Physiotherapy to recover from dance injuries

5 April 2017
 Categories: , Blog


Dance is a great way to stay fit and get exercise, but it can also be hard on the body. If you do get an injury, it is very important to get physiotherapy afterwards to ensure that you still have the same flexibility and range of motion that you are used to as a dancer. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your physiotherapy.

Explain to the physiotherapist the exact issue and any limitations it is causing

It is important for dancers to be very specific with the kinds of limitations that an injury causes as they are usually more flexible and have a greater range of motion than other members of the public. The physiotherapist may think that your injury is recovered when you get to an average level of fitness (such as being able to touch your toes pain free after a back injury), but he or she needs to know if you need to get back to being able to lay your hands flat on the floor or do the splits. 

Explain the kind of dance that you do

It is also very important to show the physiotherapist the kind of dance that you do, as even within a given genre of dance there is a large variation of the types of movement that you do. It is important that the physiotherapist understands the type of movements that you do when dancing and the way that you got your injury in the first place. If you have some videos of you dancing, you should show this to the physiotherapist. This can help the physiotherapist understands the type of the rehabilitation that you need. 

Follow up your treatment plan

It's also important to take a staggered approach to returning to dance and follow up with treatment such as icing after dance sessions and taping any weak areas as you return to your dancing, as well as any strengthening exercises. You may also need to initially start with shorter dance sessions at first as people often lose strength and conditioning during an injury period. This helps to prevent further injuries and ensures you have a comfortable experience.

If you are a professional dancer, or even an enthusiastic amateur, and get an injury, it is important to work with a physiotherapist to get back to strength. This can help you to recover from the injury as quickly as possible as well as help to reduce the chance of having further injuries. It is a good idea to choose a physiotherapist with some experience in helping dancers. 


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