Toe Care

To be honest, I don’t think the phrase, “that dancer has nice toes” has ever been spoken before. Regardless of the type of dancing, dancers' feet and toes really take a beating. My brothers don’t even like when I put my feet on the couch because they think they’re going to catch a disease or something. In reality, my feet are not that bad, just a little bumpy and callously, which apparently is equal to the bubonic plague!

These aren't mine thankfully! That looks painful!
Photo: Henry Leutwyler

For the most part, dancers' feet hold up to the demands but there are a variety of foot ailments that affect dancers and make it quite painful to dance on if not treated or padded properly. Here are a few common problems and how to treat them so you can be dancing pain-free ASAP!

Blisters: Although more common in newer dancers, or dancers coming back from a break, blisters are caused from your shoes rubbing against soft skin. Soon calluses will develop and blisters will become more rare, but if you have one, the best thing to use is 2^nd Skin. They are moist little pads that soothe the irritated skin as well as provide some padding. Tape a square on your blister and you’ll be able to get dancing with little burning or pain! Also, warm soaking in Epsom salt will dry it out at the end of the day as well as soothe tired feet.

Calluses: Usually these are good for dancers, but sometimes when they get over developed or crack, they can cause a lot of pain. To prevent overgrowth, keep calluses in check with a pumice stone. If your callus becomes cracked, I find that keeping it moist with Neosporin helps to lessen that ripping feeling. When dancing though, as crazy as it sounds, using a little super glue helps to hold it together so it doesn’t split more. Just make sure you clean the affected area as soon as possible after so you don’t get an infection.

Corns: Honestly, corns are the worst! Formed when pressure from tight shoes causes your skin to thicken into a deep cone-shaped mass pointing down in between your toes. First of all, “Ew!” and secondly, “Ouch!” For hard corns, gently use a pumice stone to prevent build up. If you have a soft corn though, see a podiatrist to help remove it. Then keep it clean, moist, and padded. Do not use the corn salicylic acid that is sold in drugstores though! It will make your pain unbearable. Neosporin, a corn pad, and clean and dry toe pads or shoes will alleviate pain much better than harsh acid. Also, if you are dancing in shoes, cut a little X in the shoe near the affected toe to give it some extra space—I promise that really helps!

Bruised Nails: They're an inevitable side effect of stomping around on top of your toes all day. Try to keep any injured nails attached as long as possible so that your toe is protected from excess pressure, but if it falls off, use antibacterial cream and keep it covered! The skin is raw and sensitive under your nail so it’s at risk for a nasty infection. Some of my nails are bruised, and I find filing them down to prevent them from getting too thick helps relieve some discomfort too.

Okay, I could go on and on about different (not to mention gross) toe problems. However, these are the most common amongst dancers. I mean just look at that picture! It looks like she has corns, calluses and bruised toe nails. Most of the time you can treat your problem with basic first aid, but if your toe starts to swell, look red, or takes a long time to heal, go see a podiatrist! They really will help you and you usually don't have to take time off.