How badly do pointe shoes hurt your feet?

Question

I'm about to go into them and I've heard they turn your toenails black.

Answer 1

IGNORE THE OTHER MORONS THAT ANSWERED THIS QUESTION!!! Pointes feel like bricks strapped to your feet, until they get broken in then they feel slightly better. Get THICK pads to put in them, you might need a bigger shoe but trust me its worth it!! Pointe shoes dont turn toenails black but they do cause plenty of blisters!!!

Good luck!

Answer 2

It just depends on the person. Of course they totally hurt at first. But you do learn to work through the pain. Also, I have no idea why a toe nail would turn black for a pointe shoe. Unless you were sharing shoes and that person had toenail fungus, that should never happen. When you buy shoes, try hard to find some that you can try on first. That can be difficult if you don't have a dance shoe store around and have to order from a catalog. Also try out different padding too - lambs wool and gel - to find out which suits your toes better.

Answer 3

Okay so the first time I got them there was no pain what so ever. Everyone is different when it comes to talking about it but honestly they don t for me. When u put the toe spacer in wrong then it ll hurt like heck and eventually you ll have to take them off and retie them because it gets super annoying and painful but that shouldn t really happen and some people don t need them. Yes of course it hurts to balance on one foot. It s like ur toe being on fire (ur toenails will dig into ur toe pads and it ll get a little painful) and in some ways and it hurts your arches cause it strains them so in time they ll get even more flexible but again its pretty much painless after that. After about more than an hour of wearing them ur feet will start to get sore and cramped! but its not extremely painful. The worst part about them (even worse then the pain) is the routines u have to do on them when its ur first time because it can be super difficult and most often you can roll your ankles which if ur not strong enough u can end up breaking ur foot.. But besides that its no big deal and when u get the hang of it they re super fun!

Answer 4

They do hurt. It is painful to be a dancer. It will leave blisters and scars and bruises and scrapes on your toes, but it is so worth it. Believe me. I have never heard of it Turing your nails black though, toenails can get bruised though, do that might be what they are talking about. Are you at least 11? Your bones need to be strong and grown before you can go on pointe. Have you had 3-4 years experience? That important too. You'll need good padding to be able to dance in comfort, but there really is not comfort on pointe. You will learn to adjust after a while, some days will be wore than others, but it won't hurt as much as it will at first, because you are not used to putting that kind of pressure on your feet and toes. Cut your nails, long ones hurt and ruin your feet even more, but too short is bad as well. Make sure they are trimmed but not past normal trim. Your toes are not made to hold you up, you do not balance on your toes, you pull up with your body and out where the ribbons cross. Good luck with your pointe, it hurts but is so much fun!

PS Some good padding I have used is :
Lamb's wool
Cotton/woollen toe pads-can get fleecy ones too
Rubbery/spongie toe pads that can be fitted at the bottom of your shoes
Rubbery/spongie toe pads that can be fitted at the bottom and around the top of your shoes
Strapping tape-may be placed around each individual toe
Blister Block-special tape that you can place around your toes to prevent blisters
"Ouch Pouches" (however I do not recommend them as they tend to make you sickle your foot and teach low pain tollerance)

Answer 5

Hey. I danced for a while. I had pointe shoes for 2 years and they didn't turn my toenails black. Yes, I got blisters and calluses and other nasty bumps and bruises on my feet, but no black toenails. They hurt in the beginning. But you get used to it. Make sure you get a good brand to start with. Both Gamba and Chacott and good for beginners. Also, instead of paying $20-$30, buy those cloth dishrags and use them instead. They're a lot cheaper and they cushion your feet better. Just make sure you wash them before using them! Good luck hon! <333 Getting pointe shoes is so exciting!!!!!

Answer 6

If your toenails turn black you should drain them with a needle or pin ( gross i know ) it means they got bruised if you bruise them that'll happen if you dont it wont! Pointe shoes are only to be used when you are sure your ready, practice constantly even when your watchin tv sit on the ground and just steady yourself on them. Practice slow bruising comes when you act fast and the impact causes you to bleed with out breaking your skin. They are not comfortable but make sure you get the exact fit for your feet. Ask a expert to help you pick them out. Good luck and happy dancing!

Answer 7

First of all I don't understand why people who don't dance answer questions abount pointe shoes. They aren't pointy-toed high heels, they are pointe shoes used for dancing on the tips of your toes.

As for the question, they aren't comfortable, but is is bearable. You have to be dedicated to ballet to stick with it. I have danced for 19 years and have done pointe since I was about 14. With the right shoes and the right toe pads, you should be fine. Anyone working at a specialty dance store can fit you for the shoes and help you find the pads that work best for you. A lot of it is trial and error.

Also, please do not rush into pointe dancing. You need to be sure your ankles are developed and strong enough to withstand the rigors of dancing on pointe. It is not worth hurting yourself to start a year or two earlier...

Answer 8

Well not going to lie, they hurt quite a lot, but they have some new gel padding things to put in your pointe shoes at the toe part, you can look in dance magazines, and on dance website to find them, and best of luck to you...
I use the gel pads, and they work GREAT... they are also not that expensive, like 5$ and up...

Answer 9

Hey! Well I just got pointes shoes and im going to let you in on a secret, you sacrifice for what you love! Yes they do hurt a bit and I do have sensitive feet but if you truly love dance the pain wont be pain it will be achievement.

Answer 10

FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THIS QUESTION WAS ABOUT POINTY SHOES, ITS NOT, POINTE SHOES ARE BALLET SHOES WHICH DANCERS WEAR TO GO ON THEIR TOES, NOW PLEASE, THIS IS IN THE DANCING SECTION, AND IT ABOUT BALLET POINTE SHOES, NOT POINTY SHOES
sorry, rant over
I have never heard of them turning your toes black, though they will get chipped and bruised and blistered and stuff. it hurts, but its worth it
you have to decide how bad you want it, when your dancing, if you wnat it enough, you wont feel the pain, just the exhilaration of the stage and the lights and the beauty of the dancing
take your pick

Answer 11

Yes, pointe shoes hurt when you first start. If it's really painful, the shoes probably don't fit right.
I have never heard of them turning your toenails black.

Good luck.