The repetitive movements performed by dancers - releves, plies, developpes, sautés - require a unique blend of flexibility with stability, strength and endurance.
Most common dance injuries occur at the foot, ankle, lower leg, hip and back and are caused by:
Type and frequency of dance
Poor body alignment
Nutritional deficiencies
Overtraining
Type of footwear and floor surface
Past history of injury which can make them more vulnerable for reoccurrence
Dancer injury evaluation and treatment
The UW Health Sports Rehabilitation team understands the unique physical demands of dance. For dancers who are experiencing pain or injury, our program offers an evaluation and treatment plan to help them return to their activity.
Dance-specific musculoskeletal evaluation performed by a physical therapist or athletic trainer
Biomechanical assessment of dance technique, neuromuscular control, strength, flexibility and balance
Use of Dartfish video analysis, as needed
Treatment: Therapeutic exercises, manual interventions and home program instruction
Our staff believes in a team approach to the dancer's overall health. Since recommendations may include modification of the current dance repertoire, we prefer to involve parents (if applicable, based on dancer age) and current dance instructors in the decision-making process to facilitate this team approach.
