What is involved in our Pre-pointe assessments?
Clare Lawson • August 27, 2026
When it comes to dancing on pointe, alignment and adequate body strength are the key to ensuring your pointe journey is enjoyable and you remain injury free.
Why do you need to do a pointe assessment?
Foot and ankle injuries are very common in dancers due to the demands placed on the growing body. When dancing on pointe, the load that goes through your foot is up to 12 times your body weight. A Pre-Pointe assessment will improve both our understanding of your strengths and weaknesses that could potentially put you at risk of injury when dancing on pointe. This allows us to work with your dance teacher to ensure you are the best dancer you can be.
What is involved in a pre-pointe assessment?
Our pre-pointe assessments are very thorough and we take into consideration a number of factors including:
- Range of movement and Posture
- Foot and ankle strength, alignment, balance
- Lower limb strength and alignment
- Core strength and control of spine and pelvis
- Individual body awareness and understanding
When should I have my Pre-Pointe Assessment?
- Usually your dance teacher will advise you when they feel you are ready to start dancing on pointe
- We recommend that you have your screening before you buy your pointe shoes.
- You may also benefit from a pre-pointe screening and education/exercise session if you have begun your pointe journey but are noticing difficulty in strength, coordination or experiencing pain.
What happens if I don’t pass my assessment?
There are occasions where some dancers are not quite ready to start pointe work. If this is the case, there is no need to feel bad. We will work with you on the areas that need improvement to ensure you are safe and will be the best dancer you can be.
You will be given an individualised exercise program to work on for approximately 3-6 weeks, then we will get you back to re-assess the areas that needed work.
What to wear
Please wear comfortable clothing (shorts/leggings, sports bra, singlet top or leotard), bare feet and do not warm up before your assessment.
To Book Your Appointment
We understand that you may be nervous when you see us – we will explain each part of the assessment; what we’re assessing and why. We’re with you on this journey and want you to feel comfortable.
If you would like to Book a Pre Pointe Assessment book
here.
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For decades we have been told to ‘RICE’ after we get an injury, but it’s time to let go and make room for some ‘PEACE & LOVE’. This new acronym has replaced the old ‘RICE’ acronym and it has some significant changes, including avoiding ice and anti-inflammatories after an injury as these have been found to disrupt the natural healing process that we want to occur. It also gives us more guidance on what to do after the initial injury phase, a crucial step that was missing from the old ‘RICE’ acronym. For the first few days after an injury, give them some ‘PEACE’ P: Protect We want to protect the injury by de-loading and reducing movement for the first 2-3 days to prevent further damage and allow the healing process to occur. Prolonged rest can in fact lead to longer recovery times. E: Elevate Try to keep the injured limb elevated higher than the level of your heart; this will help to reduce swelling out of the area. A: Avoid anti-inflammatory modalities It is now recommended to avoid taking anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen and aspirin in the first few days after your injury as these can interfere with the inflammatory process and slow down tissue healing. Applying ice to an injury may also disrupt this process; it can be still be used to assist with pain relief. After the first few days heat can also be used for pain management. C: Compress Compression of the injured area using bandages or tape is recommended to help reduce swelling and bleeding. E: Educate Education plays a huge part in any injury management. Your physiotherapist will provide education specific to your injury and situation to help you understand your recovery times and what you need to do to get better fast. After the first few days have passed, injuries need ‘LOVE’ L: Load Try to resume normal activities if your pain and symptoms allow; this will promote repair, remodelling and improve tissue tolerance. Your body will tell you when it is okay to increase the load, or if it is not ready. O: Optimism Be optimistic about your recovery! People who are optimistic have better outcomes as the brain plays an important role. Fear and avoidance surrounding your injury can be barriers to recovery. Working with your physiotherapist can help to improve your confidence with getting moving again after your injury. V: Vascularisation Starting some cardiovascular exercise, such as a walking, swimming or a stationary bike will help to increase blood flow to the injured area. This, combined with rehabilitation exercises can help with pain relief and getting your back to your usual activities faster. E: Exercise Your physiotherapist will give you the specific exercises required to rehabilitate your injury and restore factors like mobility, strength and proprioception, as well as helping you to prevent the same injury from occurring again! To find out the best way to manage your injury, book in for an appointment where you will get your own comprehensive and individualised rehabilitation plan.
One of the most common questions I get asked is should I use heat or ice for my injury? There’s no correct answer, it ultimately depends on the type of your injury and which stage of the healing process it is at. When should I ice an injury? Ice has traditionally been used straight after an acute injury or surgery. For up to 72 hours after an injury, there is an inflammatory response occurring in the body. Signs of inflammation include localised skin redness, swelling, and heat, as well as pain. Cold therapy helps to reduce the blood flow to the area, thus helping to reduce the inflammation as well as giving pain relief. However, new research is showing that ice has little effect on skin temperature and reducing swelling. While it may numb the area and provide temporary pain relief, it’s ability to accelerate healing beyond the initial stage of an injury appears to be not as effective as we thought it was. What about ice baths? – see our other blog on them here
What is a Sports Physiotherapist? They are a highly qualified physiotherapist with expert knowledge and skills in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries. The Title awarded by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, serves as a professional mark of distinction in the field of Sports Physiotherapy, which not all physiotherapists have. They have undergone intensive training and a rigorous selection process by demonstrating expertise and achieving an outstanding level of contribution to the field of sports physiotherapy. Clare completed this process, obtaining her titling as a Sports Physiotherapist in 2018, after completing a Masters of Sports Physiotherapy degree. Clare has also earnt membership into the Australian College of Physiotherapists; a distinguished group of leaders in physiotherapy clinical practice. Sports Physiotherapists are skilled in fixing all sports injuries and work with people across the physical activity continuum; those returning to exercise, weekend athletes, fitness fanatics and elite athletes. At Refined, you can be reassured that you are receiving the best care with Clare, as she has demonstrated the highest standard of clinical experience and knowledge to accurately identify, prevent and treat injuries.
