Reusable Gel Dancer's Pads

Question: If I have pain under the 5th metatarsal head on my right foot, should I buy the left Reusable Dancer's Pads so that the cutout is correctly placed on the outside of my foot?

Answer: Correct! These dancers pads can be used on the opposite foot to support and off-load the 5th metatarsal head.

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Question:

I am an Argentine Tango dancer and on my spins I am noticing pain in my forefoot.  Will this pad work for me?

Answer:

Definitely this pad would work for you.  We have many varieties of metatarsal pads and if you decide this one is not to your liking, take a look at our many others.

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Question:

I don't understand what you mean by "off loading the forefoot".  Can you explain what that means?

Answer:

Great question!  Off loading the forefoot simply means redistributing the weight and pressure on the forefoot back to the midfoot and heel.  Metatarsal pads help not only to redistribute that weight and pressure, but also help spread the metatarsals so that there is more room between the bones.

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Question:

I'm a 63 yo man - fitness almost-enthusiast - with R sesamoiditis. Have been using a felt dancers pad stuck to a leather 3/4 shoe insert for daily wear - with some but incomplete relief. Am still exercising - which involves extension of great toe when I am doing things like pushups. Am wondering if applying a reusable dancers pad might be more effective, and, if so, if a  thin or thick dancers pad is best. Advice?

Answer:

Thanks for your question about sesamoiditis! Felt Dancers’ Pads are very effective to off-load weight away from your sesamoid and onto the pad. The Reusable Dancer’s Pads work exactly the same way, except that they adhere to your foot rather than your insole. This may help a bit more when doing things like pushups, as it moves and flexes with your foot rather than sitting on your shoe. I would assume that the felt pad you are using is ¼” thick or close, so the ¼” thick Reusable Dancers Pad would be more effective than the 1/8” one.

I would like to direct your attention to our article on Sesamoiditis ~ if you haven’t read it already, you may gain some insight into your condition by taking a look at it.

Question:

Hi, I am writing for my daughter who is experiencing pain from the middle of the foot just behind the ball of the foot and it extends to her big toe. She injured her foot when her big toe was over extended she believes.The pain has been there for over 6 months and now has made it impossible for her to wear high heels and she is favoring one side of her foot. I was looking at your reusable gel metatarsal pads and wanted to know if that is the best product for what I described? Also would that work when she wears high heels?

Answer:

It sounds like it could be a sesamoid injury: either sesamoiditis or sesamoid fracture.  Please read these articles on our website to get a better understanding of her condition. Our medical director suggested using our Reusable Gel Dancer’s Pads. The 1/8" ones would probably be best suited to using in high heels, but she might want to also try the ¼" thick ones for more support.

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Question:

I have hallux limitus and no fad pad in the forefoot to speak of. I am wearing the economy felt dancers pad but with my new orthotics, it is too thick for my shoes with my high arches. My feet are at the top of my shoes. Would these pads be more appropriate and which thickness? Does it cover the pad of the foot more in front than the economy ones do? I have also purchased the other ones you sell but they squish down and don't help much.

Answer:

The Economy Dancers Pads are 1/4" thick, so it sounds like you would need something that is thinner than that. The Reusable Gel Dancer's Pads as well as the Reusable Gel Ball of Foot Pads both come in 1/8" thickness, which may suit your needs better. The Reusable Gel Dancer's Pads do cover part of the ball of your foot, so if you have very little fat pad there, this could solve both problems for you.

Question:

If I order the Reusable Gel Dancer's Pads, but want to adhere them to my shoe and not my foot, would I order the opposite side of where I'm having problems? I have sesamoiditis in my right foot, so would I order ones for the left?

Answer:

Yes – you are correct, since the pad would be flipped upside down. However, I don’t think the adhesive that is on this particular pad will stick very well to your shoe.  As an alternative, consider using our other felt dancer's pads.  Felt dancer's pads have an adhesive backing that is designed to adhere to the foot or the shoe.

Jeffrey A. Oster, DPM
CMO, Myfootshop

Question:

Can the Reusable Gel Dancer's Pads be trimmed? I was using felt pads trimmed in a "C" shape for my sesamoiditis and I tried these for a more economical, reusable option but it is just huge for my foot and causes my shoes to fit too tight.

Answer:

Yes, they sure can be trimmed with scissors!

Question:

I'm a road cyclist and enjoy riding very much. After about 45 mins into my ride my 2,3,and 4 toes start to go numb on my right foot. I notice it more on hill climbs and hard pedaling efforts. It's becoming more on an issue lately and it's shortening my rides. Do you have any idea what the problem may be? Any suggestions on any product that may help relieve the problem would be appreciated.

Answer:

I’d have to assume you’re using clips? Clips create a focal area of pressure on the sole of the foot that can contribute to the numbness that you describe. Be sure to check out our articles on Morton's Neuroma and capsulitis for more information.

First suggestion would be to check the inside of the shoe and be sure that there’s no palpable shoe defect or pronounced area associated with the clips. If not, the key to treating the numbness then would be to increase the surface area to which the load is applied to the bottom of the foot while biking. That can be done simply with the use of a metatarsal pad.

We tend to recommend Felt Metatarsal Pads to most of our customers in that they’re inexpensive and easy to use. Be sure to watch the video associated with felt metatarsal pads for proper placement in the shoes.

Question:

I have chronic 2d metatarsal bursitis on MRI, left foot only, and Morton's ("Greek") foot bilat (of course!). 6'0', 205 lb, 65 y.o. I used to run a lot but had to cut way back due to the bursitis. I prefer "barefoot" or minimalist shoes. I wonder if the Dancer's Pads might be a good choice to unload that metatarsal head a bit. Not thrilled w/ steroid injections as an option because I assume it will recur due to mechanics.

Answer:

Thanks for contacting us. First, be sure to read our knowledge base article on capsulitis. Although the terms capsulitis and bursitis are often used synonymously, I think you’ll hear this forefoot issue more commonly called capsulitis.

You’re right on target about the mechanical aspect of the problem and how cortisone often falls short as a long term solution. A dancers pad can help, but I’d typically use the dancers pad for sub 1 issues like sesamoiditis. Rather than the dancer’s pad, I’d refer you to our Metatarsal Pads. The whole purpose of the met pad is to off-load the second metatarsal head and distribute load over a wider surface area. Plus they’re a little bit less expensive.

Be sure to watch the instructional video on the page to see how to place the met pads in the shoe. If you can properly place the met pad, you only need one per shoe.

Question:

My 12 year old daughter who has danced competitively for the past 5 years was recently diagnosed with Freibergs Infraction. The Doctor is not sure she will be able to dance again, but saw these your dance pads and want to give them a try. Would you recommend the 1/4" or 1/8" to wear with her dance shoes (ballet, jazz and lyrical)?

Answer:

It is hard to say which thickness she would be most comfortable with, so we would recommend getting a box of each and letting her try them both. Start with the thin ones and see if they make her feel better. Then move to the thicker ones if necessary.

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