Find out what are the ways to protect your toes to have less pain on pointe shoes, and find out what all these accessories are for!
TIPS FOR POINTE SHOES:
There are several kinds, of different shapes and materials:
foam (less sturdy but inexpensive)
silicone (stronger, more expensive!).
This product is sold in a pack to be cut to suit your needs in order to position it on the toes. It settles with use, and after 2 or 3 courses, you have to change them.
GEL TOE GUARDS:
These tubes are put on painful toes, just cut them to the right length.
THE OSSELETS OR “SPACERS”, OR RETRACTORS:
These plastic accessories are placed between the toes, they are aimed at dancers who have a problem with toe deformation, particularly when the big toe shifts inwards, which leads to the formation of bunions.
THE SPARADRAP AND THE PAPER TISSUES:
Two economical and effective solutions! The tape is placed around the toes as a preventative measure before each pointe class. It helps prevent blisters, because prevention is better than cure!
You can also wrap your toes in a tissue: it absorbs perspiration and prevents friction of the skin in the slipper, this friction which is responsible for blisters.
ELASTICS:
They are necessary to avoid losing the heel of your slippers.
They are necessary to keep the shoe firmly in line with the ankle when riding on pointe.
They are available in satin, cotton and even elastic, limiting the pressure exerted by the ribbons on the Achilles tendons. I recommend them because they are much more comfortable than other types of tape.
It is used to massage and relax the sole of the foot between two intensive workouts. You can also do it with a bottle of water or a massage ball.
When our ends are just as softened as we like, we can varnish them so that they stay in this state longer. The varnish is also applied to tips at the very end of their life, when you have to give a class or a show and you have not had time to buy new tips.
Be careful with the hardener: it is a flammable product and dangerous for the skin! Always let it dry 24 hours after application.