Thread: footwear for feet with "issues"

maybe I'm just getting old, maybe no one should dance on concrete for 4 days straight- I don't know but my feet HURT! even after a week of recovery. I wanted to sepatate this from the other shoe threads because the needs are different for folks wanting a close to barefoot experience on carpet or in studio.

does anyone have recommendations for dance shoes with a little cushioning that still look like dance shoes instead of nursing sneakers? Ideally I need both arch support and general cushioning, while still maintaining enough flexibility to point my foot during an arabesque... in my dream world it has a closed toe to hide my toenail issues, but that's probably pushing it!

I've been looking at the Aruba dance sandals with comfort soles, but don't know if that's enough padding/support for problem feet on concrete. has anyone tried them?

Ouch! I don't know the answer to your question. But after just a few hours on concrete, my whole BODY hurts and takes days to recover. This happened to me recently when I spent 3 hours standing and/or dancing on concrete. While standing I wore thick-soled rubber thongs, but that was not enough cushioning. It wasn't my feet that hurt afterward, it was my hips and legs.

I try to avoid dancing on concrete, this was a once-a-year event and the standing part was unexpected - the show was standing-room only, so I gave up my seat for non-dancer audience.

Do you dance four times a week on concrete, every week? Yikes!

Maybe this idea could be at least a little bit helpful: I have walked around Pennsic in Mary-Janes with gel insoles with arch support. It looks moderately dressed up (although I am not sure about an oriental costume or the durability of these cheap shoes), and my old body really does much better with the insoles.

Originally Posted by dunyah

Do you dance four times a week on concrete, every week? Yikes!

four days a week is a little extreme, even for me- but once a week is not unusual during peak performance season- either outside for the arts association/street fairs/etc or on floors that are those faux-stone poured concrete which certain restaurants thought would be cheap but classy ,r:;

& yeah, knees, hips & sore muscles too, but it's my feet that are screaming loudest! I'm bringing foam pads from my kids' room to the next fair, but that's not always an option!

I'm not sure mary janes would be snug/supportive enough- I've got gel inserts in my dance heels, but I don't wear those outside or on concrete either.

Are you talking about for performance?

If so, all I can suggest is Character shoes with gel in soles and then change into regular shoes in between.

{{{HUGS}}}

I wear orthotics with heel cushions and arches in ballet slippers for regular dancing. If you are serious, perhaps you could talk to a shoemaker about custom Hermes sandals with built-in padding and arches? There aren't a lot of cobblers who make dress shoes anymore, but someone who specializes in pedorthic corrections should be able to make or modify a pair of simple sandals to address these issues.

I have the Aruba sandals with the comfort soles and don't find them any more comfortable than Leo's hermes sandals (though they are prettier). I don't think they will be enough support or cusion for already aching feet.

Tourbeau, that may be the way I have to go- maybe something like the mary janes but sturdier construction than what I've seen? I was really hoping for a different answer on the Aruba sandals!

I already have ballroom shoes with good inserts, I'm looking for a flat option with a non-suede sole, so character shoes are out due to the heel & ballet due to the sole. I've used the pedini (capezio) with inserts & they are comfortable, but the suede soles make them wear out too fast on anything other than the studio floor. Wondering now tacky blinging up my nursing shoes would be...(kidding, not going there)

It might be worth it to contact Aruba and see if she can work with you on this. Maybe she would be open to a compromise where she sells you partially constructed sandals that you could take to a local pedorthist to finish the job with custom arches and soles, if she can't accommodate you with her standard product line?

[
I already have ballroom shoes with good inserts, I'm looking for a flat option with a non-suede sole, so character shoes are out due to the heel & ballet due to the sole. I've used the pedini (capezio) with inserts & they are comfortable, but the suede soles make them wear out too fast on anything other than the studio floor.

Whatever shoes you have can be resoled---Hermes, any Capezio ballroom shoe, they can be redone w/ suede or dance rubber for outside---but it is hard to turn w/ dance rubber. but---it won't wear out so soon. A good shoe repair guy could be your friend. I also have a pair of low heeled ballroom pumps that are enclosed enough that i can put arch supports inside the shoe. Also---i know no one wears nylons anymore---but for me it's the easiest way to camouflage my leg veins. No Nonsense sheer to the waist-----the bomb!!! put them in the freezer for 24 hours and they won't run so quickly. i can keep a pair through 3 washings if i'm careful. and if your legs reallllllly hurt, Legs sheer energy or sheer vitality---just wear a skirt that doesn't show too much leg cause they are shiny. The No Nonsense are so sheer that you can see your dark toenails through the nylons. Just having the sheer nylons is enough support to help when my legs, knees or feet are tweaked.

sorry the first part of the my last post was a quote.

I have been wondering about this very same thing. I pronate really badly (feet turn in), which tweaks my knee and hip because the bones are basically completely out of alignment, especially on my right foot. I went to my physical therapist to have orthotics made for dance shoes but he said he could not use a soft shoe like a ballet slipper nor could he use an open shoe like a ballroom shoe. I brought in about 5 pairs of my fancy shoes and he said no to all of them. He can do it in a character shoe but they aren't flexible enough. Do I need to find a new physical therapist?

Tourbeau- Can you explain more about your orthotics. Are these specially made for you or did you get them over the counter? Thanks!

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

I wear orthotics with heel cushions and arches in ballet slippers for regular dancing. If you are serious, perhaps you could talk to a shoemaker about custom Hermes sandals with built-in padding and arches? There aren't a lot of cobblers who make dress shoes anymore, but someone who specializes in pedorthic corrections should be able to make or modify a pair of simple sandals to address these issues.

Mellilah, sent you a PM.

The issue with my feet is that anything other than my sneakers or bedroom slippers causes blisters or irritation...c:: Our troupe is walking in the 4th of July parade this weekend & I still don't know what I'm going to wear on my feet.,f::

I tried Capezio ghillies but they caused cramping across the ball of my foot because they were apparently too narrow (medium width). Even my soft ballet style dance slippers irritate my toes about halfway through a 1-hr class. Thongs are too irritating & slingbacks chafe my heels. I might try the Capezio Irish steppers I saw mentioned in the other thread, since I see they come in a wide width. I like the look of Aruba's comfort soles, but my budget right now is nearly non-existant, so anything more than $30 is out of reach for the time being.

For something like workshops where you are on your feet for days I wear jazz shoes with Spenco inserts or dance sneakers. To heck with how they look. I also have found that wearing Ace ankle braces actually make my feet feel better and save my ankles and knees. You can also try ballet slippers with gel inserts or Pedinis. Wrapping your arches helps as well. Good dance sneakers should have a spin spot on the ball of the foot and a sort of slick sole that allows you to spin and turn on carpen without torqueing your knees.

Yes, I agree. No one should dance on concrete unless it's a one time deal that you couldn't prevent...and then go low impact! I wrote an article about dance flooring here: Dance Flooring: Injury Prevention & Dancer Longevity | Mellilah’s Belly Dance Blog

Originally Posted by dunyah

Ouch! I don't know the answer to your question. But after just a few hours on concrete, my whole BODY hurts and takes days to recover. This happened to me recently when I spent 3 hours standing and/or dancing on concrete. While standing I wore thick-soled rubber thongs, but that was not enough cushioning. It wasn't my feet that hurt afterward, it was my hips and legs.

I try to avoid dancing on concrete, this was a once-a-year event and the standing part was unexpected - the show was standing-room only, so I gave up my seat for non-dancer audience.

Do you dance four times a week on concrete, every week? Yikes!

You might be able to order shoes a bit looser than you'd normally wear and insert extra padding (I'd suggest getting separate ball-of-foot and heel pads, rather than a full-sole Dr. Scholl's or something; if the sort of heel pads you want are hard to find, I believe Bunheads makes some for Irish dancers) and an orthotic. I think I've heard of Highland dancers doing it with their ghillies. So any shoe that would hide your extra accessories (ballet shoes or jazz shoes, or the lyrical ghillies some like) would probably work.

I'm still also always a fan of the cotton Mary Janes...I don't know if they're still popular enough to get in regular stores, but the Asian stores still carry them. Only downside with these is that, of course, you won't be able to get them in nude. But they have a nice thin rubber sole that is flexible enough for belly dancing (you can achieve a demi-pointe), it just wouldn't show a nice point like ballet shoes would (so might be better for the parade-goers than inside dancing).

At my local drug store there are also arch supports that I've thought of getting for my Highland competitions, as lately I've found my arches tend to hurt for a few days after (I don't know if I'm trying to point really hard since my feet are so flat to try to make them look nice, or maybe *I'm* just getting old too!). They look like wide bands of elastic that go around your arches. However, they'd be visible on the top of your foot (but they're nude-toned--well, nude if you're white anyway; I haven't seen them in other colors but perhaps they do exist). Oh, here they are: Arch Bandage | Walgreens

Examples of cushions:
Buy Dr. Scholl's Massaging Gel Ball of Foot Cushions Online at drugstore.com

Buy Dr. Scholl's Gel Heel Cushions, Women's Online at drugstore.com

Ultra Arch | Walgreens

Gel Ball-of-Foot Cushion | Walgreens

Steppies | Walgreens

(These would help with rubbing on top of the toes) Buy Profoot Care Pump Pouches, One Pair Fits All Online at drugstore.com

Originally Posted by Mellilahbellydance

Yes, I agree. No one should dance on concrete unless it's a one time deal that you couldn't prevent...and then go low impact! I wrote an article about dance flooring here: Dance Flooring: Injury Prevention & Dancer Longevity | Mellilah’s Belly Dance Blog

Unfortunately, that would mean not taking any of the paying gigs here locally :( plenty of freebie events on nice floors, but the people with cash all seem to like concrete. sigh. & no, a layer of carpet over the concrete does not help a whole lot.

Originally Posted by Souzan

For something like workshops where you are on your feet for days I wear jazz shoes with Spenco inserts...

seconding this recommendation!

But I've also been eyeing these for long dance workshops:

Aris Allen Women's Grey Suede Sole Dance Sneakers

They have suede soles, but you can smooth out a suede sole darn fast by wearing it outside on the sidewalk for a while.

Dancing on concrete multiple times a week sounds like a really good way to damage your body.

Are these outdoor events? Maybe you can build a small stage that you can set up yourself?

I know it probably seems like a ridiculous idea but I had a teacher who did that, and she's been using her wooden stage for Renaissance Faires for years now. It must have been a lot of work, but it sure as hell beats the damage you could be dealing with as a result of regularly dancing on concrete.

A student asked me yesterday what can she do about her high arches. I told her the about the arch support Dr. Scholl's and other brands, but she says she can't afford to pay much for anything right now. What is the least expensive thing I can tell her to try, or are those Dr. Scholl's inserts in fact the least expensive option? I don't have any experience dealing with high arches, so I didn't have anything else to tell her but thought I'd quiz you guys.

Have any of you tried putting something like that in a cloth/canvas ballet slipper? I'm wondering if it would slide around in there, or if the slippers generally are slim-fitting enough that that doesn't happen?

Originally Posted by Darbla

A student asked me yesterday what can she do about her high arches. I told her the about the arch support Dr. Scholl's and other brands, but she says she can't afford to pay much for anything right now. What is the least expensive thing I can tell her to try, or are those Dr. Scholl's inserts in fact the least expensive option? I don't have any experience dealing with high arches, so I didn't have anything else to tell her but thought I'd quiz you guys.

Have any of you tried putting something like that in a cloth/canvas ballet slipper? I'm wondering if it would slide around in there, or if the slippers generally are slim-fitting enough that that doesn't happen?

I've successfully put arch-support insoles (bought from Target for about $15) in tie-on jazz shoes, but I had to buy a size larger than normal as those shoes do fit quite closely. I suspect that the case would be the same with ballet slippers.

Originally Posted by Darbla

A student asked me yesterday what can she do about her high arches.

High arches are a different structural problem than flat arches. Depending on the individual's foot problem, different solutions are proposed. Why does she think she needs to do something? Is she in pain?

I told her the about the arch support Dr. Scholl's and other brands, but she says she can't afford to pay much for anything right now.

Well, here's the thing: If you're having foot pain, it won't be any cheaper to deal with later, especially if by not doing the right things sooner, you've made it worse. Not everybody has problems severe enough to need surgery, but some do. Some spend years in pain with problems that aren't quite serious enough to justify an operation, but a lot of misery could have been avoided with smarter preventative choices. Let's not be penny wise, but pound foolish.

Have any of you tried putting something like that in a cloth/canvas ballet slipper? I'm wondering if it would slide around in there, or if the slippers generally are slim-fitting enough that that doesn't happen?

I use them, but I have the opposite problem of flat arches. I don't have much of a problem with shifting, but you can always use an adhesive to hold the innersoles in place.

I also have high arches. High arches tend to be weak and thus need more support, especially since the weakness tends to continue on up into the inner ankle. A few thoughts:

-The Dr. Scholl's inserts are not orthotics. They may provide some cushioning comfort, but they won't do a lot for structural issues, especially not on more unusual feet.

-The least expensive but also effective orthotic inserts you can get are brands like Spenco. If you have a local running store with good customer service, go there and ask for help picking out inserts. Typically the salesperson will have a client walk barefoot and observe their footfall. These inserts will cost 2-3 times as much as Dr. Scholl's, but they will be much more effective. Tourbeau is 100% correct about not being penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to your feet.

-Hard shell inserts are best for high arches, but those are also going to be the hardest to fit into soft-soled shoes.

-The best classroom option I have found are dance sneakers with a turning spot. I feel clunky and not pretty in them, but every time I see a workshop instructor wearing a pair, I remind myself that pros take care of their feet, and I should too. The sneakers provide my feet and ankles with stability, which in turn provides a safe opportunity for strengthening. In the summer, when my feet tend to be more limber, I can get by with split-sole dance slippers with an elasticized arch for support, but if I were going to a long workshop, I'd wear the sneakers. By protecting my feet regularly in class, I preserve the ability to dance barefoot in performance.

-Speaking of strengthening, doing foot and ankle-strengthening exercises matters just as much if not more than supportive footwear. The specific exercises right for an individual should really be recommended by a podiatrist, physical therapist or other health professional, but here's a representative sample: Foot & Ankle Exercises

-One's regular shoes matter as much as what one wears during class. If the shoes you've been pounding your feet in all day aren't supportive or are outright destructive like heels or flipflops, the best orthotics in the world in your dance shoes aren't going to prevent damage when already traumatized feet are asked to perform feats, so to speak ;-) , of strength on the dance floor.

Of course the absolute best thing for the student to do is to see a doctor or podiatrist and get specific recommendations for dealing with her feet. Foot problems are often caused by something higher up in the body (hamstring tightness, for one), so even the best over the counter orthotics money can buy might not resolve the issues that are causing the foot pain, just temporarily mask it, which does no good in the long run. SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP IF YOU HAVE FOOT PAIN, if that wasn't already clear