Experts Weigh In: How Physiotherapy Can Help Dancers

Experts Weigh In: How Physiotherapy Can Help Dancers

Dancing brings movement to life in the most awe-inspiring way. Dance skills utilize the muscles, tissues, and structures of the whole body to rhythmically create shapes that flow from one sequence to the next, requiring dance skills and artistry that take many years to develop. 

Whether you think of it as an art or a sport, dancing can be extremely taxing on the body. Training regimes for elite dancers include practicing nearly every day of the week and require incredible stamina, flexibility, and strength to create movements that look surprisingly effortless. 

Dancers need to take special care of their bodies, which is why dance and physiotherapy go hand in hand. From the initial pre-point assessment to ongoing injury preventative care, we examined how dance-specific physio impacts dancers' bodies.

Dance Skill Enhancement 

Perfecting dance skills may take anywhere from weeks to years. The athleticism needed even to access these skills usually requires a solid foundation in childhood. That's not to say you can't start dancing as an adult; however, your risk of injury is higher since connective tissues take much longer to adapt to stress.

Although several lower-impact types of dance are available, any dance skill will benefit from an improved range of motion, flexibility, and strength. Physiotherapy improves range of motion, increased durability, and reduces pain in the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, physiotherapy can help you reach your dance goals by prepping your tissues and rehabilitating any existing injuries. 

Improved Dance Performance 

Dance and physiotherapy can also come together to improve your overall dance performance. Strengthening your muscles and connective tissue and learning to move in a way that does not contribute to structural imbalances will allow you to continue practicing safely and for longer. Luckily, physiotherapy will do just that so you can pursue your passion consistently without risk of injury. 

By taking care of your joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, you'll be able to work harder on your goals and enjoy the process pain-free. But, first, you must make sure you see a physiotherapist who understands the demands of dance and how to tailor your treatment plan accordingly to suit your needs as a dancer.

Understand Your Body 

No matter how educated a specialist or healthcare provider may be, you are always the one that knows your body best. So if you feel pain and discomfort during a treatment session, advocate for yourself and let your practitioner know. 

You also must listen to your body when you are training. Although it may be tempting to keep pushing harder when you're close to a goal, you risk a highly detrimental injury. Notice if you're getting sorer than usual or if it's taking longer than expected to recover. If so, book an extra rest day during your schedule and try massage or foam rolling to get the blood flowing in your tissues. 

Furthermore, additional therapy can help release or enhance areas where you may have struggled. Understanding your body's signals help provide clues on where you may need more thorough stretching or strengthening to support your movements.

Trust Physiotherapists Who Understand Dancers

If you're interested in experiencing dancer-specific care, then trust none other than the experienced professionals at Versa Movement Collective in Calgary. We have a team of dance physiotherapy and rehabilitation specialists on staff in addition to our dedicated studio space. 

Versa's specially designed dance-specific treatments help dancers increase their range of motion and access more advanced skills. For newcomers to our centre, we offer a pre-pointe assessment to determine your mobility and joint health and then form a customized plan to suit your needs and goals.

Schedule your consultation online or by calling us at 403-727-0802 today!