Can you put arch supports inside dance shoes?

Question:ALL dance shoes? Even Pointe shoes an those shoes they use for Irish step dancing?? My Doc just told me that I have low arches and I'll be tearing my body up if I don't wear arch supports. Will having low arches and wearing arch supports hinder my dancing?? Will i be able to without tearing myself up?? Are there ways that dancers can "fix" low arches?? I hear them talk about arches from time to time, but I wasn't even thinking about my arches then so i didn't listen.

Help? Advice? I'm going to ask my doctor about it next time i see him (which is soon), but i was wondering what the dancers do in a situation like that. :)

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: ALL dance shoes? Even Pointe shoes an those shoes they use for Irish step dancing?? My Doc just told me that I have low arches and I'll be tearing my body up if I don't wear arch supports. Will having low arches and wearing arch supports hinder my dancing?? Will i be able to without tearing myself up?? Are there ways that dancers can "fix" low arches?? I hear them talk about arches from time to time, but I wasn't even thinking about my arches then so i didn't listen.

Help? Advice? I'm going to ask my doctor about it next time i see him (which is soon), but i was wondering what the dancers do in a situation like that. :)

You have the arch in your foot that you are born with, and dancing will only make that arch stronger, which should be a good thing. A low arch, is different from an inflexible arch. It could mean that your feet are "too flexible." You can wear your arch supports in tap, and character shoes, but not in soft shoes. You should see a physical therapist who deals with athletes, and learn how to "wrap" your arch properly, with athletic tape, to support your arches. If you try this yourself, you will probably just cut off the circulation in your feet. You MUST use FLEXIBLE athletic tape, which is usually flesh colored, as opposed to the white tape used to wrap ankles, etc.
As for pointe shoes just choose one with a very strong shank. You may be able to order a double shank shoe. You should ask your ballet teacher for advice on pointe shoes.

I don't think it would hinder you.
But if you're uneasy about it, you might be able to glue the arc so that it won't move too much.

Hope it helps.

You could easily put the arch supports into the Heavy Jig shoes. It could probably be done with the ghillies, too. Just superglue them in.

I don't know how to fix a low arch. That's something you are born with - you'll just have to work around it.

Not in the pointe shoe - I used to tie the ribbon around the arch and then around the ankle. You can however use them in all the other shoes - even soft ballet shoes.
I never glued them - I used the same arch supports for all of my shoes. Make sure that outside of dance you are using good arch supporting shoes. Don't wear alot of dress shoes or other shoes that don't have an arch support. I know that it is stylish to wear boots and clogs etc. but you will have to put those away for a while.
I had the same problem it wasn't the most comfortable thing at first but after time you get used to it.

You can put arch supports into Irish step shoes, tap shoes, and jazz sneakers by gluing them on the inside. Ballet slippers, pointe shoes, and jazz slippers you can't; it would hinder your ability to point your feet. One way to fix low arches is to wear strong podiatric arch supports (NOT gel ones). You will also have to wear tennis shoes more often instead of ballet flats and boots (I know it's hard) to strengthen your arches.

In almost all types of dance, you have to point your feet. Arch supports won't let you do that, so I wouldn't recommend putting them in your dance shoes, ESPECIALLY ballet shoes (flat and pointe). Low arches aren't ideal for dance, and you can't hope to go far in the ballet world with them, but you can still go far in some other types of dance. You can't fix low arches because of the fact that you can't change your bone structure. However, you can make them a little better by stretching your feet and using a Theraband to strengthen them. The majority of the population has low arches, and their bodies don't get 'torn up' so I'm sure you'll survive.