The body is capable of a vast amount of incredible things, but even it has its limitations. Much like other sports, dance is a rigorous activity that demands a lot from its participants, mentally and physically. As a result, many dancers have a constant fear of injuries. While some may be minor and heal quickly, others can be detrimental and largely impact a dancer’s career. Regardless of intensity, it should be a priority to avoid all injuries in order to preserve the body. In this article, we will discuss the different types of injuries that are common in dancers, the risk factors, and what to do when an injury does occur.
Before diving into the different types of injuries, it is essential to first understand how an injury occurs. When a force such as a pull, twist, or push acts on a muscle, it can create mechanical stress. This leads to tension, compression, or shearing of tissues, resulting in injuries. The most common injuries for dancers are a product of joint or muscle overuse in the ankle, leg, or foot. The ankles and feet are vulnerable because their joints and muscles are small, yet are expected to carry the weight of the whole body. The main causes of foot injuries are improper landing during jumps, misaligned ankles, and pointe shoes that aren’t fitted properly. When executing jumps without the proper strength, the ankles can fatigue. When the ankles cannot support the impact of the body’s weight, the risk of ankle sprains increases.
Dancing on pointe is also a huge risk factor for ankle sprains. When dancing with these shoes, the plantar flexion in the ankles (the motion used when pointing the foot) can lead to acute or overuse injuries. Without ankle strength, the plantar pressure can be overwhelming and lead to ankle instability and injuries. In addition to improper jumps and weak ankles, turnout can be a major risk factor for injuries in the leg. Turnout is the outward rotation of a dancer’s legs, starting from the hips and following down to one’s feet. Many dancers crave a turnout of 180°, yet most of the time, the lack of flexibility in their hips restricts them from performing that motion properly. This leads to dancers using turnout that stems from their feet rather than their hips, meaning that the tips of their feet point outward, while their knees and hips point forward. This causes a dancer’s feet to pronate, or their inner arches to collapse, leading to stress in the hips, knees, and ankles. All of these injuries are very common in dancers, and it is important to be educated in order to work towards preventing them.
Though learning about dance injuries is important, it is also crucial to understand the risk factors and prevention methods. The most common risk factor for injuries is overworking the body by dancing for five or more hours a day. Dancing this much reduces the amount of rest time, which is essential for proper recovery between classes. Due to this, one of the best methods of injury prevention is to remember to take rest days and allow one’s body the chance to heal. While overworking is one major risk factor, there are still many more that should be acknowledged. Risk factors can be divided into two different groups: extrinsic factors and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors encompass all the risks that are external. Some examples include training errors, the type of dance style, the environment, the temperature, the equipment used, and the workload. In contrast, intrinsic factors are the risks that are internal, such as age, gender, body type, fitness, motor control, and psychological factors. The more risk factors a dancer has, the more likely an injury may occur.
Since many dancers have multiple risk factors, injuries are quite common, making injury prevention all the more important. Some key ways to reduce injury risks are to hydrate, rest, cross-train, and warm up properly. Warming up correctly is vital because it prepares the body for rigorous combinations and classes. One of the best ways to warm-up is to do short bursts of cardio. This can include jumping jacks, running in place, or any other kind of dynamic movement. In addition to a proper warm-up, cross-training is also a great method to prevent injuries. Cross-training allows muscles that are not generally used in dance to strengthen, furthering the body’s ability to protect itself. Cross-training could include any kind of workout, although endurance training is highly recommended. Building endurance makes the heart grow larger and the lungs expand, granting the body the ability to tolerate fatigue for a longer period of time. Activities such as running, cycling, or swimming can help build endurance. This is helpful especially during performances when a dancer is required to be constantly dancing with a minimal amount of rest. All these prevention methods will contribute to reducing the risk of injury.
While injury prevention is of high importance, it is also essential to understand what to do when an injury does occur. When first injured, the initial responses could be redness, heat, swelling, or pain, which is the number one warning sign. While soreness is also a factor of this, one will know pain is from an injury if it wakes one up at night, is present before an activity, the activity causes the pain to increase, or the pain causes one to shift weight to compensate for the movement. This contrasts from the pain of soreness which only lasts 24-48 hours and is a result of an intense workout. For many dancers, their initial response to pain is to deny it, but since pain is such a crucial warning sign, it is imperative to never ignore it. The immediate management of injuries allows the healing process to shorten, which is why if something does not feel right, it should be treated with care.
When first feeling pain, using the RICE method can reduce some of the negative effects. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The first step when injured is to rest the body by stopping dance temporarily and avoiding activities that stress the injured tissue. Next, ice should be applied within 5-10 minutes of the injury’s occurrence. Ice is used to cool the tissue and reduce the pain and swelling. It should be warned though, new studies have been published displaying how ice may not always be the best method when combating sprains or any other type of injury. Compression is also useful when dealing with an injury for it will limit swelling as well. One can use a bandage or a strap to wrap around the injured area to compress it. Finally, by elevating the injured limb above the level of the heart, bleeding will be able to stop and swelling will further reduce. After using the RICE method, if the pain still lingers, one should consider seeing a doctor or a physical therapist. In addition to the RICE method, it is important to avoid the HARM factors. HARM stands for heat, alcohol, running/dancing, and massage. When injured, heating the limb will increase bleeding and swelling, which could potentially make the injury worse. It is important to remember not to heat the injury in the first two to three days. Alcohol will also increase bleeding and swelling which will delay the healing process. By continuing to run, dance, or participate in any physical activity, further damage can occur in the tissue. Finally, unlike what many people think, massaging the injury will actually do more harm than good. It will lead to more circulation of blood which could cause an increase in swelling. All of these HARM factors counteract the benefits of the RICE method, which is why it is essential to avoid them if one wishes to heal quickly and efficiently, and get back into the studio healthily.
As much as we’d like to think otherwise, injuries are bound to happen for dancers or any other athlete. Whether they are minor or harmful, knowing the knowledge of how to treat injuries is crucial. Injuries have the power to take away the activities that fuel our bodies, making it all the more important to learn how to avoid them. While many dancers ignore their injuries in hopes that it will just go away, in order for them to heal efficiently, they must be given the proper attention. If there is one thing that you should take away from this article, it is that knowing how injuries occur and how to prevent them will allow you to be much safer compared to if you remained oblivious. It is essential for this information to be passed to fellow dancers and athletes, so together we can help our communities remain injury-free.
“Common Dance Injuries and Prevention Tips.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/sports-injuries/common-dance-injuries-and-prevention-tips.
Foot and Ankle Injuries in Dance, 2006, citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.613.9795&rep=rep1&type=pdf.
Simpson, Susan. Dance Injury Management, 2006, cdn-flightdec.userfirst.co.nz/uploads/sites/danz/files/PDFs/InjuryMgmt.pdf.