First, Some Facts:

Wearing ill fitting shoes, pointe shoes or street shoes, can cause problems and contribute to eventual bunion formation. However, bunions are usually hereditary, passed down through DNA. If you are predisposed to having bunions then pointe shoes can exacerbate the situation. The best advice is to get a really good pointe shoe fitting from a qualified fitter who can help guide you. The foot needs to be held without room to bounce around in the shoe but not overly held to where it is being squeezed and pushing the great toe into the bunion position. A good fitting is therefore essential. If you do need a spacer the smallest spacer is a good starting point. 

It is also important to understand that wearing a spacer when you have no reason to, just because you do not want bunions, is not the right approach. Wearing spacers when you do not need them can hinder your pointework.

A qualified fitter should be able to assess who needs spacers.  If you are ever unsure or have concerns about your feet and pointe work it is not a bad idea to check with a podiatrist who works with dancers.

Before immediately going to a traditional spacer, we often start with “Toe Aligners” by Gaynor Minden. Toe Aligners “stabilize your big toe joint and help ensure even weight distribution. They guide the big toe into alignment, and take the pressure off a longer second toe. Toe Aligners can also help prevent bunions, hammer toes, and soft corns.”

 If you find that you really need a spacer, we prefer these.