Spring it on!
Returning to dance after injury – Put a Spring back in your step
Studies show that 50 to 80% of dancers suffer from injury from overuse at some point in their career. How do you cope when all you want to do is dance?
There are three phases to getting back on the dancefloor: Acute phase, Recovery phase and Functional phase. The length of each phase will depend on your injury. Here are a few tips to help you get fighting fit.
The acute phase - Seek professional advice
Immediately post injury, even if you think you’ve just got a “normal” injury, visit a medical professional. There are a lot of things that can make a seemingly simple injury very complicated and slow to heal. It is much better to find those out at the start and begin a suitable treatment plan.
The Recovery Phase - The slow and steady tortoise wins the race
Once swelling is subsiding and pain diminishes, you move into the recovery phase, during which you regain range of motion, strength and endurance. At the same time you are working on the affected area, continue exercising your whole body. During this stage, warm your muscles with aerobic exercise if possible before stretching and joint movement. Appropriate rest between bouts of progressive strength and cardiovascular training are needed to properly prepare your body for return to full health.
The Functional Phase - Preventing repeat injury
Preventing repeat injury is important even when the injured area is no longer causing symptoms as the tissues may not have healed completely. If you really want to push through with a major performance consult a professional who can advise you on measures to provide extra support to prevent further damage.
Health esteem:
People often feel a loss of identity and self-expression when they are not able to do what they love. Focus on your progression, make the most of the opportunity to try other classes to regain cardiovascular fitness and strength.
The fitter you are the quicker your recovery! You never know you might find another class that you love! Keep moving! Do your recovery exercises to music! Endorphins and music will lift your mood!
Pay attention to nutrition and hydration. Feed your body well including plenty of anti-inflammatory foods such as leafy vegetables, try kale as promoted by Queen B herself. The body will recover in time, given the right conditions.
With a feeling of gratitude for all that your body has done for you and allows you to do, nurture yourself back to health by including nutrition, positive thoughts and the joy of movement.
Ali Trowsdale is a professional dancer and a qualified fitness instructor, with a degree in Biology. She teaches Mondays at 12pm at Pineapple and also teaches private dance sessions.
Click here to read more about Ali and her Fit & Flexi class.
Returning to dance after injury - from recovery to health esteem
Spring it on!
Returning to dance after injury – Put a Spring back in your step
Studies show that 50 to 80% of dancers suffer from injury from overuse at some point in their career. How do you cope when all you want to do is dance?
There are three phases to getting back on the dancefloor: Acute phase, Recovery phase and Functional phase. The length of each phase will depend on your injury. Here are a few tips to help you get fighting fit.
The acute phase - Seek professional advice
Immediately post injury, even if you think you’ve just got a “normal” injury, visit a medical professional. There are a lot of things that can make a seemingly simple injury very complicated and slow to heal. It is much better to find those out at the start and begin a suitable treatment plan.
The Recovery Phase - The slow and steady tortoise wins the race
Once swelling is subsiding and pain diminishes, you move into the recovery phase, during which you regain range of motion, strength and endurance. At the same time you are working on the affected area, continue exercising your whole body. During this stage, warm your muscles with aerobic exercise if possible before stretching and joint movement. Appropriate rest between bouts of progressive strength and cardiovascular training are needed to properly prepare your body for return to full health.
The Functional Phase - Preventing repeat injury
Preventing repeat injury is important even when the injured area is no longer causing symptoms as the tissues may not have healed completely. If you really want to push through with a major performance consult a professional who can advise you on measures to provide extra support to prevent further damage.
Health esteem:
People often feel a loss of identity and self-expression when they are not able to do what they love. Focus on your progression, make the most of the opportunity to try other classes to regain cardiovascular fitness and strength.
The fitter you are the quicker your recovery! You never know you might find another class that you love! Keep moving! Do your recovery exercises to music! Endorphins and music will lift your mood!
Pay attention to nutrition and hydration. Feed your body well including plenty of anti-inflammatory foods such as leafy vegetables, try kale as promoted by Queen B herself. The body will recover in time, given the right conditions.
With a feeling of gratitude for all that your body has done for you and allows you to do, nurture yourself back to health by including nutrition, positive thoughts and the joy of movement.
Ali Trowsdale is a professional dancer and a qualified fitness instructor, with a degree in Biology. She teaches Mondays at 12pm at Pineapple and also teaches private dance sessions.
Click here to read more about Ali and her Fit & Flexi class.