Since the dawn of time, performers have had to deal with annoying, constant blisters. As every dance teacher knows (and every student is sure to find out), blisters are a fact of life, and we all need to figure out a plan of action for how to deal with them.
Instead of bleeding through pointe shoes and begging you to let them sit out, your students should know these tricks for how to prevent/deal with their skin when it starts to sting.
You’re welcome!
1. Make sure your dancers’ shoes are fitted properly.
Whether your students are in pointe shoes, jazz shoes, Latin ballroom shoes or any other kind of dance shoe, if they aren’t fitted properly, they are at a higher risk for getting blisters. Make sure they don’t rush through the shoe-fitting process and they work closely with an expert to get the right size. If you can, go with your students to make sure they’ve found a good fit.
2. Teach your students to clean and sanitize their blistered feet with water, soap and hydrogen peroxide.
Even if you’re on top of cleaning your dance floors, your studio is filled with bacteria. Teach your students to keep those blisters clean and dried out by washing them with soap and hydrogen peroxide when they get home from dance. Warn them that their wound may sting a bit, but that they will be up and dancing much quicker if they take care of themselves.
3. Recommend 2nd Skin and/or Corn Cushion disks.
These two types of bandages can help reduce pressure and friction on your student’s blisters. If your student is struggling getting through rehearsal, recommend they throw one of these on and see if either can reduce their pain.
4. Remind your students to tape their toes whether they have a blister or not.
Whether your students have a blister or not, remind them to tape the problem spots of their toes every time they put on their pointe shoes. This ritual can go a long way in keeping blisters at bay.
5. Recommend your dancers pour baby powder into their toe pads.
If your students wear toe pads, recommend they pour baby powder into them to keep their feet nice and dry while they dance.
