Nothing Pretty About Dance-Related Injuries
During the winter months and holiday season, one cannot help but think of The Nutcracker. Every year, this famous ballet is performed by countless dance companies around the world.
What people might forget is that these dancers — and all dancers — are more than performing artists. They are athletes.
The strength, speed, and stamina necessary for a dancer to perform at a high level parallel that of a soccer, lacrosse, or football player.
The physical characteristics of dancers resemble those of high-level athletes, as do the many injuries they sustain.
Factors that contribute to these injuries include:
- strength and flexibility deficits
- poor conditioning
- improper management of previous injuries
- poor technique or nutrition
- changes in training or floor surface
Common Dance Injuries
The majority of dance injuries result from overuse, and are commonly caused by repetitive stress and predisposing factors, like weakness or inflexibility.
Typical overuse injuries to the foot, ankle, and lower leg, include:
- stress fractures
- tendinopathy
- sprains
Treating Dance Injuries
Treatment of these injuries include:
- relative rest
- pain control, as necessary
- rehabilitation
- addressing underlying predisposing factors, such as weakness and inflexibility
- correcting technique
Tips for Preventing Dance-Related Injuries
- get plenty of rest
- practice proper nutrition and hydration
- wear proper fitting shoes and replace them when they begin to show signs of breaking down
- address injuries early
- do not dance through pain, as it may be a warning sign of an underlying injury
Athletic trainers and physical therapists at UPMC Sports Medicine want to keep dancers injury free.
We offer:
- musculoskeletal screening at the beginning of the dance season to address strength and flexibility deficits
- correction of technique errors
- nutrition counseling
Contact UPMC Center for Sports Medicine's board-certified athletic trainers and physical therapists, at 412-432-3600, to make an appointment.