AoiShima: "Do you have any specific pain today?"Ballerina: "No pain, but I'd like you to correct the position when I point my ankle."
In other words, the ballerina requests refinement in the position where her ankle points – commonly referred to as the position where the "instep shows." This involves going beyond a position where the ankle is straight, and the toes point downwards, creating an appearance of the instep rising.
Her friend, fearing injuries from forcefully stretching ankles with a machine, sought help at the clinic.
Tip 1: Convey the rationale behind loosening the ankle.
Primarily, the muscles pulling the ankle towards the instep are tight, making it challenging to move towards the desired position on the sole of the foot. Simply loosening the muscles on the instep side often significantly improves the pointed position.
Unfortunately, this treatment doesn't conclude in 10 minutes, so it's crucial to explain the theory and method, encouraging the individual to continue the approach.
The ballerina, who was frequently cautioned by her teacher in ballet class, found herself bombarded with questions from friends using ankle-stretching machines a few months later, asking, "How did you fix your pointed position?" Despite stating the truth – "I just loosened the shin muscles!" – she was met with complete disbelief and accusations of being malicious. This is the true story that unfolded.