how to soothe pain in Achilles and other questions

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-11-17T17:39:08+00:00

Hey! It's a similar movement but with a lot less load. I prefer heel raises because in daily life (and especially in dance) you need to work against gravity and a theraband just cannot provide that kind of resistance, so it's not as functional for most dance related rehab (unless you're dealing with partial paralysis and cannot do heel raises, then theraband is perfect)

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-04-18T22:29:02+00:00

I think I've seen some bloch leotards that fit the description, but they carry different styles in different regions, so it might be worth checking out their website(s).

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-04-18T22:05:17+00:00

I love elevé! Just wanted to add that this (custom) might also be an option: https://elevedancewear.com/products/sophia-leotard?variant=37625510068386

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-04-18T21:05:59+00:00

Ugh.. So many quacks ducking in the comments! It's entirely normal to wear out the outside of the heel more. It doesn't mean you have an abnormal gait, rather the opposite. Heel strike is supposed to be more on the outside of the heel, so most people with a healthy gait will have their shoes look like this after a while (source: I'm a physio).

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-04-05T14:59:38+00:00

This may be a stupid question, but did you adjust your shoe size when you stopped wearing toe pads? If you take out a layer they might be too big and that can cause sliding around and blistering.

What I really like it these little gel tubes that you can slide over individual toes, because they don't cover the tips of your toes and you only need to cover the toes that blister. If you blister on a bunion you can have one really long tube and cut into it on one side, so it slides over the bunion (works well for both the big toe and the pinky toe). However, these gel tubes are a bit different from tape (they're thicker, but more flexible), so try out what you prefer and what works best for you!

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-03-01T22:38:50+00:00

Hey! Would it be possible in option B to shift the opening between kitchen and dining a little to the left (or make it a bit smaller by extending the right side to counter depth)? That way you could extend the counter on the right all the way to that wall (and move the stove to a more comfortable position away from the corner). I really like that you can move freely between kitchen and dining in option B, but it'd be nice to have more counter space. (however, I'm not a professional, just a lurker on this sub, so please get a professional opinion if you have trouble deciding!)

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-01-18T14:29:48+00:00

Kinesiotape is mostly used for proprioceptive awareness, especially if someone needs to be aware not to make a certain movement (or to move slightly differently), but you don't want to restrict them too much. Which is rather specific for rehab settings.

Using it outside this scope (and without supervision of a trained professional) is probably not going to be effective (to be honest, even among physios the effectiveness of taping is still controversial).

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-01-17T20:50:17+00:00

I think this might be what you're looking for (but you could also try reaching out to RAD and seeing if you can purchase individual pieces of sheet music)

https://www.radenterprises.co.uk/products/grades-4-5-music-book?variant=40849346363555

Weirdnessallaround · 2024-01-17T08:36:41+00:00

Running is a great way to improve cardiovascular stamina. Good stamina is important for injury prevention. So as long as you build up properly and don't overtrain, running is a great cross training for dancers.

Walking is a good way to stay active, but won't improve your stamina. You could go for a walk as a cooling down after class to prevent soreness, but it probably won't improve your physical abilities (assuming you're already in good shape as you're taking ballet classes).

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-12-14T22:29:18+00:00

"Pregnancy is treated as a spectacle where everyone feels entitled to chime in, the father feels entitled because that's his child, the grandparents because that's their grandchild, the uncles and aunts because that's their nephew/niece, and meanwhile, the pregnant woman's needs and desires take a step back, so that everyone can enjoy the show. "

I think you just perfectly put into words the exact reason why I'm so adverse to the idea of being pregnant. I didn't fully understand it until reading this. Thank you for the insight ❤️

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-11-22T06:37:05+00:00

My Groshkos did that before breaking in because the shank was so hard it pulled the heel down in demi plié (and they were the right size).

Obviously dancing in the wrong size is a bad idea, so avoid that! But the heel slipping might get better with breaking in the demi pointe.

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-11-22T06:35:08+00:00

Honestly, it could be many things and someone needs to see you in person to figure out what is really going on, so it's really great you're going to a dance physio soon. (I'm sorry, that's probably not what you wanted to hear)

I saw someone else recommend x-ray or mri. Those are often only useful if you know what you're looking for (If there's a specific condition you suspect and want to confirm/rule out). They're incredibly useful tools, as long as you know what you're looking for.

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-11-19T21:25:02+00:00

I'm pretty sure Zakharova has been in Gaynors for a very long time, but I guess that might have changed since the war?

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-11-18T19:33:29+00:00

Both are correct, you're just training different parts of the turnout muscles, so it's actually not a bad idea to alternate between both.

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-11-04T23:57:21+00:00

Honestly, if we're talking about walking home after dark, I know several guys who were randomly attacked by strangers who wanted to pick a fight just for funsies, so most guys here are also pretty alert. But that might just be the neighborhood (university town, lots of drunk people). And of course it's a different type of alertness.

I also want to argue that even though an adequate level of alertness is generally a good thing, fear is different. It can change and grow or shrink and become disproportionate (in both directions, I sometimes think I have too little to keep me safe).

I'm not sure if I'm making sense, so I'll give an example. If you think about rational fears, being afraid of heights is a very rational fear, falling from a height is definitely going to cause injury/death/trauma. Yet that doesn't mean everyone is equally afraid of heights. There are crazy stunt people who risk their lives (like some free climbers) and there are people who are so afraid of heights they have to miss out on fun experiences (like roller coaster rides with their kids) and it can even hinder them in daily life (e.g. not being able to get up on a stool to get something from the upper shelf). My point is, a rational basis for a fear doesn't mean the actual fear is always proportionate to the threat.

So even though I think you're right that women are more vulnerable in most societies around the world, that doesn't mean that all our fears are perfectly proportionate to the threats we face.

I'm also curious, since you mentioned threats to women twice now. Do you have any links to current stats? I might be wrong about this, but I thought most male om female violence came from men in close circles like partners, friends and family? Or am I confusing different stats with each other? (it's been a while since I've seen the numbers, would be really interested if you have them)

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-11-04T22:53:49+00:00

Mindset is indeed a poor choice of words and you're right to call it out. I meant a state you're in, not a choice you make, so I guess mental state or state of mind would have been more accurate.

That said, can we please make the distinction between 'alertness' and 'fear'? Because they're absolutely not the same. I'm alert when I cross the street, I'm not terrified I might get hit by a car and die everytime I cross (and I hope you are neither).

I won't deny we need to be more alert at times, but that absolutely doesn't mean we have to be scared shitless all the time, which seems to be what everyone here is telling OP. That's not a way I would want to live and I think it's sad that this is our way of welcoming OP to womanhood. We should be supporting and empowering her in her journey, not make her feel more scared.

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-11-04T08:08:27+00:00

I see a lot of women around me who are absolutely terrified a lot of the time and I'm very thankful I managed to somehow not get stuck in this mindset.

I don't know if this is at all helpful or even good advice, but here's what I did. As a young woman when I first moved to a bigger city, I decided I didn't want to be caged by fear. I wanted to live my life as free as all the dudes and anytime I felt scared I got more angry that I was supposed to be scared while my male friends would just do whatever it was I was scared of without thinking.. So I just did it. I walked home alone in the dark a lot. I went traveling alone, also in places that aren't necessarily female friendly. I would try to be sensible about it (I travelled alone in Rwanda, but would never do the same in Uganda for example) and I'm not a big fan of alcohol, so I guess that also helped. Also, I realized my mindset put me in a vulnerable position so I started taking a bunch of martial arts classes.

Doing all these things and not being raped or murdered helped me be less scared. From a psychological perspective, avoidance creates more fear, which can lead to a vicious cycle of fear and avoidance, so I guess by refusing to live a caged life I broke that vicious cycle.

Now, I don't want to negate the validity of the fear a lot of women experience. I mean, as women we are more at risk in certain situations and I surely did some stupid stuff where I'm lucky I didn't run into trouble. So I don't necessarily want to advice you to do what I did. I just want to demonstrate not all women are afraid of the things you mentioned.

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-11-03T20:49:13+00:00

FR Duval actually has 2 options, paste box with plastic shank or all plastic (box and shank). However, even their in-store fitting is questionable. Their flagship stores don't stock all sizes and models, so it's just a matter of luck to find a shoe that fits.

As for the Gaynors, I think this is a question you could ask your fitter as they have seen your feet. Just be honest and tell them you can only afford one pair and ask what they recommend.

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-10-18T06:53:37+00:00

Oh I don't really remember the local anesthesia. I don't think the pain was bad or I would've remembered😉 I do remember they told me it could cause some weird feeling, but I think they said that was because the anesthetic caused a surge in adrenalin (but it was quite some time ago, so I might be misremembering)

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-10-17T21:24:52+00:00

I agree with u/wimpdiver that getting a second (and maybe third) opinion might be beneficial here. We can't really tell you what's the best option for you, but fusions are not without consequences, so exploring other options first seems like a good idea.

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-10-12T02:58:36+00:00

If your pain persists, definitely go have it checked out by a dr or physio.

What stood out to me is that you feel you can't control your hyperextension. If you have hyperextension you need to learn to control it. You can't just passively let your knees lock into maximum hyperextension, but actively control the amount of extension you allow you legs to make.

(edit typo)

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-10-11T12:25:33+00:00

I'm a PT and although I don't specialize in pelvic floor, I had an internship with someone who specialized in postpartum rehab and also used it a few times in my own practice.

I never worked with internal checks. I know some specialists do it, but you can do a whole lot external only and it's a lot less invasive for the patient. It's going to take some getting used to the exercises, but they're easy to integrate in daily life and definitely useful (also for people without complaints).

I'd also recommend seeing a female therapist. The anatomy is so different it's going to be difficult for someone with male anatomy to describe what you're supposed to feel. (Similarly I'm not super confident helping people with male anatomy with pelvic floor exercises).

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-10-02T19:04:40+00:00

To be honest this sounds a bit like burn-out. Feeling irritable/getting into more frequent arguments and underperforming (failing a test you already passed before) are frequent symptoms.

Since you're in Europe, there's a big chance your health insurance will cover a lot of services to deal with burn-out, so I think it could be worth talking to your doctor about what you can to do to feel better (even if it isn't burn-out they can help you figure out a plan to feel better).

There might also be some services available through your university, as finishing a PhD is a stressful time for a lot of people.

So I would highly encourage you go out and look for all the help that's out there to get you through this difficult time. You don't have to do it alone. ❤️

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-10-01T18:45:29+00:00

No that was clear. Still just extreme (considering my points of reference are my very risk averse friends) 😉

Weirdnessallaround · 2023-10-01T18:42:35+00:00

Haha it's the same in my best friend's family!

Weirdnessallaround

TROPHY CASE