DiscoverThe Dance Physio PodcastEpisode 103: Clenching, Gripping and Knuckling: what your dancer's feet can tell you
Episode 103: Clenching, Gripping and Knuckling: what your dancer's feet can tell you

Episode 103: Clenching, Gripping and Knuckling: what your dancer's feet can tell you

Update: 2025-10-14
Share

Description

In this podcast episode I recap my recent presentation at the IADMS Annual Conference in Las Vegas, a workshop with longtime friend, mentor and colleague Astrid Sherman.

Comprised of 26 bones, 33 joints and hundreds of muscles, the foot is a complex structure. It functions to support the body, absorb shock, and facilitate movement through locomotion. It can also give us information about how a dancer is moving and functioning. Clenching toes when “pointing the foot” in plantar flexion, gripping the floor in standing and/or knuckling ‘en-pointe’ are common patterns seen in dancer’s that may indicate weakness, muscle imbalances, or deficiencies in technique or training.

Other episodes mentioned in this podcast:

Episode 56: Dancer's Feet - Form vs Function


Learn more about Erika Mayall:

Comments 
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Episode 103: Clenching, Gripping and Knuckling: what your dancer's feet can tell you

Episode 103: Clenching, Gripping and Knuckling: what your dancer's feet can tell you

Erika Mayall