The 2 problems that are most common are Achilles tendinopathy and turf toe. It all start a couple months ago when I got sick of my foot problems and went researching on the internet. I found all sorts of helpful information that might help other tango dancers.
Here were my foot injury symptoms:
- pain in a tendon near the ankle when bending my big toe upwards
- pain in the same tendon near the ankle when curling my big toe downwards
- clicking sounds coming from the tendon inside and just under my ankle
- pain when rolling my body weight forward off the toes of my foot (especially the big toe)
I felt the pain in the back of my ankle. Not necessary the achilles tendon but somewhere around there. After talking to my dance teacher, he said it was probably tendonitis and will likely go away. I looked up online and found “Achilles tendonitis” which is also known as Achilles tendinopathy, also known as “dancer’s tendonitis” because it’s a common dancer’s injury.
At first I thought I had the Achilles tendinopathy but then after going through a diagnosis. I found that I didn’t have it because I’m perfectly able to do calf raises and bounce up and down off the ball of my foot. I realized my problem was more correctly diagnosed as “turf toe” because the pain came from pushing off my big toe or bending the big toe too far forwards.
Causes of “turf toe”:
- over-use
- letting the big toe bend too far upwards (letting your weight fall too far over the ball of your foot that it stresses the tendon)
- reduce use immediately
- ice
- wrap or tape your toe/foot up to limit its range of motion and to avoid further stress of the injured tendon
- stretching exercises (increase flexibility so your muscles aren’t as stressed)
- strengthening exercises (eccentric exercises can be helpful I’ve read)
- anti-imflammatory medicine or painkillers
- surgery (worst case scenario)
- FIXING YOUR DANCE FORM (foot position, etc)
- I found out my tendonitis was in my FHL, not turf toe as I originally thought! So there goes yet another possible area.
The most helpful resources I’ve found online:
- http://kinetichealthcalgary.blogspot.com/2012/02/medial-ankle-pain-dancers-tendonitis.html
- http://blog.julstro.com/runner-has-pain-in-big-toe/
- http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/toe-joint-pain-relief.html
- http://danceadvantage.net/2011/05/26/achilles-tendon/
- http://www.podiatrynetwork.com/r_tendonitis.cfm
- http://www.julstro.com/what_is_rsi.html