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Thread: my feet r KILLING me

  1. #1
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    Default my feet r KILLING me

    Hi again, was just wondering what you all do to keep your feet healthy. I haven't been dancing long but all of a sudden my feet are swelling up about 3/4 through my shift . I don't know if it it the shoes or someone said alcohol, but I don't drink much at all.
    Any help would be great.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    Alcohol probably wouldn't help, but I don't drink at all and my feet swell. A hazard of heels. Maybe the shoes are too small for you. Experiment with different types, and get some insoles (they don't have to be fancy, Dr Scholl's work fine) and use them - that cerrtainly has helped me.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    Oh, also, on keeping feet healthy: if it's been an especially roungh night, a nice soak in Epsom salts is nice. Before work I use some foot lotion and powder, and whenever I'm in the tub I give them a nice scrubbing with the pumice and a foot brush. Somehow my feet haven't gotten too bad even after 8 years of dancing.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    For myself I enjoy a good pedicure every two weeks.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    being on your feet for extended periods of time, especially in heels, generally causes them to swell. drink a lot of water to flush out your system. pregnant women do this to help with swelling feet and ankles. also, cut down a lot on your salt intake... salt makes the body retain water, and if you're on your feet a lot, gravity makes that retained water go there. elevate your feet above the level of your heart whenever you can, like if you're watching tv or just hanging out at home. give yourself a good foot massage often. i have this wonderful thingie i bought at the drugstore ages ago that you fill with warm water and it has these bumps on the bottom that vibrate when the weight of your feet touches them... it feels fabulous! i plunge my tootsies in that thingie every night, and i often add Epsom salts to the water. making sure your shoes fit properly is essential. every time you need to hit the dressing room for a pee, take off your shoes and do a quicky foot massage. i've found that switching heel sizes during a shift helps... platforms for the floor and non-platform shorter heels for the stage, and i sometimes keep on the lower heeled shoes toward the end of the shift if my feet bother me more that night. whenever you can be off your feet during a shift, do it... like sitting with a customer rather then standing. whenever you can do it unobtrusively, rotate your ankles, wiggle your toes... you want to keep the blood flow going well.

    i had soooo much problems with aching swollen feet when i first started dancing. wearing shoes that fit properly, foot massages and getting rid of excess body fluid helped a lot.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    Properly fitting shoes were the greatest boon to the comfort of my feet.

    Otherwise I cannot say that I have had many problems.

    If you have an extended amount of time between your sets, you may wish to go into the dressing room and somehow elevate your feet for about 10 minutes - it is what Itry to do while travelling so that my ankles do not swell from sitting still too long.

    McCain

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    Try insoles w/ the gel cushioning. Also consider getting pedicures(if it's in ur budget) for a change. It feels good to have someone else working on your feet from time to time.







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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    I use foot spray. Someone makes it but I forget who. You could just mix water and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    the feet issue is the one complaint we ALL have. i'm lucky enough to have a massage therapist for a boyfriend, so when they get painful i ask for a good foot massage. Alanna's tips were all helpful - the massage and cutting down on salt on the days you're working. also, if you wear platforms, maybe you should get the mule-type rather than the strap-buckle types, so that you can take them off intermittently during the night. Whenever I go to the dressing room I stomp around in flip-flops and take off the platforms - but it has saved my feet from a lot of discomfort.
    Also, getting your shoe a 1/2 size larger and getting a cushy-insole put in helps as well.
    "You have no idea what a long-legged gal can do without doing anything." -Claudette Colbert

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    I dont know about you other girls but wearing boots as opposed to regular heels has really helped me. My fave pair of boots are shiny leather thigh high boots with a 2 1/2 in. platform and 6 1/2 in. heels. I can work a full shift in these and my feet almost never hurt. Knee high boots with the same dimensions for the heels are great too. I think my feet hurt less because I have more ankle support with the boots and so it takes a little bit of the pressure off of my feet.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    You know, I work with a lot of girls who say the same thing about boots - they feel more stable in them, etc. You can also cram a bigger insole in a boot since there isn't a chance of it peeking out (except in those crazy open-toed boots).
    I like boots sometimes, but I think that they wreck your feet a lot more than a pair of well-fitting open-toed platforms because ultimately your feet will slide down and be smushed in front.
    You know, it has always been a peeve of mine that nobody's taken the trouble to manufacture high-quality dancer shoes that have a high heel *and* good cushioning and support. I would gladly pay double or triple the price for a truly comfortable (as a 6" heel can be) shoe. Can we get the Italians or the Spanish on this now?

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    i *wish* we could wear boots! our club is a gown club, unfortunately, and it's only recently that the night shift has been allowed to even wear mini-dresses, as opposed to the weekend shifts - talk about up-tight! Anyway, collete - you make a very good point about the decent shoes...if you(we) dance for a long time as in yeaars, bad shoes can do some long term damage- not good - my friend who danced for 6 years just had knee surgery b/c of dancing. ouch!
    "You have no idea what a long-legged gal can do without doing anything." -Claudette Colbert

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    Try wearing platforms, if your club allows it. 6-8.5" platforms with chunky heels are the best--you still look great, but your feet will thank you. I find boots are the most comfortable, but anything with platforms is *way* better than stillettos.

    Also, if you can afford it, get a pedicure once a week.

    If nothing else, get some gel inserts, and put one in the sole of your heels and stick one to the top of the heel (inside of course) so your toes don't get pinched. Dr. Scholls is the best I've found for that.

    Good luck!

  14. #14
    Pamela
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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    Wearing very high heels is an un natural position for our feet, and when you combine that with long hours of dancing, walking, standing they will respond with swelling, corns ect. I make sure my dancer shoes have soft soles, very important. Blood is pooling down at your feet, so excercises for them would be great to make them stronger before work. I practice (don't do it anymore, swelling feet not a problem for me now) just laying money or envelopes ect. (before work, takes 10 minutes.) around my feet while i am sitting watching tv. Pick each one up with your toes, hang on for about 10 seconds. and put it back down. As you progress, move on to some difficult objects to pick up with your toes. Feet love exercise! This will move fluids around in them, as well as strenghten your feet. Walk around your house barefoot all day, stand on your tippy toes from time to time. And at the end of your shift soak them in warm water with a beautiful scent. upon drying use the towel to massage them at the same time (killing 2 birds with one stone.) And lay down realax, watch tv, or go to bed, and for awhile with your feet slightly elevated. They will love your for it. The key is to keep you body fluids from pooling around you feet. Your feet may very well adjust to a little TLC. Pamela also i wear my straps lose and shoes a little bigger because if a strap is tight you are then blocking off blood flow, same with the sides of your shoes. Lots of shoes just don't fit properly, and we may think it's normal to have them tight. Pamela, PS and during bathroom time at work, go in a stall and put them feet up for a few minutes. They will love you.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    the best part of the job is getting to take off them shoes at the end of your shift. taping the two toes next to your big toe diminishes a pressure point and make a world of a difference to me. i also treat myself to a hot bath when i get home from work and just soak. good luck.

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    Default Re: my feet r KILLING me

    nice info girls. I am anxious to try these out asap

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