Tips for Preventing Injury
/Recently, I wrote a very popular blog post called “Why you should come to dance class even if you are injured.” My grandmother would have said, that was putting the cart before the horse. This post, which probably should have come first, is about preventing injury in dance class! And although this post is focused on class, these tips also apply to events and performances!
Tips for preventing injury:
Come to class well-rested, having eaten, and not under the influence of substances. Partying, eating poorly and not getting enough sleep leads to fatigue, inflammation, irritation and lack of recovery. Sometimes we can’t be well-rested, so come to class, but take it easy-- warm up well, go slow, sit down when you need to and make sure the things you can control are optimal (staying hydrated and eating nutritious food before class). Some of you might think that saying no substances before class seems obvious, but that has not been my experience as a teacher. More than once I have had students meet their friends for dinner prior to class and not even think about the potential ill-effects of trying to learn new, complex movement after a glass of wine.
Cross-train. This allows you to build strength and endurance in all parts of your body. Ask your dance teacher if there are any common physical issues you should be aware of for the style of dance you are practicing. Core and hip strengthening exercises like Pilates and stability-based yoga are great for dancers. And so are aerobic activities, such as swimming or biking. Just 30 minutes 3-4 times a week is usually enough to improve your endurance. This really hit home with my troupe, Dayanisma, when we started having hour-long shows where we were the only dancers.
Avoid overtraining. If you do a high intensity workout (dance or other), try to take the next day off to give your muscles time to heal from the microdamage you have inflicted with the exercise.
Always warm-up and cool down before class and performances. A good warm-up raises your pulse by using large, full-body movements. It mobilizes your joints by moving them through a range of motion, and it lengthens your muscles through dynamic stretching so that your muscles are prepared for dance. A good cool down involves 3-5 minutes of what you were doing during class but at a lower intensity. Followed by 5 minutes of targeted stretches (the muscles you used during class), you should be good to go. As a teacher, I will say that it is easy to get in a good warm-up because I haven’t run out of time! At the end of class I do occasionally run out of time, so if that happens with your teacher as well, cool down by yourself before you go get in the car!
Stop praising other dancers for dancing while sick or injured and stop doing it yourself. This is certainly a problem with professional dancers, but all of us hobbyists can fall into this trap as well. Do some self-assessment and some community assessment and make sure you aren’t losing the forest for the trees. I remember having my partner drive me to a dress rehearsal for a big show when I had strep throat and could barely stand up. That just isn’t a good idea.
Sometimes we are in pain but not sure whether we are just sore from a good class or injured.
How do I know if pain is from an injury?
If the pain you experience after dancing is muscle soreness, it will usually subside within a day or two. Sometimes there is a delay in the soreness setting in, which is also normal. However, if you experience the following types of pain, you may have suffered an injury:
Pain that wakes you up at night
Pain that is present at the start of an activity
Pain that increases with an activity
Pain that makes you shift your weight or otherwise compensate your movements
If you experience such pain, consult with a medical specialist — preferably a physical therapist or physician with experience in treating dancers.
For more on taking care of yourself, see my posts on Sustaining Energy for Bellydancers and Sleep for Bellydancers. And if you like this post, the highest form of compliment is to share it! Thanks! Lisa