The nature of ballet and dancing places a lot of stress and pressure on the feet and legs which makes them prone to injury. Some of the most common ballet and dance injuries can be managed easily with the right diagnosis and treatment plan.
Because of the physical demands of ballet, dancers are 80% more at risk of injury than the general population. Some of the common injuries that dancer’s may face are:
Before beginning pointe work in ballet, it is important to have your feet medically cleared by a qualified professional to ensure that you are physically prepared for the demands of pointe work. Most dance teachers now require dancers to obtain a medical clearance before beginning pointe work. At Sole Podiatry we can conduct a comprehensive pointe assessment and prescribe appropriate exercises to prepare your feet for pointe.
A Pre-pointe assessment looks at the following:
At the end of the assessment, each student is given a personalised take home strength and conditioning program to build up their strength and control to further prepare their bodies for the demands of pointe work. This may include functional exercises, theraband work and stretching.
We recommend a pre-pointe assessment to be completed by all girls wishing to commence pointe work.
Ideally the pre-pointe assessment would take place 3-6 months before they wish to begin their pointe classes, so that we have adequate time to work on any areas requiring further strength and conditioning. This can help to avoid common problems many girls face when first beginning pointe work such as: Not being able to rise up onto the pointe box correctly, Bent knees when on pointe, Poor balance when on pointe, Pain in the foot or ankle when on pointe, Inability to maintain turnout on pointe
Many things need to be taken into consideration before deciding to start pointe work, such as:
Your consultation will go for 45 minutes. This time allows your Podiatrist to thoroughly examine and understand your needs as well as providing the necessary time to assess your condition properly. We will also develop a comprehensive treatment plan that will enable you to achieve your goal as soon as possible during this consultation.
There is no requirement to supply a referral from your doctor to see a Podiatrist.
With that said, if you have been referred, please bring a copy of the referral letter.
We pride ourselves on offering the highest quality podiatry care, and as a result, we are unable to offer bulk billing on the Chronic disease management plan (formally EPC). Our consultation fees apply to all visits, and a Medicare rebate can be issued to you on the spot with a valid EPC referral. There is a small out of pocket expense on all appointments.
The frequency and number of visitations will depend on the nature of the condition you are being treated for. The treatment and rehabilitation of conditions will vary widely however after an initial consultation your podiatrist will be able to provide a recovery framework for you.
We appreciate 24 hours notice for cancellations when possible. However we know the unexpected can often happen, so a courtesy phone call if you are going to miss an appointment is always appreciated.
An appointment which is cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice, may incur a fee of 50% of the consult rate.
If you miss an appointment, without giving notice, then the full rate of the appointment may be charged.
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