What is a foot stretcher?

A foot stretcher is a device that assists a dancer (generally a ballet dancer) with working and shaping the foot to achieve a more exaggerated pointe.  Most foot stretchers are made of wood with some sort of attached strap to hold the toes and top of the foot in place.  Some stretchers are made to be placed on the ground, and others are made to be held in the hand while the foot works.  Foot stretchers are extremely effective in improving the look of a pointed foot, but they can be dangerous if not used properly. 

From the beginning, dancers are taught to pointe and flex their feet to work their muscles and get used to making a pointed foot shape.  It's common to see little dancers as young as 3 years old sitting on the floor working their pointe and flex exercises.  When female dancers reach age 10 or 11, they must increase their foot strength and flexibility to prepare for pointe shoes.  It is necessary for dancers to be able to pointe their feet in pointe shoes, which is sort of like being able to pointe your foot while a composition notebook is taped to the bottom of it.  

Just doing ballet is enough to strengthen feet and improve flexibility in order to perform well en pointe and on flat.  However, for students who compete in ballet competitions or have professional aspirations, dancers with more aesthetically pleasing or exaggerated pointes tend to fare better.  Also, the more flexible and strong the foot, the easier it is to hold beautiful positions like a pointed foot held in arabesque. 

Foot stretchers come in as the "tutoring" that takes already proficient students to the next level.  Almost all ballet students who perform at an advanced level have enough flexibility to use a foot stretcher properly and without risk of injury.  The stretcher holds the foot in a pointed position (ideally just beyond the dancer's natural ability) to gradually increase the pointe with the goal of eventually being able to hold the heel and the toes on the ground at the same time when pointing the feet from a seated position with legs stretched in front of you (admittedly, this is much easier for dancers with large feet and long toes).

This is completely safe for advanced dancers who already have decent strength and flexibility and use foot stretchers for a few minutes on each foot per day.  The danger factor comes in when dancers who are not already strong and flexible use foot stretchers that are too difficult for them.  Some dancers who are still toward the beginning of their dance training see foot stretchers online and believe that these devices will help them become advanced very quickly.  This is not true; it's actually a very bad idea for beginners to use foot stretchers.  Forcing an untrained foot into a foot stretcher and/or using it for too long at a time can cause damage to the feet.  Forcing a pointe can be as detrimental as forcing the splits.  Muscle can tear, which will result in pain and slow-healing injury. 

If you are an advanced dancer with well-established strength and flexibility and you are interested in trying a foot stretcher, I recommend purchasing one from an online source like discountdance.com.  Commercially produced foot stretchers are made so they will not over-work your foot.  I don't advise trying to make your own, as it's easy to make it either too tight or too loose (which can either injure you  or do nothing).  Use the foot stretcher for no more than 5 minutes per foot per day at the beginning, and slowly work up to a maximum of 10 minutes per foot per day.  Stop using the stretcher immediately if you feel sharp pain or a tearing sensation.  Remember to hold your feet in a flexed position as well to maintain and improve your entire range of motion.