Thread: Dance sneakers for knee issues?

Without getting all rambly about the specifics of my knee issue, suffice it to say I've been experiencing on and off knee stiffness/minor pain in my right leg for quite some time now. Due to a very on-my-feet weekend, it is REALLY stiff and funky (although not terribly painful). It just feels "not right," even by the standards that I've gotten used to, dealing with this for a while.

I've made an appointment to see my doc, but I can't stop dancing (teaching is my business and income). Has anyone out there used dance sneakers in belly dance? I'd be interested to know how it worked out if you did. I think I should give my feet and joints the extra support, but I worry about the shoes hindering my foot flexibility and movement.

Anyone want to share their experiences or make recommendations for a specific shoe?

I use Capezio dance sneakers. They are split sole and have made a world of difference for me. I won't say they are the most fashionable things but they've save my arches & knees.

Originally Posted by Christina K

Has anyone out there used dance sneakers in belly dance? I'd be interested to know how it worked out if you did. I think I should give my feet and joints the extra support, but I worry about the shoes hindering my foot flexibility and movement.

Anyone want to share their experiences or make recommendations for a specific shoe?

Big issue to watch out for: dance sneakers often have "grippy" soles, meaning they stick to the floor instead of pivoting freely. I tried a pair for a 4-hour Mahmoud Reda workshop (which has a lot of pivoting moves), and my knees torqued so much that they hurt for a month afterward. Make sure you understand what kind of soles the sneakers have before you buy them!

If you do find dance sneakers with pivot-friendly soles, they'll probably give your foot all the flexibility you want. My pair was GREAT for letting my foot feel supple and mobile!

My solution was to have a shoe repair shop modify a pair of Hermes sandals, adding a cushioned layer. For information on what I did, go to this link on my web site: To the Tips of Your Toes: Belly Dance Costuming for Your Feet to the section "Footwear and Dance Health". Then scroll down to the sub-section "Dance-Related Care" and look for the photo on the right that has a cat in it. That section describes the modification that we did. The shoe repair shop thought I was nuts, but they did it, and I was happy with the results. A key thing is to make sure the rubber layer is THINNER over the arch area than it is on the heel and ball areas, to enable your foot to go up on the ball easily.

Maybe a teaching sandal is right for you? I'm linking here to a Bloch pair from discount dance supply, but you can find these from other brands and lots of other stores: Women‘s “Elastosplit Grecian“ Sandal - Style #ES0410L at Discount Dance Supply You can find similar styles in jazz shoes now as well, with an elastic instep and small heel.

My ballet instructor used to wear these almost exclusively while teaching. The sole is regular thin suede, so they will not grip the floor and cause problems while turning like some sneakers may. On the other hand, maybe they won't be enough support for what you need.

And off-topic, I'm sure you know this, but.... especially since you're already hurting, make sure you warm up gently and thoroughly before dancing! Legwarmers over the trouble knee can help a lot. Drink lots of water (my knees often get sore when I don't get enough). My aunt swears by eating jello, but I haven't tried it rigorously enough to know if that really helps.

Although they are not great on carpet -- as I found out at Jim Boz this weekend! -- on other surfaces I like the Sansha Salsette. It has a very smooth flat sole under the ball of the foot, not a grippy "spin spot". They were very slick at first, but now I've been wearing them for a while I've reached the smooth-but-not-too-smooth state.

Incidentally I have not found ANYTHING to be good on carpet. Probably a hard ballroom sole might have worked, but those fast turns this weekend were giving me a lot of trouble. Ow.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I do have teaching sandals already, but rarely use them.... might be time to dig them out again. I got them when I was struggling with plantar fasciitis but put them away when the problem went away because I found they squeezed uncomfortably after a couple of hours.

As for the hermes sandals suggestion... that won't work for me because hermes don't work for me at all! I don't know what it is about them, but I've tried dancing in them and it always spells disaster. The toe part of the sole ends up flipping under my foot at some point or another. At troupe mate swears by them though!

I'm happy to keep gathering suggestions until my doc appointment on Thursday, when I plan to bring in the shoes I own plus printouts of the sneakers I'm looking at to see what she thinks of it all.

i actually got ballroom shoes by a company called very fine. i have knee probs too and they didnt bother it too much

Originally Posted by Callistaangel

i actually got ballroom shoes by a company called very fine. i have knee probs too and they didnt bother it too much

Yep! I have a pair of these too for Egyptian performance, but they're not something I can teach in. I also have a couple pairs of character shoes. Anything more than a 1" heel though and I have a serious time limit as to how long I can wear them. I do love my ballroom shoes though!

Originally Posted by Christina K

Yep! I have a pair of these too for Egyptian performance, but they're not something I can teach in. I also have a couple pairs of character shoes. Anything more than a 1" heel though and I have a serious time limit as to how long I can wear them. I do love my ballroom shoes though!

i know they make one in a 1.3 heel cuz i almost got that one

Foot problems can lead to knee problems, but in my case, the knee issues have been addressed independently of the foot issues. Knee rehab did more to correct my knee instability and related pain than anything I did below the ankle. For dancing, I can usually get by in most circumstances by wearing a slim-profile orthotic in ballet slippers. It's not the support you'd see in a firmer shoe, but it does help. If your doctor recommends orthotics, do inquire around. There is more than one kind of insert, and a good pedorthist will be willing to work with you to help you find the best possible solution(s).

Originally Posted by tigerb

Incidentally I have not found ANYTHING to be good on carpet. Probably a hard ballroom sole might have worked, but those fast turns this weekend were giving me a lot of trouble. Ow.

I've seen amateur swing dancers wrap duct tape around the soles of their shoes to reduce grab on carpet. (Wouldn't that look elegant with an expensive belly-dance costume?!) Anything with a sewn sole can be easily re-soled with a different material by a shoemaker, though.

I am waiting for my Nike Musique shoes to get here. I got them for Zumba - they have a round area for spinning around on sole. Also, look at cheer leading shoes. Nike got high ratings.

I've used split sole dance sneakers for a while now, and they have saved my
feet, back and knees! I find them just fine to dance in, but you get used to dancing
in sneakers, so if I have a performance coming up, I'll dance or teach a couple classes
without them to kinda "re-adapt" my dance to doing it without them....if that makes
sense?

When I was doing a lot of jumping/Debke and worried about my knees about I bought some shoes called 'Fusion' from Bloch

Bloch Trainers Bloch Fusion dance sneaker. UK Dance Trainers

They are a fusion between dance trainers and jazz shoes - they are very lightweight and flexible - mostly fabric type stuff but with padding and support where needed (inclusing arch support which is why I need them currently)

I've since started wearing them for BD practice because of something I did to my foot and after a bit they are OK - they have a spot on the sole for spinning so they are OK for turns.

They do look fug but I think they do a good job

Zaf

Originally Posted by zafirah

When I was doing a lot of jumping/Debke and worried about my knees about I bought some shoes called 'Fusion' from Bloch

Bloch Trainers Bloch Fusion dance sneaker. UK Dance Trainers

They are a fusion between dance trainers and jazz shoes - they are very lightweight and flexible - mostly fabric type stuff but with padding and support where needed (inclusing arch support which is why I need them currently)

I've since started wearing them for BD practice because of something I did to my foot and after a bit they are OK - they have a spot on the sole for spinning so they are OK for turns.

They do look fug but I think they do a good job

Zaf

Those look worth trying out!

Hi there,
The shoes shown in the link you are given looking soft one and have nice shape also. I don't think so that it will create any kind of the problem or pain in dancing session or jumping or any kind of else.....

Walnut Creek Personal trainer

Originally Posted by Christina K

Thanks for all the suggestions. I do have teaching sandals already, but rarely use them.... might be time to dig them out again. I got them when I was struggling with plantar fasciitis but put them away when the problem went away because I found they squeezed uncomfortably after a couple of hours.

As for the hermes sandals suggestion... that won't work for me because hermes don't work for me at all! I don't know what it is about them, but I've tried dancing in them and it always spells disaster. The toe part of the sole ends up flipping under my foot at some point or another. At troupe mate swears by them though!

I'm happy to keep gathering suggestions until my doc appointment on Thursday, when I plan to bring in the shoes I own plus printouts of the sneakers I'm looking at to see what she thinks of it all.

Hey Christina, was wondering what your doc had to say about dance shoes!

Originally Posted by tigerb

Hey Christina, was wondering what your doc had to say about dance shoes!

Actually she told me not to change anything about my dancing. I mostly just need to keep up with the physical training and wear more supportive shoes for day-to-day activities. I have a really high arch and apparently I roll in on my right foot when I walk because of it. This has caused stress to the tendons on the inside of the knee. She suggested arch supports for when I wear shoes. Dancing doesn't seem to bother it specifically. It's walking that's the problem.

I have the same problem with walking/regular activity and high arches. I usually wear high arch birks which support my arch and prevent rolling. I also JUST got custom inserts for regular shoes. But typically, if I am very careful to wear the right shoes when not dancing, I can dance barefoot just fine :-)

Originally Posted by tigerb

Although they are not great on carpet -- as I found out at Jim Boz this weekend! -- on other surfaces I like the Sansha Salsette. It has a very smooth flat sole under the ball of the foot, not a grippy "spin spot". They were very slick at first, but now I've been wearing them for a while I've reached the smooth-but-not-too-smooth state.

Incidentally I have not found ANYTHING to be good on carpet. Probably a hard ballroom sole might have worked, but those fast turns this weekend were giving me a lot of trouble. Ow.

Thumps up on the Salsette choice! And I can wear my orthotic insoles inside them for dance training.

Originally Posted by Qamar60

Thumps up on the Salsette choice! And I can wear my orthotic insoles inside them for dance training.

So glad they worked out for you!