The virtuoso foot

The foot and ankle are prone to injury in the performing arts population, not least amongst dancers who require extreme ranges of movement in this area. This is a complex anatomical area which can be vulnerable to wide array of injuries. Many of these injuries stem from the dancer's posture, technique and environmental factors such as footwear and flooring; therefore, a thorough understanding of these by the clinician is important to ensure full rehabilitation and to prevent recurrence. This article presents an overview of the most common injuries seen in the dancer population and explores the underlying postural, technical and environmental factors that need to be addressed for full recovery.