Ballet is a combination of intense strength and athleticism and graceful art. A ballet dancer's body is her instrument, with the feet taking much of the strain. Foot and ankle injuries are common in the world of ballet; stretching out the feet and ankles can help prevent pain and strain.
Achilles Tendon Stretches
The Achilles tendon runs down the back of your lower leg and into your heel, and, as in the mythological tale of Achilles, is a weak spot for many people. The repetitive motion of ballet dancing, especially dancing en pointe, can cause a strain or tear in the tendon and ligaments, creating pain in the foot. Achilles stretches both loosen tight muscles, and strengthen the area. Stand on a staircase or aerobic step with your knees slightly bent. One foot should be planted fully on the step, and the other should hang off the step so that only your toes touch the surface. Put pressure on your planted foot to feel the stretch in the heel that's dropped off the step. Do this stretch without stairs and use your body weight as resistance to stretch your Achilles tendon before ballet class. Kneel on the ground to begin; place the sole of one foot flat on the floor and keep your other leg trailing behind you. Lean over your knee with all of your weight to stretch out your foot.
Resistance Band Work
Stretching your feet with resistance bands can be beneficial to a variety of muscle and soft tissue groups in your feet, including the plantar fascia on the sole of your foot, the Achilles area and the ankles. All of these locations are prone to overuse injuries and stress fractures in ballet dances. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and loop a resistance band around the bottom of your foot. Pull up on the band as you point your toes toward the ceiling. You can also use the bands to strengthen your ankles by pulling from the side while pointing your toes either inward or outward.
Ankle Stretches
Ankle sprains and strains and Achilles tendonitis are common dance injuries and can cause your joint to become weak and unstable, which can affect your dancing greatly. Strengthening exercises help support your ankles and restore your normal range of motion. Use a couch, bed, bookcase or any other heavy piece of furniture as your support. Stand next to the support and place your foot against the it so that the length of your foot runs along the length of the support. Push against the support with your foot. Perform this stretch on both the inside arch and the outside of your foot.
Big Toe Stretch
When a ballet dancer dances en pointe, up on his toes, he places a significant amount of pressure on his big toe joint and the sole of his foot. Stretching out the big toe can manage and prevent injuries such as trigger toe and hallux rigidus -- conditions in which the joint becomes frozen -- and may also relieve pain from plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of your foot. Manually stretching the big toe by pulling it back toward your body can help the joint remain flexible and less likely to lock. This action stretches the sole of your foot at the same time.
