Dance Rehab

Anyone a dancer out there? No matter what type of dance you are interested in, this high-level activity can require unique positioning and high demands of the body. Most dancers will tell you that they are used to their bodies being injured and will fight through the pain for any performance they may have. What if we were to tell you that these injuries can be prevented and treated with skilled PT interventions?

A huge goal of those working in dance medicine is to improve performance through rehabilitation and injury prevention. If dance and the performing arts is someone’s livelihood, there is no reason as to why one would have to “fight” through their pain – who wants to continuously do that throughout their work day?! Physical therapy focused on dancers and the performing arts will focus on dance-specific injury reduction strategies, performance analysis and treatment of any current impairments.

How can performance analysis be helpful for dancers? As physical therapists who focus on dance medicine, one way to help in regards to performance based work is by either watching the dancer perform or obtaining a video of them. If a patient comes in with neck pain for example, a physical therapist would have to determine why they are having neck pain in the first place. Is it due to a heavy object being used on stage? Costume weight? Decreased posture with a certain dance move? Is the pain coming from a certain movement or is it felt afterwards? By analyzing these movements, the therapist can then figure out a treatment plan in order to decrease any pain felt either during, in prep or after a performance.

From your neck to the pelvic floor, there are many different injuries that can occur and it’s important to speak to someone that can address all of your ailments and needs.