Keeping Us on Our Feet

Having spent many hours in dance studios while completing a college dance minor, I have a deep understanding of the necessity of proper foot care. I put my feet through the rigors of dance training, often while wearing ballet slippers, pointe shoes, or jazz shoes, all of which fit close to the foot and have thin soles to allow the dancer to feel the floor, which also means that they lack support and cushioning. Now, years later, as I feel the aftereffects of putting those demands on my feet, I find myself paying close attention to the work of pedorthists as they share their expertise regarding proper footwear, biomechanics, and shoe and orthotics technology. As I write this, I’ve recently returned from the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) World Congress, where, among the many OP&P professionals, I had the opportunity to visit with some esteemed pedorthists about foot care and footwear to promote healthy feet. (I have to admit, their recommendations did not include the shoes I’d selected for that particular trip.)