Feet, feet, feet! …One of the most important yet neglected parts of our body, so much so that some of us are even scared of them! Foot strengthening exercises are absolutely crucial for dancers, not only to reduce the risks of dance-related injuries, but to ensure the longevity of their careers by achieving the most pain-free experience possible (yep, even during pointe work!).
We often forget to stretch and strengthen our feet, probably because it can be quite a tedious task that doesn’t always yield visible results at first, but that doesn’t make it any less important than squatting or sitting in the splits. If you’re feeling confused about which foot strengthening exercises are the most beneficial for dancers, read on for my comprehensive guide containing all the information you need to know to help you say ‘bye bye’ to those painful bunions and a big ‘hello’ to some awe-inspiring arches…
The Anatomy of our Ballet Feet…
Before we start, it’s super important that dancers understand the anatomy of their feet to help them understand the benefits of strength training, as well as the key areas that they need to work on if they are experiencing pain.
In brief, our feet are made up of bones (most notably the phalanges and metatarsals), as well as joints, tendons, muscles and ligaments. Dancers should become familiar with the intrinsic muscles of the foot, which include the quatratus plantae, the flexor digitorum brevis, the abductor halluces and the abductor digiti minimi, as these muscles hold our arches whilst providing stability, and can also help to prevent the formation of bunions. If you often find yourself rocking on your standing foot during adage, spending some time strengthening the intrinsic muscles could make all the difference, by providing a supportive base to allow for more controlled développés and arabesques.
Next up on our list is the plantar fascia; a long ligament that runs through the bottom of your foot and works alongside the intrinsic muscles to support the arch, whilst also absorbing shock when running, jumping and even walking. If the plantar fascia is placed under repetitive strain or the ligament becomes too tight, the pain can be debilitating for dancers. Therefore, we must make sure that we are practising all of the best stretching and strengthening methods to reduce the risk of pain and discomfort when we’re dancing!
One of the best foot strengthening exercises for dancers, the towel scrunch is a favourite of mine for activating those oh so important intrinsic muscles that are responsible for supporting the arches of our feet whilst keeping us on balance. Strengthening the intrinsic muscles, in conjunction with stretching the upper instep, are crucial steps for achieving the perfect ballet ‘banana’ foot, and will also help us to visibly point our feet even through the resistance of pointe shoes!
Step 1) Place a towel underneath your foot.
Step 2) Scrunch the towel towards you by picking it up with your toes.
Step 3) Repeat.
Exercise #2 – Cold Can Roll
More of a stretch than a strengthen, the cold can roll is a fantastic exercise for lengthening out a tight plantar fascia (something which is not uncommon for dancers who are consistently placing strain on their feet, especially when dancing on solid ground if sprung floors aren’t available). Plantar fasciitis in a condition which occurs when the plantar fascia becomes tight and inflamed, however the action of placing a cold can underneath your foot and rolling back and forth imitates a massage, which not only works to lengthen the plantar fascia, but also reduces inflammation in the ligament as an ice pack would. I recommend always keeping a coke can in the fridge to make sure you’re ready to combat plantar fasciitis pain as soon as it flares up!
Step 1) Place a cold can under the arch of the foot.
Step 2) Roll the foot back and forth across the can, applying pressure as necessary.
Exercise #3) – Foot Doming
Another exercise aimed at targeting the intrinsic muscles, foot doming is a great way of preventing or improving bunions. The hallux valgus, otherwise known as the bunion, is a bony lump formed at the base of the big toe. Bunions are common in dancers who turn out from the feet rather than by using the glutes to externally rotate the hip.
Turning out from the foot can overstretch and weaken the hallux abductor which promotes the formation of bunions, while young dancers can also find themselves prone to bunions as they often don’t have the level of muscle development required to support growing feet under the demands of ballet and pointe work. In addition, dancing en pointe obviously isn’t helpful, where bunions can worsen as the dancer suspends her weight over the big toe.
When doming the foot, it’s important to lift the arch whilst remembering not to bend or scrunch up the toes. It’s this movement that activates and strengthens the intrinsic muscles, as bending the toes would make the exercise ineffective and pointless.
Step 1) Place the foot flat on a solid surface.
Step 2) Lift the arch of the foot as high off the floor as possible without bending the toes. The tips of your toes and your heels should be the only parts of the foot touching the floor, while the remaining midsection of the foot should create a dome shape.
Step 3) Repeat.
Exercise #4) – The Upper Instep Stretch
Once again we have another stretch as opposed to a strengthening exercise. Just like everything else in ballet, there’s no point in having impressive flexibility if you don’t have the strength required to execute a movement (and vice versa). For example, if a dancer is able to easily sit in the splits but has too little strength in their back, core and hip extensors to perform a penché, their flexibility becomes nothing more than a party trick.
The same applies to the feet, where no matter how flexible a dancer’s upper instep is, if they haven’t learned to strengthen their intrinsic muscles, they will struggle to point their feet against the resistance of pointe shoes.
Additionally, the dancer will also find it much harder to push over the block of the pointe shoe to achieve a banana-shaped foot whilst dancing en pointe. That being said, if a dancer’s feet are strong but lack flexibility, they too will struggle with these crucial elements of pointe work, meaning that once again, it’s vital for dancers to stretch their upper instep alongside their strengthening exercises.
The upper instep stretch is most beneficial when performed in normal ballet flats as well as in pointe shoes. As always, remember to take the stretch slowly and not to push too hard. You should be in total control of your stretch, and be aware that pain means ‘STOP!!!’.
Step 1) Stand facing the barre in parallel position. Place your hands on the barre.
Step 2) Take the right foot and cross it over the left, tucking the toes ever so slightly under the foot.
Step 3) Slowly bend both legs, you should feel a stretch along the upper instep (across the top) of the right foot.
Step 4) Hold for as long as is comfortable and for no more than 30 seconds.
Step 5) Repeat on the other side.
Exercise #5) Toe Spreading
Another brilliant exercise for reducing/ improving bunions, toe spreading also combats pain from morton’s neuroma (a condition seen frequently in dancers who spend a lot of time forcing their feet into the narrow boxes of pointe shoes). Morton’s neuroma is also likely to occur when a dancer spreads their weight over the 3rd and 4th toes whilst en demi pointe, which can lead to the irritation and thickening of the intermetatarsal nerve.
Step 1) While seated, spread your toes to achieve as wide a gap as possible between each toe.
Step 2) Hold the stretch for several seconds.
Step 3) Repeat on the other side.
Exercise #6) Calf Raises With A Ball
Dancers spend a lot of time en demi pointe, making it crucial that they master the ability to evenly distribute their weight over their feet to reduce the risk of pain and injury.
By performing calf raises with a tennis or lacrosse ball placed between the ankles, dancers are forced to rise up onto demi pointe with the feet properly aligned. If the dancer places too much pressure over the inner or outer toes, the ball will fall.
Dancers who perform weighted calf raises for strength training purposes should pay even closer attention to their alignment when rising onto demi pointe. This is because the added weight from the dumbbell or barbell is likely to increase the risk of injury if the feet aren’t correctly aligned, or the pressure isn’t evenly distributed across the toes.
Step 1) Stand facing the barre with the feet in parallel position.
Step 2) Place a tennis or lacrosse ball in between the ankles.
Step 3) Rise up on to demi pointe then lower the feet.
Step 4) Repeat.
Final thoughts on the Best Foot Strengthening Exercises for Dancers
Instead of looking at foot strengthening as an added chore, think about sparing an extra 5 minutes in your pre-class warm up to dedicate to these six best exercises for strengthening the feet.
Although a very small part of our bodies, our feet are responsible for providing a stable base for performing more difficult movements in the centre, where a great deal of balance and control are required to achieve impressive technique.
Not only do strong and flexible feet allow for the aesthetic benefits of the desired ‘banana’ foot, but they’re also essential for dancers aiming to pursue a long and successful career by way of preventing painful conditions such as plantar fasciitis and bunions from developing or worsening.
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