Lolita Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 I've noticed a few people mentioning not being able to straighten their knees in ballet heels, and I was wondering why this was? I'm hoping to get a pair fairly soon, but I'm trying to work out anything that I can prepare for in advance to make the process of learning to walk in them quicker. Also, if people could mention any other problems and how they solved it, I'd apreciate it! Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighBoots Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 The inability to straighten legs at the knee with you wear heels higher than a specific length depending on the individual depends on how supple your ankle is. It's the ankle which will stop you from straightening your leg, no the knee. Solution is pretty simple, you must exercise your ankles to augment their suppleness. It may not work for all individuals though, and women are known to have a more supple ankle than men naturally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR Who 3 Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 When I first started walking/standing in the Devious ankle boots I bought I thought I"ll never be be able to straighten my knees. This was truly painfull at first , the toe pain was unbareable and my ankles wern't flexable @ all but after working out a good toe padding scheme and walking/standing as much as I can I can now stand straight and I find that my posture is better while wareing my ballet boots. I also streach my ankles/ feet in the pointe position while in bed @ night for a while before going to sleep with resistance from the bed sheets ect. I still have some ankle pain when I have had a good hour walking session but some ibuprofin helps with that. The best advice I can give you is take care of the toe padding and tighten up the boot laces real tight and practice walking/ standing going up and down stairs and doing household chores to take you mind off the pain as much as you can stand and eventually you will be able to handle thes boots as well as regular shoes. I did modify my boots because I didn't want the heels breaking off check my other posts for the details. I hope this helps and keep on pointe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolita Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 This has made me VERY happy to hear- I tend to have my feet pretty much in the 'pointe' position when I'm sitting about barefoot- the only difference in the positioning of my foot even right now is my toes, if I do completely point my feet they're the only part that moves, and even sitting doing it just now isn't causing me any discomfort, so this is looking very promising!! Thanks! I have a friend who uses the toe pads designed for pointe shoes in her ballet boots, they might help with the toe pain Dr. Who 3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighBoots Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I just noticed the awful spelling of my previous post, hopefully you understood what I was meaning. Sorry for that, it will teach me NOT to type messages before my morning coffee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR Who 3 Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Hi Lolita, Dr Who3 again. It is good you can position your feet in the pointe position the main thing I have expierenced is after I put the ballets on that my ankles rebell because they aren't used to having my weight transfered to them in the pointe position. From what Iv'e read ballet dancers take years of daily practice before their ankles/feet work will. I hope in time the discomfort won't be an issue. I use Leo's pink gel toe pads with a thin piece of eva foam rubber aprox 8mm x 70mm x100mm across the top of my foot to make the fit in the toe box tighter this keeps a lot of my weight off my big toes. If you wear 4-5'' heels then balance shouldn't be a problem also your caf muscles won't rebell as much. I think you'll find after putting the ballets on for the first time and after you'll not want to take them off because of the height they instantly give you plus the challange and pleasure of wearing this kind of shoe. The ankle boots will help with support and I suggest you start with those. Also after a walking/standing session don't forget to streach your ankles/feet in the point position for a while. All the best to you and I believe you will love the ballets after you work into wearing them. If possible post pictures of your progress I plan on posting some of me this spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolita Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 I'm actually planning on starting a blog elsewhere once I get started, but I'll post links for it. I used to wear 5" heels all the time with no problem, I haven't for a while but I'm getting a few new pairs that I'm planning on wearing on a daily basis, then switching to 6" before I start in the ballets- although I'm only allowing myself to raise my heel height as I loose weight, as an incentive to actually stick with a diet for once, so I'll be charting my progress mostly for myself but hopefully my experiences will help others too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR Who 3 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Hi Lolita. I believe your weight loss program would benefit from wearing ballet boots/heels. I have found when I wear mine I get a good workout in my legs and a bit of an aerobic exercise as well. My workouts are enhanced be doing house work while wearing ballets. I find that just putting them on is a bit of a work out for me as well and as a plus my balance is exercised. All of these workouts has helped my snow skiing this year. Well that's about it for now I 'm going to put my boots on and go for a short stroll after work. By for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolita Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 Yea, but then I wuldn't have them to look forward to!! It's the old carrot and stick method, and it's one of the few ways I cvan get myself to stick to stuff, especially as my boyfriend is less than helpful in supporting my weight loss. Also, I don't think I could wear them to a boxing gym or a swing dancing class!!! I am getting a wobble board to work on my balance though... and a hula hoop, but thats just cos I miss having a hula hoop- although I can't help but feel that hula hooping, on a wobble board, in five inch stilletoes would be an acheivement... I'm going to try it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB_in_heels Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Lolita, Good luck with you plans, learning to walk in ballet's is a very challenging and rewarding process. I admire your plans to reward yourself for your weight loss, Personnal I don't have that much self restraint. I've got a couple of pairs, one thigh high the other ankle boots and I find the ankle boots much eaiser to walk in. Not sure why this is the case, but it does have the added benefit that they are much easier to put on that the thigh boots. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR Who 3 Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I also have devious ankle boots in fact I have been wearing them all morning and as I send this post. I have been experimenting with various kinds of toe padding I haven't found a system that will work for over 2 hrs yet without adjustments now and then. I have also found that I can walk/stand quite well with only the first 4 or 5 laces tight across the front ov my foot like the ballet shoes. When I tried this for the first time I thought I would break my ankle but I found right from the get go I could walk/stand quite well. I think I'll order some of the ballet shoes in the future. The knee boots look exciting but I think I'll pas on spending the big bucks for them. My next challange is to wear my bboots out in public. I have to visit a local store in the mall that sells gothic clothing ect. so I think I'll take my boots on that shopping trip. I have found that to be sucessful in wearing these ballets you just have to bite the bullit and go for it kind of like jumping the water for a swim you just have to do it. If things need adjustments then you have to find what works and what is the most comfortable these things aren't the most comfortable shoes and they take some time and keeping at it. The best to all and if a 62 year old man can master these things( very close to the ladies) I think that is some acomplishment. By the way with my ballet boots I'm 6'7" so I'm going to try playing basket ball in the future in them so I can dunk the ball.!!! Thats it for know Keep on the pointe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a3 Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Hello, to make a non shifting toe pads, I had made them from silicone-kit. This kit is used for a lot of closing scam in kitchen or bathroom. I put it first in the toebox, slide in my toe and wait a few hours to harden the kit. The idea is like moldingclay, but it has some flexiablity. I filled up all the space arround my toes and give support toe my feel. I know it takes some afford to do it because the kit sticks to everythink. And drying takes time, it forms a kind of skin first and slowy that skin will become thicker. somewhere in this forum it has discribe by blondebimbo in "shoe repair and modivication"a few years ago. I hope the connection works http://www.hhplace.org/discuss/shoe_repair_modifications/4837-making_ballet_boots_shoes_comfortable.html and it goes back 15 nov 2005 I put also the pics to it now. Perhaps it opened a new ideas for somebody. good luck with your new ballet boots, looking forward how you are dealing with them. A3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolita Posted February 10, 2008 Author Share Posted February 10, 2008 Thankyou to all of you, for the well wishing, advice etc. BB_in_heels: I have a lot of self motivation and willpower, I quit smoking a year ago purely on willpower, but I think it will be harder with food- especially as I tend to bake brownies and stuff for my boyfriend to take to work with him, and having stuff in the house makes it a lot harder to resis, but not allowing myself new shoes unless I loose the weight is gauranteed to keep me at it (especially as I just ordered 3 pairs of 5" stiletoes that I'm not allowed to wear until I loose a stone (14lbs for the non-Brits)), because I will do almost anything for new shoes!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB_in_heels Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Thankyou to all of you, for the well wishing, advice etc. BB_in_heels: I have a lot of self motivation and willpower, I quit smoking a year ago purely on willpower, but I think it will be harder with food- especially as I tend to bake brownies and stuff for my boyfriend to take to work with him, and having stuff in the house makes it a lot harder to resis, but not allowing myself new shoes unless I loose the weight is gauranteed to keep me at it (especially as I just ordered 3 pairs of 5" stiletoes that I'm not allowed to wear until I loose a stone (14lbs for the non-Brits)), because I will do almost anything for new shoes!! You have my upmost respect for the determination you must have to quit smoking. The easier answer with things like brownies is just not to have that sort of thing in the house You long before you get to order your Ballet Boots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolita Posted February 10, 2008 Author Share Posted February 10, 2008 You have my upmost respect for the determination you must have to quit smoking. The easier answer with things like brownies is just not to have that sort of thing in the house You long before you get to order your Ballet Boots? My boyfriend works a six day week, I have to have stuff in the house for him, I'd feel like Satan incarnate if I didn't!! If I could get away with it, I would actually just have fruit and veq, fish and brown rice in the house, and just buy in anything else as and when I needed it, but as it is I need to make sure he doesn't waste away to nothing! And as to the Ballets, I need to loose three stone in total before I can wear them, but I'll be ordering them once I've lost two- so I've ordered the 5" heels that I can't wear till I've lost 1 stone, there'll be some 6" ordered once I reach that6 that I once again can't wear till I've lost 2, and then I'll order the ballets. Although I may just take pictures of them and make my boyfriend keep them at his work so I'm not tempted before I'm allowed them!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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