Going en-pointe is a massive step for any ballet dancer. We take great joy in supporting local dance schools to best navigate a safe transition onto pointe shoe work by offering a specialised assessment with our Physiotherapist Lauren McLinden (nee Campbell). This comprehensive assessment from The Optimal Health Lab’s resident dance physiotherapist Lauren will determine your timing and readiness for pointe shoes.
Our 45-minute assessment explores the biomechanical factors and strength related to safely dancing en-pointe. No need to bring your ballet shoes (because Lauren needs to see your feet + toes easily), but please wear tight clothes (or your normal ballet class attire) and do leave 10mins before the appointment starts to fill in your dance history for us.
If you are not successful at fulfilling all the requirements on your initial visit, you will be given an ndividualised strength program to help you before your reassessment. Recommendations from your assessment (no matter if its successful or unsuccessful) will be fed back to your dance teacher (with your consent), or they are welcome to attend with you.
Lauren is passionate about making the dance world a safe, enjoyable and minimally riddled by niggles, injuries and forced time on the sitting watching! Supporting these efforts, Lauren offered workshops to local dance school on topics like Strength and Conditioning for Performers, Dance Injury Education, Pilates programming for dancers and information sessions for families on supporting your dancers to eat well, sleep well, hydrate well and dance happily. Please be in touch via admin@optimalhealthlab.com.au if you're interested in booking one of these sessions!
We are a team of experienced, collaborative clinicians that believes in the power of excellence and community.
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