dancer injury prevention | Clayton Chiropractic Center – St. Louis Chiropractor and Acupuncture

5Mar, 2018

Dance Injuries- Taking time off

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: dance injury treatment, dance medicine, dance medicine st. louis, dancer injury prevention

Will Taking Time Off Fix Me? Well, maybe. It all depends on your injury. If you are sore from training very hard, time off will make you feel like new. If you had a minor incident, time off with some ice will also do you some good. You may have “tweaked” your back when you twisted just right, lifted your partner in a weird way, or rolled your ankle a little when you landed, ice and rest will help. However, if you have an overuse injury, it is likely from […]
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15May, 2017

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Hip Flexibility

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: abdominal, ballistic, benefits, benefits of hip flexibility, chiropractic care, coupe, dance, dancer, dancer injury prevention, dancing, dynamic, dynamic stretching, flexibility, floor dancer's pose, hamstring, hip flexibility, hip strengthening, how to improve flexibility, iliopsoas, improve, low back muscle, passe, piriformis, post-isometric relaxation, rond de jambe, sous-sus, static, static stretching, strengthening, stretches, stretching, types of stretching, warm up

Hip Flexibility Benefits & Improvement with special tips for the dancer’s body Benefits General: Improved spine health Improved knee health Increased upper and lower body circulation Dance: Stability in turn out and parallel positions Wider range of motion Stretching Tips Do: Increase blood flow to muscles to “warm” body Feel stretch in belly of muscle, not joint Breath deeply to deliver oxygen to muscles Do not: Stretch “cold” muscles Stretch tendons or ligaments Let eagerness overpower safety Types of Stretching Dynamic Stretching: Dynamic stretching involves lengthening a […]
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4Apr, 2017

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Foam Rolling for Dancers

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: dance glute pain, dance hip pain, dance injury st. louis, dance injury treatment, dance medicine st. louis, dance stretches, dance warm up, dancer, dancer butt pain, dancer cross training, dancer injury prevention

Foam Rolling for Dancers- Spring 2017 Dancer Newsletter How to use foam rolling as self-care for dancers With the constant pressure on a dancer’s body from aggressive training, self-care is an important part of injury prevention for dancers. One very effective and inexpensive tool that every dancer should have is a foam roller. If you have never used a foam roller before, they can seem intimidating, but luckily, they are easy to learn to use and are versatile to hit many important muscle groups for dancers. Glutes 1. Sit with […]
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4Apr, 2016

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Do you walk like a duck?

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: dance glute pain, dance hip pain, dance injury st. louis, dance injury treatment, dance medicine st. louis, dance stretches, dance warm up, dancer, dancer butt pain, dancer cross training, dancer injury prevention

My Friends Say I Walk Like a Duck How walking turned out can lead to pain and injury We’ve all seen the dancer duck walk. Somewhere between ballet barre and petite allegro, our legs get permanently stuck in turnout. We decide that if we walk with our feet turned out we will be constantly working on bettering our technique. While we have good intentions, the problem is we are setting ourselves up for injury. The way people walk, also known as their gait pattern, plays an important part in how […]
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14Dec, 2015

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Muscle Soreness and Cramping for Dancers

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: dance glute pain, dance hip pain, dance injury st. louis, dance injury treatment, dance medicine st. louis, dance stretches, dance warm up, dancer, dancer butt pain, dancer cross training, dancer injury prevention, muscle cramping, muscle soreness

Help, I am so sore! How to limit cramping and muscle soreness There are many factors that play a role in muscle soreness and cramps. It can be tricky to put a finger on exactly what causes your muscle cramps, but there are some general rules you can follow to keep yourself injury and pain free through the cold winter months. Luckily, most soreness is gone after a day or two, but here are some tips to avoid muscle cramps and how to treat them when they inevitable show up. […]
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5Sep, 2015

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Are you ready for pointe shoes?

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: dance glute pain, dance hip pain, dance injury st. louis, dance injury treatment, dance medicine st. louis, dance stretches, dance warm up, dancer, dancer butt pain, dancer cross training, dancer foot pain, dancer injury prevention, pointe shoe injury presevention, pointe shoe pain, pointe shoe readiness

Are you ready for pointe shoes? A Guide to Pointe Readiness Traditionally the best criteria for determining if a dancer is ready to go en pointe have been age (12 years old) and good technique, however, recent scientific studies have found that there are many different levels of development and skill in the 12 to 15 year old age group. Many factors can change how an artist develops as a dancer like number of years trained, their commitment to mastering technique, and cross-training. Because there are so many variables in […]
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7Dec, 2014

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Ballet Warm Up

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: ballet warm up, dance glute pain, dance hip pain, dance injury st. louis, dance injury treatment, dance medicine st. louis, dance stretches, dance warm up, dancer, dancer butt pain, dancer cross training, dancer injury prevention, dancer warm up

The Importance of Staying Warm Backstage Your Ballet Warm Up – A special edition for ballerinas before Nutcracker The big show starts in about an hour and your teacher leads a beautiful and inspirational barre before they open the theater for the audience to enter to find their seats. Then you go backstage and finish getting your costume on while you wait with excitement for the show to start and your turn on the stage. Even if you had the perfect warm-up before the show started, you will need to […]
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3Nov, 2014

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What to Eat Before and After a Dance Class

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: dance glute pain, dance hip pain, dance injury st. louis, dance injury treatment, dance medicine st. louis, dance stretches, dance warm up, dancer, dancer butt pain, dancer cross training, dancer injury prevention, nutrition for dancers

What to Eat Before and After a Dance Class Eating Right to get the most out of your practice For many dancers, you spend all day at school before heading to the dance studio for an evening of dancing. Improper eating throughout the day will make you prone to an “afternoon slump” even before dance practice has started. Eating right all day, especially on days you dance will help you maintain your energy throughout your class and allow your body to properly repair after a long day. Tips for a […]
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11Jun, 2014

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Ice Vs. Heat

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: dance glute pain, dance hip pain, dance injury st. louis, dance injury treatment, dance medicine st. louis, dance stretches, dance warm up, dancer, dancer butt pain, dancer cross training, dancer injury prevention

Managing injuries with ice or heat When faced with an injury or ache, many people wonder whether to use ice or heat. The information below is intended to help you make a more informed decision. ICE Ice should not be used directly on the skin or for longer than 20 minutes. You can buy reusable ice packs that can conform to the problem area, or you can always use a bag of frozen peas or corn as an inexpensive alternative. Ice several times per day, but make sure the skin […]
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29Apr, 2014

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Dancer Cross-Training

By: Dr. Rachel | Tags: dance glute pain, dance hip pain, dance injury st. louis, dance injury treatment, dance medicine st. louis, dance stretches, dance warm up, dancer, dancer butt pain, dancer cross training, dancer injury prevention

Cross-Training for Dancers The best plyometric exercises to build strength and stamina While dancing is unquestionably a full body sport, a dancer can still derive enormous benefit from incorporating cross-training into his or her routine. Cross-training is used by nearly all professional athletes to compliment the gains made during regular practice. Professional skiers run and bike during the offseason to improve their cardiovascular strength and further develop their leg muscles. Professional football players turn to ballet to improve flexibility, agility, and balance. Professional dancers often use yoga, weight training, or […]
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