Going en pointe is a milestone for your child, but you must remember that your child only has one body, and it needs to be looked after. Pointe is a stunning art form, but it requires strength, mobility and control well beyond the norm. This is why adequate preparation and a pre pointe assessment is fundamental to ensuring a smooth transition into pointe work.
What does pre-pointe assessment involve?
Our physiotherapists at Sports Focus have a special interest in dance and genuinely care about your child’s dance journey. We will work together with the young dancer and their dance teacher to identify any gaps in strength, control, technique and execution with a pre-pointe assessment. This detailed assessment will look at the foot biomechanics, pointe range, lumbopelvic stability and control, turn out and ballet technique. This will help determine whether your child is ready and safe to begin training on pointe.
Following this, we will provide the dancer with a tailored exercise program based on the assessment with specific targets to meet before the next appointment. Our physiotherapists will also prepare a comprehensive report for the dance teacher and will be more than happy to liaise any crucial findings with teacher and parent.
While our assessments are specific and detailed, our goal is to never make a dancer feel incompetent or small. We want to empower your child with the tools and knowledge that they need to succeed in dancing.
What happens after a pre-pointe assessment?
Your child will work on their prescribed exercises for several weeks before being reassessed to check their progress. Multiple appointments might be needed before your child can safely progress onto pointe. Of course, this depends on your child’s level of training and how strictly they follow their tailored exercise program.
Whether your little dancer plans to be a professional dancer or wants to be en pointe for just a few years, they need their body to stay healthy. Investing in establishing the right technique and biomechanics before going onto pointe can make a huge difference to the long-term health of your child’s joints and feet. At Sports Focus, our aim is to keep empowering young dancers to achieve their dance goals en pointe!
For a pre-pointe assessment, please book online to see one of our Sports Focus physios at Castle Hill or Northbridge.
