You went to your favorite social.

You looked good.

You felt good.

You had that one amazing dance where everything clicked.

Now the night is over, it’s time to take off your shoes, and your feet touch the flat ground…

RELIEF!!!

Depending on how long I had been dancing, I would look forward to when I took off my shoes and changed back into flats. While dancing in heels is a staple in salsa dancing, the position our feet are in is anything but natural - especially when you’re in them for hours at a time.

In heels, your ankle is constantly flexed in a downward position (aka plantarflexed). This shortens the calf muscle (gastroc/soleus complex) and puts them in a constant state of contraction. From the other end, our toes are in an extended position. Combine the two, (with the lack of any arch support) and you have a nice recipe for arch pain/discomfort/tightness at the end of the night.

Now, instead of rolling the bottom of my feet foot over a ball, I like to activate the muscles that were probably not doing their fair share while wearing heels (not their fault, we put them there). Here are the things I like to do while sitting, after I take off my shoes.

1. Curl my toes

2. Toe raises

3. Spread my toes out to the side.

4. Raise my arch with my foot flat on the ground.

These movements basically negate the position you’re in for hours while wearing heels.

Now, if you’re having arch pain on a more consistent basis, I highly recommend seeing a medical professional…maybe a PT who also knows salsa dancing…hmmmm where could you find one….????

But in all seriousness, consistent arch pain could be more involved, including the rest of your legs and hips, so it’s worth getting checked out by a medical professional before it gets out of hand and you can’t live your fullest dance life.

Pura Vida mi gente!