The Ankle and Foot

Study Tasks

1. Reading and Research

a) Having utilised the recommended readings and video resources, along with any other reputable sources to which you have access, you should now be able to identify the muscles acting on the foot and ankle. Use this information to develop a worksheet style teaching resource that would help guide young students through a strengthening programme for the feet and ankles. Remember to direct your choice of exercises and teaching points to address common faults in strength and/or alignment in your own dance style. You may wish to include images and/or tables in your work.

b) Read the IADMS guide to starting pointe work. Describe the considerations and potential difficulties you, as a teacher, would have to acknowledge, assess and potentially rectify before a dancer would commence pointe work. Be sure to outline to what you may need to pay attention and how you would do so. (500 words)

2. Writing

a) Use a range of sources to familiarise yourself with common injuries in dance. Identify (a) risk factors for injury (b) precautionary measures you could implement in the dance studio to prevent these.

b) Taking the hypothetical case of a dancer who has suffered from an ankle sprain and missed several weeks of dance training, outline the measures you could take to help them integrate back into the studio and help them to return to practice safely, at an appropriate pace (250 words)

c) When jumping, the use of the foot and ankle requires careful consideration. Select a jump, leap or sequence of traveling steps in your chosen dance style.

Using a video you have taken of yourself or one you can access from a reputable source to view (there are some excellent slow motion ballet clips available to view online) and follow closely the action taken by the foot and ankle from preparation, throughout the jump and to completion of the landing or transition step. Use a table like the one below to describe the dance movement, the direction of joint movements and identify the muscles involved.

3. Reflection

a) In the studio or where you have a large open space at home, stand with your feet in parallel and close your eyes. Shift your weight placement forwards and backwards on your feet. Try to identify the directions of movement of the ankle joint and feel the muscle actions responsible.

b) In standing, all body weight is transferred through the feet. The figure below shows how this force is increased considerably when walking or running. Taking your own weight, carry out the simple multiplications to see the force on your feet with each step.

Considering the dance context within which you are practicing and the requirements for weight transfer, single leg stance and jumping in particular, focus on the forces through your feet at different points in the class, when they may be at greater risk of injury and how you could best prepare yourself for safe and effective dance practice.