THE FOOT IN BALLET DANCERS - THE IMPORTANCE OF 2ND TOE LENGTH

Ballet dancers are prone to foot injuries, Our hypothesis was that the length of the second toe in relation to the big toe affected the dist ribution of stresses on the foot, correlating with calluses, injuries, and pain, Fifty-nine ballet dancers were examined for second toe leng th with respect to great toe, calluses, and metatarsophalangeal inflam mation, Daily foot pain, limitation of work hours because of this, inj uries, age, sex, and rank in the company were considered. The dancers' feet had an incidence of shorter, equal, or longer second toes which was comparable to a non-ballet-dancing cohort (N = 60). In female danc ers (N = 34), total callus counts and pain scores were significantly l ower in the group with shorter second toes versus those with equal or longer second toes. Counts were unrelated to age or rank, Longer secon d toes were related to hallux rigidus. Limitation of practice hours, a nkle sprains, and foot/ankle fractures and sprains were comparable acr oss the groups. The male dancers (N = 25) had significantly fewer call uses than did the women, but had equal pain scores and number of injur ies. There were no significant differences among the males in total ca llus counts, pain scores, limitation of practice hours, or injuries be tween groups based on toe length, age, or rank, We conclude that there is no significantly more ideal pattern of toe lengths for male ballet dancers, but females with shorter second toes have fewer calluses and less daily foot pain. Those with a longer second toe had a higher inc idence of hallux rigidus and correspondingly increased pain scores,