Ballet heels

Ballet boots

Bondage in ballet boots

Ballet heels are shoes or boots that force the wearer to stand en pointe like a ballerina, so that the ankles and toes are fully extended and, if standing or walking, the full body weight is on the tips of the toes and not on the ball of the feet. This is accomplished by the shape of the toe box and by having 7 to 9 inch (18 to 23 cm) high heels (usually stiletto).

Besides being difficult to walk in, this position exerts, without good training, excessive forces on the feet and ankles and is thus potentially dangerous to walk or even stand in. Some have reported cramping from the continuous overextended position of the ankle. Naturally talented persons, though, might have the skill to stand in them for prolonged sessions.

Because of the awkwardness, injury risk, and potential pain, many users limit their movement to sitting and lying positions while wearing ballet heels. They can therefore be viewed as bondage clothing, too.

Ballet heels have been manufactured in latex, leather and PVC but the most readily available ones are made of PVC or leather. Like other boots, they come in all lengths from thighboots to ankle booties. Even mules exist, but they are very difficult to wear because they provide no support for the leg.

Hints

Some have reported that buying a size larger than usual boots and using regular ballet dancers' pointe shoes, with their toepads, on your feet inside the ballet boots, can make standing and walking in them easier, while some forego the pointe shoes but recommend using the pads.

It has been suggested that the boots' shafts can support the ankle, especially since many ballet boots are laced and could be laced very tightly. Thus ankle boots offer more support than shoes; knee boots are better still, but there is no extra advantage from thighboots. This is obviously not the case with shoes and mules without lace-up ankle sections.