Testimonials v1
Hear what dancers and therapists have to say about the PerfectFit Pointe Shoe Inserts.
Robert Kopitzke, Physical Therapist, Master Pilates Instructor, Neuromuscular Reprogrammer, President - Body Concepts, Inc.
"It has been my pleasure consulting with Kelly Schmutte over the past several years as she developed the PerfectFit Pointe Shoe Inserts. As a Physical Therapist specializing in working with dancers for the past 16 years, I was very excited when I saw what Kelly was creating. I’ve seen the kind of damage poorly fit pointe shoes can wreak and all the gizmos that dancers try to stuff into their shoes while attempting to correct the problems. The PerfectFit inserts can help prevent this damage and prevent injuries. In addition, I understand the potential of what the PerfectFit inserts can do to improve the control all dancers seek while on pointe. By distributing the pressure across all the toes, dancers receive more proprioceptive feedback regarding their foot position and are able to control that position more effectively. Two thumbs up!"
Ashley Jackson, Professional Dancer with Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet
Recipient of the 2010 Princess Grace Award in Dance Fellowship
“The best thing about them is they are comfortable, and they reduce my preparation time. They also seem to last long."
Callaway, 16
"I have experienced significant improvement in the way my pointe shoes fit. The PerfectFit inserts take up quite a bit of space where I need it (under my 3 smallest toes) and allow me to feel the floor where I need (under my big toe and second toe). The PerfectFit inserts ensure that I am aligned correctly, so my technique has improved since starting with the inserts. Also, because they are molds of my feet I don't worry anymore about blisters or bruised toenails like I did with my previous padding, and I am able to dance much longer en pointe without pain. I don't feel significant pressure points that used to experience in my old padding. My favorite thing about the inserts is how much they have improved my confidence en pointe.
I am really blown away by PerfectFit. I would recommend this product to any dancer in my pre-professional company that has ever experienced ill-fitting pointe shoes. The inserts truly changed how I am able to dance, and I'm very grateful. Thank you!"
Nikki, 18
"These feel so much more natural. I don't have any extra pressure on my big toe nails anymore, and the bruises under my big toenails have gone away! I love that the pressure is evenly distributed across my foot. I couldn't be more pleased. Thank you for all your hard work and effort! It's truly making a difference. :) "
Emily Turpin, Professional Dancer
"I usually do not wear toe pads with my shoes, as they are fairly comfortable without and my feet have grown more accustomed without than with. These seemed like the cure to my slowly developing foot problems, and they are great if I have a long 8 hour day and need to take a load off my toes. These were exactly what I was needing. Performance-wise, I think the idea to mold spacers in was simply genius. They do not take up a ton of space, and are extremely thin for shoes that really do not have any room for extra padding. My bunions thank me on days I slip these on!"
Belinda
"I have tried many pointe shoes and have yet to find "the perfect fit". I had surgery on my left foot many years ago and as a result, my range of motion is limited in my big toe. My last hope for a "better shoe" was Gaynor Minden. The Gaynor fit better than any of the others and helped my issues, but it wasn't a fix-all. I had to tape all of my toes and wear a big toe cap, which took forever to prepare before class. I ran across a youtube video of your inserts and fell instantly in love! I have danced multiple classes with my inserts and LOVE them! They force me to push over my left big toe for proper alignment and my mind is free to think about the dance, not my feet issues! They take up every little bit of extra space and make the shoe fit like a glove. Not having to tape all of my toes and wearing a toe cap has been so wonderful! One insert and I'm ready to go! Thank you so much for your help and product! You have made this dancer very happy!"
Chloe, 15
"I have unusually thin feet for someone of my height (5'11") and so it is always hard to find a pointe shoe that fits well and/or comfortably-most of the time one of those would be sacrificed. So I suffered from ingrown toenails and blisters and all kinds of things. When I saw your ad, I knew I had to give it a try. This insert has greatly helped my feet! It comforts my toes perfectly and it fills in the extra space so I'm not rubbing or bumping against the side of the shoe. They are so comfortable and supportable! And they are easy to mold too. I have received compliments from teachers and fellow dancers on my dancing improvement and on the inserts themselves!"
Gabrielle
"I'm an adult beginner pointe student. I've just made my first pair of custom molded pads and have used them in 3 pointe classes. They are AMAZING!!! I have tapered toes and so I've had a lot of trouble with pressure on my biggest toe. These pads evenly distribute the weight so well across my foot that I have no problem dancing with the bruised toenail I got from my old pads! Also, I find that I'm able to work so much harder in class because I don't have pain! My teacher asks as the class progresses "How are your feet?" Now, I can respond "Great!" even at the end of class. Thanks for making a great product. I will absolutely recommend it to my fellow pointe students."
Serena, 12
"The inserts have made so much improvement in the comfort of dancing on pointe for me. The way it is molded to your feet makes it very comfortable. I think the best thing about them is that when I wear them I don’t have to think about pain, I can just focus on dancing. I will definitely keep wearing the inserts. They are way more comfortable than the Ouch Pouches."
Dawn, 22
"I think the best thing about them is: 1.) They fill in the negative space so my foot doesn’t slide and feels more secure inside the shoe. I feel like the moldable material essentially helps to create a better fit in the shoe. 2.) My big toe feels better. When I wear only the inserts, I feel less big toe pressure than when I wear my usual gel toe caps over my big toes. 3.) They are very easy and fast to put on… literally one step, not multiple (with spacers, toe caps, lambs wool, tape, etc.)."
Diane, mom of Mariah (12)
“I have to tell you that I am VERY impressed with this product. As a Mom of a dancer, I was always concerned about two things. The first thing was I didn't want Mariah’s dancing on pointe to ruin her feet, or give her injuries. The second thing is that I always worried that she would be in a lot of pain because Mariah has a very low pain threshold and I didn't want that to impede her technique in dancing on pointe. These two things have been solved by the revolutionary pointe shoe pads/toe support. Thank you for coming up with this idea! It is truly brilliant.”
Natasha, 16
"These inserts are exactly what I have been looking for. I have been trying since I started pointe to find something that didn't hurt my feet, but because of my tapered toes, I have had no luck. Now, I feel almost no pain (they take the pressure off of my big toes, and distribute it throughout my foot), I am more solid on my box, and I no longer wish that I didn't have feet when I take off my shoes. Thank you sooo much!”
Hannah, 15
"I will never go back to my old padding, unless my feet change for some reason. They have definitely helped me during pointe class. I also have more confidence using my pointe shoes now because my toes do not start hurting after only 5-7 minutes of class. Not only do they help my toes to not hurt, but they also help me a little bit with my knuckling toes."
Amelia, 19
"I would say that I felt an immediate difference when I began wearing the inserts. For the first three to four classes I felt no pain, during the class or after the class. This is a significant difference from before wearing the inserts when I would be in pain throughout the class and for several hours after the class had ended. I also love how springy they are when I do any kind of jumps or relevés."
Hanna, 15
"They are perfectly comfortable and have a great balance between being padded but my toes are still able to breathe and move around."
Samantha, 13
“These inserts make my feet happy! It makes me enjoy pointe class so much more than before. They are comfortable and they take the pressure off of my bunions and my big toe (my typical pressure points).”
Savannah, 11
“I love these inserts! So far I have never had significant pain or gotten blisters from wearing them. I will definitely continue to buy new sets of these as I need them. They are much more comfortable then my regular padding and reduce the pain on the side of my big toe. These are so much more convenient than my old padding. They are quicker, more comfortable, and with the integrated spacers I don't have to dig through my bag to find them every class!”
Ciera, 13
“The inserts get rid of pain in all the areas I was experiencing before, and they are much quicker to put on. My feet don't experience any pain after dancing on pointe… the inserts make dancing on pointe a more enjoyable experience! They also encourage my foot to work better. Since I’ve had them my arches have been strengthened, and I feel that I can get on my boxes more easily. Plus my padding isn't constantly sliding around!”
Annelise, 14
“I felt like because I pushed over my box and stretched my toes as I made them, it helped prevent me from sitting back on my box or curling my toes during classes. I liked how they kept me where I needed to be on my box. I felt very secure on pointe while wearing them.”
Monica, 16
"I wore the molded inserts all during summer classes and for auditions. I love them and wore them all the time! They were very comfortable and removed all of my “hot spots” and blisters that I had been getting since the June performance. The other reason why I like these inserts was because my foot (or rather toes) felt balanced and supported in the box of the shoe whether I was en pointe or just standing flat. I would say that the best thing about them is how they just make your toes and foot feel secure and balanced in the box of the shoe. With the Ouch Pouch, your toes are just flat and not supported in any way, but with these inserts, you have the support and balance. I really like this insert and I would love to continue wearing them in my shoes!!"
Cybelle, 17
“The inserts are comfortable, and they make my shoes feel so much better. I also feel like they do give a more ‘glove-like’ fit and they do live up to the name ‘PerfectFit.’ I tell all my friends at other studios about them. I like the personalization, the uniqueness, and the fact that we made them. They are not mass-produced like every other thing a dancer owns."
Ashlyn, 14
“These are working great for me! I am usually one of the first people to get my shoes on, because I have so many less steps to take to put on my shoes. They relieve pressure on my problem areas and overall are much more comfortable. I don't dread pointe work anymore! The best thing about them is that they fit exactly to my feet.”
Maria, 13
“I plan on continuing to wear the inserts because they're very comfortable (I haven't had any pain), and instead of me worrying about how much my foot hurts (like with my old padding), I can really focus on dancing. They also really helped with my auditions!"