Pointe Shoe Padding

While the justification for it says that it is better due to the fact that it ‘fills in the gaps’, rather than padding up the pressure areas, the thing that I am most concerned about is the amount of padding demonstrated underneath the toes. While the demonstrations encourage the student to work through the shoe as they would when dancing – I am concerned that the all important action of moving from demi-pointe to full pointe using the lumbricals (the small intrinsic foot muscles under the toes) will not be possible if not performed correctly in the very beginning.

We all know that it does take time for students to really master this in bare feet, let alone in their pointe shoes, so I definitely would not be using this on students who have not mastered that level of articulation. I think that you will also find that students who have achieved that level of articulation will not enjoy that amount of padding in the shoes anyway!

Most issues with pain in the toes en pointe is due to the knuckles curling and then rubbing on the front of the shoe. If you put a cushion in front of those bent knuckles, it prevents the pain but does not actually correct the real issue, which is the clawing of the toes. As you know, clawing of the toes leads to many issues of the long flexor tendons (FHL, FDL etc), so I prefer to use any rubbing of the knuckles as a sign that the dancer needs to correct the mechanics of the pointed foot, rather than just putting something in to avoid the pain..

The best prevention from damage to the toes on pointe is always going to be correct preparation, continued specific strengthening and correct fitting of pointe shoes, along with basic foot care and hygiene. This is why I have always advocated specific and progressive foot and ankle strengthening programs such as The Perfect Pointe Book and the Advanced Foot Control for Dancers program.

The basic hygiene factor is something that also worries me with both regular toe pads and these silicon moulds… A dancer’s foot sweats considerably, especially when confined in a pointe shoe… We change our regular socks every day, yet the number of students who do not wash their toe pads is appalling. Most of them admit that it never even crossed their mind, and when I mention how often we change our socks, a look of horror crosses their face! I wonder what the advice is in regards to wearing stockings and washing these devices?

Personally I still think that minimal padding used in pointe shoes is the best, and that usually a thin layer of foam padding cut to the shape of the under surface of the box is enough to protect the top of the toes. Dancers will always look for ways to customise their shoes, but in the end, there is no substitute for specific strengthening, a great fit and careful training.

I hope you understand how important it is to have a thorough routine