Flexible Fitness: Getting a jump on the dance season

This time of year, many dance students have returned to their studios after having the summer, or at least part of August, off. Some have moved up a level. Others are auditioning for dance pieces or a spot in a company. Everyone is looking forward to the new repertory they’ll be learning for performances and competitions. The ramp-up is in full swing and the dance season is full of possibility. The only thing dancers don’t look forward to is an injury!

While injuries usually do not show up until rehearsals start to increase in volume, now is the time for dancers to think ahead. There are lots of ways that dancers can get into the habit of caring for themselves before the season gets underway. This can happen in the form of warming up appropriately, self-care strategies and plyometrics, or jump training, before rehearsals start to take up more time in their schedules.

Why does a dancer need to warm up? Why isn’t sitting in the splits for five minutes before class enough? Because stretching is too passive. It doesn’t get blood pumping, muscles working or the brain processing. Muscles work best when they have good blood flow, and a warm muscle lengthens easily without injuring. Most injuries occur during what we call an “eccentric” muscle contraction. This is when a muscle is contracting and lengthening at the same time, like when landing from a jump or lowering the leg slowly from a developpe during adagio. If a dancer starts moving with a dynamic warm up, they can wake up their muscles and gradually introduce eccentric movements, which is a safer way to progress. This is particularly important if dancers are going into rehearsal without taking a class beforehand.

Self-care is important for both the body and mind of a dancer. For the body, using a small rubber ball, a foam roller or a myofascial stick to roll out muscles can help the recovery process and manage tightness in overused areas. Using layers can keep injury-prone areas extra warm and serve as a reminder to the dancer to pay extra attention to that area. Prioritize rest, hydration, healthy eating and sleep as much as possible. Just as important is the dancer’s mind. A quiet meditation or even just diaphragmatic breathing, or what we call belly breathing, can help a dancer focus themselves prior to class, rehearsal and performance.

While dancers spend hours on their dance technique, often strength training and conditioning is missing from their weekly regime. Dancers may perform exercises to promote certain aspects of their dance technique, such as ballet dancers doing clamshell exercises to promote their hip turn out, but a common element that dancers forget to prepare for is jumping. Research shows that ballet dancers have an average of 200 jumps in a typical dance class (Liederbach, 2008.) Multiply that by a few classes per day, by a couple to several classes per week, and more for rehearsals. That’s a lot of jumping!

Not surprisingly, physical therapists see dancers start to come in with ankle, knee and hip issues as performance season approaches. What can be done about this? Practice jumping.

Plyometrics are exercises designed to increase power and create explosive movement. We tend to think of plyometrics as training for sprinters and high jumpers, but dancers have spurts of powerful, explosive movement with intervals of relative rest as well. A plyometric program is an excellent mode of cross-training for dancers. It’s movement that similar in nature but not so similar that it overuses muscles. Also, initial training is done with the legs in parallel rather than with the toes turned out, which is good for ballet dancers who often train turned out but then need to pick up modern or contemporary dance choreography which is often in parallel.

With healthy habits, self-care strategies, preparation and a little bit of luck, dancers can enjoy their dance season without injury. Happy dancing!

Aiko Callahan is a physical therapist at Spaulding Outpatient Center in Framingham. She has 12 years of experience and is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist. While she enjoys treating the general orthopedic population, she has a particular interest in the treatment of dancers and patients with joint hypermobility. www.spauldingrehab.org/Framingham.