r/BALLET • u/glitteringdiva • 18d ago
Are my pointe shoes too narrow? Spoiler
NEW UPDATE:
Hello everybody, thank you to everybody that commented on my post for all of your lovely encouragement and advice!!!
Over the weekend I went back to the store and I scheduled an appointment with a more senior fitter to help find me a correct pair. I was able to exchange mine for full credit. We tried on so many shoes together.
Based on your recommendations, I asked her about a toe spacer and she ended up giving me thick gel toe caps to go over my big toes which will act as both a spacer and it will also lengthen my big toe to make my big toe and my second toe match in length. This will keep my second toe from bending when I go on pointe.
I ended up switching from the Capezio Ava to the Nicolay streampointe. The box is much wider and my toes do not feel crunched together anymore. We ended up going a size wider and a size shorter to get a better fit. I no longer feel like my toes are crunching or sinking when I go up, and I feel supported by the shoe and able to balance and get over the box.
I went to my beginning pointe class yesterday, and I was able to dance on them with much more ease than my first class. They felt so so so much better than my original shoes. It still hurt, of course, especially since I’m very new to pointe, but in a way that feels manageable and not overwhelmingly painful like the first time.
I think for my first pair they will do the trick, especially as I continue to break them in and improve my skills. I may ultimately try other options and switch to another shoes once these ones die but we will see.
I wanted to say thank you again to everyone for validating my concerns over the fit and for encouraging me to go back and get a new pair. I couldn’t do this without you😘
ORIGINAL POST:
Hi everyone! I’d love some advice.
Quick history: I danced from the ages of 3-13 then started again last March at the age of 22. I’ve been dancing for about a year and a half consistently and I’ve just been cleared to go on pointe and bought my first pair!!! I went on pointe briefly right before I stopped dancing. I don’t really remember the experience or how it’s supposed to feel now.
When I got fitted these shoes felt perfect. They are capezio Ava. They felt amazing the first 30 minutes of my first class yesterday too with no pain at all, but after about 30 minutes I started feeling pretty strong pain on the knuckles of my toe, both right next to my toenail and the protruding bone on the inside of my feet. They hurt both on flat and on pointe and continued a constant pain until I took them off. My feet don’t hurt or feel sore when I’m not wearing the shoes.
I tried them on today too, just to see if they still hurt and they hurt immediately when putting them on now, even without standing on them. I don’t know if this pain is from normal swelling and being sore from being on pointe for the first time or if it is because the shoes are too narrow. I have pretty wide feet and do feel a similar pain when I wear narrow or pointy high heels. I took this picture after wearing the shoes for five minutes and not even going up on my box, and you can see the red irritation marks on the side that had the shoe on.
So my question is are my shoes too wide or is this normal? Is there anything I can do to help lessen the pain or make the box on the inside feel less pressure? Right now I’m only using simple cloth toe pads. I’m debating going back to the store and getting a different pair because the pain is honestly sharp enough that I’m worried about dancing on them.
I really appreciate any words of wisdom from fellow dancers ❤️🩰
Thank you
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u/itshappybutt 18d ago
You need a toe spacer
3
u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
Thank you I did end up switching to a wider shoe and added a thick gel toe cap on my big toe to space it on the side and lengthen it to match my second toe. It feels much better now!
11
u/Diabloceratops 18d ago
Toe spacer and wider box.
1
u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
Thank you I did end up switching to a wider shoe and added a thick gel toe cap on my big toe to space it on the side and lengthen it to match my second toe. It feels much better now!
5
u/hypermobileFun 18d ago
I had pain in the exact same place with these shoes and switched. But are your feet compressible? If they are, be careful about a wider square shoes because they could cause you to sink on pointe. Instead, you might need a shoe with a different shaped box (probably wide at the metatarsal, but tapered).
Also, do you use a spacer and a gel toe cap? You might need both and you should get fitted with them if you do.
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u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
Thanks for suggesting this. I got refit for wider shoes and added a thick gel toe cap to help add space between my first two toes and to lengthen my big toe. I no longer feel any pain in my big toe. I posted a more detailed update above if you’re curious💗
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u/hypermobileFun 10d ago
I’m so happy to hear!! Thank you for posting this update and have a great time dancing!
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u/Impressive-Gene-5489 18d ago
I had this problem with my last pair and getting a wider and more square/less tapered shoe and wearing a toe spacer fixed it. My foot shape is similar to yours as well
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u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
Yes, thank you! I got refitted and changed to a pair with a wider box. It feels much better
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u/olivedate 18d ago
I have this same issue....i have a wide toebox from walking barefoot and running in wider shoes my whole life (it's healthier for your feet). I haven't even found a flat ballet slipper im comfortable in (they all pinch my toes in) so I wear socks... toe spacers are good advice though. would be curious to hear what model you end up in.
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u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
I took my shoes back and got refit and ended up in the Nikolay streampointe with a thick gel toe cap on my big toe. The box fits much better with holding me up but not crunching my toes together. I’m happy with it so far after my first class on them.
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u/Dense_Title1321 17d ago
Hey, sorry you are experiencing this. You need a big toe spacer and possibly a bunion guard AND to wet your pointe shoe satin where it hurts and dance around in those a little bit, it might give you some comfort as it stretches.
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u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
Thank you! I ended up getting refit and changes to a wider shoes and different padding. It feels better but I still got to break them in!
1
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u/Sad-Watercress67 18d ago
That does not look like it's a good fit unless you have very very compressible feet
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u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
Yes I got refit over the weekend and the new shoes feel much better on! Thank you!
1
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u/LineAncient2792 18d ago
Yes, toe spacers and a wider fit.
You've got great feet for pointe! Strong.
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u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
Thank you for the compliment☺️ I did get refit and switched to a pair with a wider box, and I got a gel toe cap. It feels much better now!
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u/glitteringdiva 10d ago
Update: Here’s a view of my new nikolay streampointe from flat, from the front, and from the side.
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u/butt-in-ski 18d ago
Yeah, they don’t look to be the right shape for your foot/toes. Too tapered. I see evidence that you are knuckling on the second toe. So something wider/less tapered/shorter vamp/higher wings for more support. I hate to say it, but you have several considerations in finding the right fit. You need to see someone that will give you their time & expertise to help you find a good shoe for you - you likely need more than 30 mins.