Dancers are known to "dance through their pain". Because of this, many minor injuries quickly become worse. This information could be used by orthopedic specialists when treating ballet dancers in order to know how much force was repeatedly put on a certain area of the foot.
Another possible application of this study could be to companies who currently make pointe shoes. Traditional pointe shoes have shanks (pieces of hard material that support the arch) made of materials such as leather, cardboard, and burlap. As the shoes are worn, they become softer. When they become too soft, the shoes do not properly support the dancer and may cause injuries. This can take anywhere from six months to one performance, depending on the material of the shoe and frequency of use.
Pointe shoes, which are each handmade, range in price from fifty to one hundred dollars a pair. If the shank were made with a more durable material, they would last longer. Materials scientists could use the information found in this study to find or create a material that would be durable enough to last yet pliable and flexible enough for pointe work.