shows and Sugarplum Fairies

The Nutcracker is based on the story "The Nutracker and The King of Mice" by E.T. Hoffman and all of the music in the ballet is written by Tchaikovsky.  The story is about a young German girl who dreams of a Nutcracker prince and a battle with the King of Mice and consists of five scenes.

The Party Scene- This scene takes place on Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaums annual party. Clara and Fritz are the children. Godfather Dosselhymer presents two life size doll to the children. Clara receives the nutcracker doll. Fritz becomes jealous and grabs and breaks the doll. Godfather fixes the doll with a magical handkerchief.  Night falls and the family goes to sleep while Clara sneaks out to the tree to check on her doll, falling asleep with it in her arms.
The Fight Scene - The clock strikes midnight and the toys come to life. The Nutcracker awakens and goes into an intense battle with the mice and the Mouse King. The Nutcracker is victorious.
The Land of Snow - The Nutcracker turns into a prince and takes Clara on an adventure to the Land of Snow, an enchanted forest where they are greeted by dancing snowflakes.
The Land of Sweets - The Prince escorts Clara to the land of sweets where they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The prince tells her about their daring battle with the Mouse King and she rewards them with a celebration of dances including, Spanish, Arabian, Russian, Chinese, Mirilton Dances and the Waltz of Flowers.
The Dream Ends - Clara arises from her sleep alone by the Christmas tree with her Nutcracker.

The Nutcracker is a holiday classic and for ballet dancers means a lot of work! Dancers should be prepared for the extra amount of stress dancing a show can put on their body and feet. Our product store at vailfoot.com has several products to relieve your aching feet.  One great product is RecoverIce Ice Wrap Bandage.  This product is great because it requires no refrigeration and you can take it backstage with you because it stays cool for up to 2 hours. It provides cooling and compression and is ready to use.  A perfect product for backstage aches. If you are having post-Nutcracker problems with your feet, contact our office at 419-423-1888 and schedule and appointment today or visit our website at vailfoot.com.

Don't Be Afraid - - - Doctor's Are Here to Help!

Dancing is a great way to exercise, express yourself, and have fun.  However, dancing can also cause feet a lot of stress and trauma.  The hit television show So You Think You Can Dance is a great example of this.  Last season, several of the contestants suffered from major injuries.  Billie Bell suffered from a knee injury and Alex Wong ruptured his Achilles tendon.  Alex and was unable to finish the competition but Billie took a week off and was able to continue. 

Dancers should learn from Billie Bell and take care of their bodies including their feet.  Sometimes rest is necessary.  If your injury continues to bother you, see a doctor!  Many dancers avoid going to the doctor because they are afraid the doctor will tell them not to dance.  This could actually cause the dancer more problems in the long run! If a dancer is dancing on an injured body part they could be making it worse and causing a long term problem out of a short term one.  Don't be ashamed of your feet.  If they are causing you problems go to a podiatrist and resolve the issue before it becomes a bigger problem!

Also, be sure you are taking preventative measures.  Keep your body in shape with a regular strengthening and stretching routine.  It is a good idea to keep thera-bands in your dance bag and create a stretching and strenghting routine for the thera bands.  Our product store is a perfect place to purchase thera-bands.  When this routine becomes too easy or boring, change it out for a new one.  If you are in class and something starts to hurt you, stop!  Most importantly, if you are experiencing pain that does not go away within a normal amount of time go to see your doctor. Don't let a minor injury turn into a major problem! Call our office at 419-423-1888 and schedule an appointment today.

Pronation

Pronation is the inward roll of the foot during normal motion and occurs as the outter edge of the hell strikes the ground and the foot rolls inward and flattens out.  A small amount of pronation is necessary and normal for the foot to work properly. However, excessive pronation can lead to damage and injury especially in dancers.  Excessive pronation causes the arch of the foot to flatten and stretch out the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot. Excessive pronation can cause several painful symptoms including

• Arch Pain
• Heel Pain
• Flat Feet
• Corns and Calluses
• Ankle Sprains
• Shin Splints
• Achilles Tendonitis
• Knee Pain
• Hip Pain
• Back Pain

Orthotic inserts and proper footwear are the best way to treat over pronation.  Schedule and appointment with your podiatrist to get fitted for orthotic inserts.  There are also some other things you can do to prevent over pronation.  First, do a thorough and correct warm-up before any physical activity or sport. Second, have a stretching routine. This helps prevent your muscles from being too tight or too stiff which makes injury more likely to occur. Third, strengthening and conditioning can also help prevent injury.  Finally, there are several products that help with over pronation. These products can be found at the product store on vailfoot.com.  Some of these products include Dr. Jill's Gel Arch Pads and Women and Men's Lace Up Athletic Walking Shoes.

Dr. Jill's Gel Arch Pads Feature

-Soft gel supports fallen arches, weak arches, high arches & pronation related foot problems.
-Self-stick pads make for easy application.
-Washable and re-usable pads. Each pad can be used over-and-over again.
-Two Sizes guarantees a comfortable fit.
-For use in all styles of footwear.

The Athletic Lace Up Walking Shoes Feature

Soft leather upper with stretchable panels that shape to the contours of the foot for a comfortable, non-binding fit.

Soft fabric lining with extra foam padding enhances comfort and protects the foot against irritations.

Ortho-Step® multi-layer insole cradles the foot, providing customized support along with excellent shock absorption. It offers relief for heel pain and foot discomfort, making every step you take extremely comfortable.

Wide, lightweight cushioning sole with Ergonomic-Stride construction enhances comfort and stability, and assists your body to propel. 

Anatomical design with added depth and a wide toe box ensures a relaxed fit and freedom for toe movement. 

Two sets of removable spacers (2 mm and 3 mm thick) allow the adjustment of the space inside the shoe for a perfect fit.