Injury Prevention
How to Make Pointe Shoes Comfortable
Are your pointe shoes uncomfortable? Learn how you can make pointe shoes more comfortable and avoid pain and injuries.
Being comfortable in pointe shoes is about more than just avoiding pain. It’s a given that you’ll feel some level of discomfort while wearing pointe shoes. The trick with making pointe shoes more comfortable is to find some awesome toe padding and to use correct technique to avoid any serious harm to your feet. Here are a couple resources you might also find helpful:
How to Make Pointe Shoes More Comfortable
To the point of the article, how do you make pointe shoes comfortable? Besides preventative measures such a keeping your toenails trimmed, tape is a great option. There are two different kinds of tape: athletic and foam. Athletic Tape - typically used to wrap your individual toes to prevent blisters. You tape them individually to maintain freedom, and don’t tape them too tight to cut off circulation. Foam Tape - great for wrapping or covering broken blisters or torn scabs. You can wrap this around the toe or area tight and it will reduce the pain and circulation. This is all great as a way to add a little extra padding to your toes or slap some on your Achilles area to keep your heel from popping out of your pointe shoes.
How to Stop Your Toes from Hurting in Pointe Shoes
If your toes hurt when you were pointe shoes, then you need to look into options for toe pads. We went into detail on the differences in the different padding options here. I personally recommend using ouch pouches (or similar), but every dancer has their preference. Keep in mind, it’s essential to use some form of padding to make your pointe shoes as comfortable as possible, and to make them hurt less.
How to Make Toe Pads for Pointe Shoes
Thoughts on DIY Pointe Shoe Padding… When I think of DIY pointe shoe padding, I personally lean towards using lambs wool. But there are dancers I’ve known who in a pinch put together some DIY padding out of paper towels. They’re actually surprisingly effective, however, we would never recommend using them unless you have no other options. So, what’s the secret to making pointe shoes more comfortable? Padding. If you have any questions or additional advice, let us know in the comments below!
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you make pointe shoes more comfortable?
The main tricks are using good toe padding and correct technique, plus taping your toes when needed. Some discomfort is normal, but padding and preparation make a big difference in reducing pain.
What kind of tape is best for pointe shoes?
Athletic tape is typically used to wrap individual toes to prevent blisters without cutting off circulation, while foam tape works well for covering broken blisters or torn scabs. Foam tape can also add padding or be placed on the Achilles area to keep your heel from popping out.
How do you stop your toes from hurting in pointe shoes?
Look into toe pad options, since some form of padding is essential to make pointe shoes hurt less. The author personally recommends ouch pouches, but every dancer has their own preference.
Can you make DIY toe pads for pointe shoes?
Yes, lambs wool is a common DIY padding choice, and in a pinch some dancers have used paper towels, which can be surprisingly effective. Paper towels are only suggested as a last resort when you have no other options.
Besides padding, what helps prevent pointe shoe pain?
Preventative measures like keeping your toenails trimmed help reduce discomfort. Using correct technique is also key to avoiding serious harm to your feet.
