Dancers and Injuries: Straight to the “Pointe”
By, Emily Besson, DPT at Moore Stamford
If you are a dancer, chances are you’ve had an injury; probably sprained an ankle, or pulled a muscle. Why are dancers susceptible to injury? Dancers put tremendous stress on their bodies; asking them to move in ways that are unnatural, bear weight on structures which are not anatomically designed to bear weight, and sustain postures for prolonged periods of time.
In addition, dancers often practice for hours at a time which leads to muscle fatigue. When muscles are fatigued, they are susceptible to becoming strained. Also, when muscles are fatigued, forces can be transferred to the surrounding tendons and ligaments leading to breakdown.
Is it possible to be too flexible?
Yes. In fact, this is one of the leading causes of injury among dancers.
Having muscle flexibility and range of motion beyond what is considered normal is a characteristic which is strived for in the world of dance. Although this leads to beautiful lines and enviable turn out, if a dancer is not strong through this large range of movement, they are at risk for injury. Studies have shown that having instability increases one’s risk of injury. Instability or hyper mobility is an abnormal increase in joint motion. This happens when muscles, tendons, and ligaments are over-stretched. Hyper mobility is commonly seen among dancers. Muscles and tendons are elastic. That means they have the ability to return to their original length after being stretched. Ligaments however, do not have elastic properties. Therefore, when ligaments are overstretched, they are less effective in stabilizing the joint they attach to.
This does not mean that dancers aren’t strong. In fact, in their “normal” positions they tend to be quite stable. They are usually weak in positions which they do not practice. For example, when asked to perform balance exercises, dancers succeed with their toes turned out and tend to have poor performance when their feet are forward or turned in. It is important for dancers to utilize a strengthening program (different from what they do in dance class) that targets these weak positions. Your physical therapist can help you establish such a program.
Dance typically involves extreme joint positions such as….
Flexion of hips 
Outward rotation of hips 
Extension of hips 
Extension of spine 
Plantarflexion of ankle 
Injuries commonly associated with these extreme positions include ankle sprains, joint pain, hip labral tears, back pain, stress fractures, and muscle strains.
What to do if you get injured
RICE
Rest: take time off from dance to rest the area of injury and avoid further injury
Ice: ice the affected area for a maximum of 15 minute intervals
Compression: if the affected area appears swollen, apply an ace bandage to control and prevent additional swelling
Elevation: elevate the affected joint above the level of your heart to also minimize swelling
Attend physical therapy to assure you are back dancing as quickly as possible. Physical therapy can not only treat your pain but also teach you proper strengthening exercises to prevent future injuries.
Moore’s Fitness division and Physical Therapy* treatments focus on what your strengths, deficits and asymmetries are and work to improve your strength and flexibility to decrease your pain and prevent further injuries.
Emily Besson is a Physical Therapist in Moore’s Stamford office. She joined the Moore team as an aide in 2003. Emily became a Physical Therapist in 2007. Emily enjoys many aspects of being a Physical Therapist especially the area of orthopedics. Emily is particularly interested in working closely with dancers on rehabilitating and preventing injury.
Emily earned her Undergraduate and Doctorate Degree from Sacred Heart University. Emily has an impressive list of clinical affiliations including Gaylord Rehabilitation Hospital in Wallingford, CT, Yale New Haven Hospital and the Functional Performance Center in Tempe, AZ. Emily’s other interests include dancing and traveling.
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