Dance, or the movement of the body to music, has been done in every country since before recorded history. Dance has been used for many purposes, and the variety of types of dance is endless. Interestingly, dance appears to be a rather uniquely human activity. Although many animals can be taught dance movements, studies show that only the elephant and parrot can spontaneously move to music!

Dance today in western countries is primarily done for recreation and sport. Lower extremity injuries are common in dancers because of the physical demands of dynamic overload, extreme positions and motions, and overuse. Additionally, many types of dance are done without shoes or in thin shoes without support, such as the ballet slipper.

Of all types of dance, ballet has the highest injury rates . The most common dance injuries that are seen in all dance forms are most common in ballet. These include sesamoiditis, flexor hallucis tendinitis, os trigonum syndrome, anterior ankle impingement, and stress fractures.
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Sometimes you might notice some thick areas of skin on your foot, possibly even causing some pain. It could be a corn or callus, but what is the difference between the two?

A corn gets its name from its resemblance to a corn kernel. It is a small, circular, thickened area of the skin of the foot , usually involving the toes. Its medical name is clavus. Corns are hard in the middle and usually form after repeated pressure on the skin, such as rubbing by a shoe.

A Callus is a localized thickening of the skin, usually found on the bottom of the foot. It results from friction and pressure. A callus can vary in size, and does not have the hard center that a corn has, so may not be as painful. Sometimes, however, a deep nucleated callus may form directly beneath a metatarsal bone and can be very painful. These growths are called intractable plantar keratoses.
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