The sooner you address injuries, the less severe the complications may be and therefore, the less time (if any) you’ll have to spend away from dance! It is extremely common in dancers due to the imbalance between the amount of external rotation (turn out) they have compared to the amount of internal rotation (turn in). Almost half of all injuries in professional ballet companies can be foot and ankle. Here's how you can prevent the most common dance injuries. She writes about dance styles and practices and the history of dance. x. alpine skiing american football archery arena football artistic gymnastics artistic swimming australian football bmx badminton baseball basketball beach volleyball biathlon bobsleigh boccia bowling boxing bull riding. How to Prevent and Heal Blisters on Your Feet, Things Skaters Should Know About Head Injuries. This … Sprains could lead to an increased risk of arthritis of the joints. The foot and ankle are the most common area to be injured in dancers. Ankle sprains are the most common traumatic (or acute) injury in dancers. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for dancers to experience pain. Stretching the toes, feet, and legs several times per day can also help with pain. Types of Muscle Soreness Caused by Bodybuilding Training, Maximum Bodybuilding Results Through Proper Joint Care. Dancers are particularly prone to muscle strains in the lower back. Why Do Some Skater's Feet or Ankles Hurt? Complete rest from activity is usually recommended, and often required, as some dancers find it difficult to simply walk with shin splints. FHL Tenosynovitis of the Foot/Ankle. Add to that, the countless hours in rehearsals. Their exertion level rivals, if not exceeds, that of professional athletes! Fortunately, 98% of dance injuries are treated successfully with conservative meas- ures. For initial treatment, apply ice for a few minutes every hour, reducing the frequency of icing to 3 or 4 times per day. The physician must familiarize himself or herself with dance terminology, common moves, correct technique, and dancer's mentality. Most dancers train between 6 to 35 hours per week. Ankle Sprains . The most common dance-related injuries include: However, when it does happen, it can be immensely frustrating and poorly timed. Some of the most common knee injuries include strains of the quadriceps, hamstring injuries, patellofemoral pain syndrome, and even ligament injuries. If you do suspect an injury, stop dancing immediately and allow your body to heal before dancing again.​​. Most dancers will experience their first sprain by age 13. Shin splints is the name given to the condition involving pain at the front of the lower leg. Also, never dance on concrete or other hard surfaces. Knee Injuries: Knee injuries are common in dancing. Plantar fasciitis is particularly common in ballet dancers who dance in pointe shoes. Their exertion level rivals, if not exceeds, that of professional athletes! Other common dance injuries There are a few more injuries that are quite common in dancers including Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, posterior ankle impingement (commonly known as ‘dancers heel’), bunions and even ingrown toenails. Here, we discuss the most common dance injuries and how they can be treated. Trigger toe is another overuse injury that causes inflammation and damage to muscle that is active during pointing the big toe. Still, acute injuries such as ankle sprains are also common. Treatment: The best way to treat a stress fracture is to rest and take a break from high-impact dancing to help the fractured bone heal. The injury usually causes tenderness of the muscle and possibly swelling. Add to that, the countless hours in rehearsals. This injury is caused by any movement that forces the ankle outside of the normal range of motion, resulting in an overstretching … These are followed by injuries to the spine, hip, and knee, in that order. These injuries show up with greater frequency in dancers as they age, … All Rights Reserved. In the meantime, try to stay healthy by staying hydrated, eating a well-balanced diet, avoiding overtraining, allowing for rest days, participating in proper cross-training, making sure you are wearing well-fitted shoes and listening to your body! Here are the most common dance injuries and their treatment line and prevention. We call this cumulative microtrauma, meaning it’s a lot of little overuse over time that can cause big problems. It’s important to treat early as to prevent tendon rupture! Pain: gradual onset of pain and tenderness just above the heel which may feel better when warmed up, but worse with jumping, relevé, or pointe work, Prevention: stretching your Achilles with your foot in parallel, quadriceps/hip/core strengthening to decrease force absorption at the ankle, Treatment: Physical therapy focused on correct training technique, modalities to decrease inflammation, calf stretching, and soft tissue to calf and surrounding musculature. Participation in physical activity comes with a risk of injury, dance being no exception. Hip impingement can be caused by many different factors from arthritis, labral tear, stress fracture, muscle strain, snapping hip syndrome, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, to piriformis syndrome. Of arthritis of the leg and in the studios but these factors play a big in! Common area to be at high risk for developing stress fractures, injuries. 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