Ankle Injuries for Dancers

Introduction

For most individuals, dancing may not come into mind when contemplating about sports, but the physical pressure mounted on the dancers have been revealed to render them vulnerable like footballers to injury. Majority of expert dancers started dancing at the tender age of six or seven, and the incessant practice of techniques that mandates flexibility, power and stamina make them predisposed to overuse injuries. A dancer is more exposed to ankle injuries due to the turns, points and turns that the feet must persevere during performances, not to mention that the dancers are under the constant pressure to maintain a petite body. Poor diet worsens their injuries by vitiating the muscles and bones, yet they are under pressure to keep them nourished to practice and perform.

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Injuries, Injury Prevention, and Treatment

Dance may appear as effortless, but it needs power, flexibility, and perseverance. Dancing also poses many risks of harm. It is vital to be cognitive of the common dance injuries and knowledgeable of how to deter them. Studies reveal that most injured dancers result from overusing joints and muscles. Overuse injuries encompass lower back, leg, ankle, and foot. Some prevalent dance injuries include foot and ankle injuries such as ankle impingement and Achilles tendonitis (Trentacosta, Sugimoto, and Micheli 423). In some cases, the lower extremity injury may result in arthritis in the foot, hip or knee.

Ankle sprains are the predominant traumatic injury suffered by dancers. Those injuries that happen accidentally are known as traumatic injuries. When a dancer suffers from an ankle sprain, the internal ligaments or the external ones are twisted ((Trentacosta et al. 425). Ankle sprains typically occur from poor landing from a jump, improperly fitting shoes or misaligned ankles.

Experiencing pain and inflammation in the skin may indicate a shin split. This may imply that the surface of the bone fractured and separated from the bone. Usually, it heals naturally after some time although the dancer must slow down and adhere to the advice of the physician. Ongoing shin splits that do not ameliorate regardless of time and rest may be an indication of a stress fracture where pressure develops within the muscles creating a condition known as chronic exertional compartment syndrome (Caine et al. 141). If there is no improvement, it is better to approach specialized care.

Most traumatic and overuse injuries can be thwarted. Proper feeding as well as taking enough water is key, both before and after class. Always ensure to have adequate rest and refrain from extreme training. It is critical to engage in cross-training exercises to increase strength and stamina in all areas of the body. Having proper attires is vital to avoid accidents. Before training, always remember to do warm-ups. Most importantly, staying disciplined and leading a healthy lifestyle is imperative to be self-aware (Trentacosta et al. 425). Always take immediate action when injuries occur and seek the opinion of a doctor.

Cross-Training Exercises for Dancers

Exercises that strengthen both the hip and the core such as yoga and Pilates are good for dancers (Abichandani and Mistry 216). Also, cardiovascular activities like biking, running, and swimming is awesome for dancers. They increase the heartbeat and build endurance for lengthy performances.

Some dancers do not engage in sufficient cardio during their normal lessons. 30 minutes is adequate three to four times a week to increase your stamina (Smith et al. 50). Keep in mind that it should be done in moderation and intermittently to not stress the joints. A regular visit to an experienced physical therapist will go a long way in pinpointing the weak areas and ultimately improve in your performances.

Training Methods

The dance realm is quickly evolving in technique, athleticism, and artistry. Consequently, dance coaches are obligated to research creative moves to teach dancers. Dancing requires a lot of time and therefore practice time is important. Dancing does not necessarily have to involve equipment and a myriad of dances that do not necessitate tools. Research indicates that stationary stretching alone before engaging in sports is not adequate to warm up the muscles like mobile stretching (Abichandani and Mistry 218). Dynamic stretching fosters faster blood flow and eventually increased agility to the dancer. If your objective as a coach is to promote dynamic, explosive motion on your learners, including mobile stretching in the conditioning plan.

Structural Differences Between Male and Female Dancers

Female ballet dancers are popular for their point ballet shoes and technique of balancing. Virtuoso step and balancing are very difficult. A talented ballet dancer can be able to stay on their point dance shoe for a considerable amount of time, which helps in equilibrium (Abichandani and Mistry 220). Jumping high is necessary as well as performing some pirouettes.

The male ballet dancers have the advantage of powerful legs that facilitate high jumps, which creates an outstanding flying outcome. Besides this, their structural anatomy enables them to oscillate severally (Abichandani and Mistry 222). The backs of men are triangularly shaped that allow them to spin faster than women.

Basic Dance Anatomy

The dance anatomy is what offers the individual with motions, therefore, the ability of dancing making it a fundamental part of the musculoskeletal system. It is imperative as an artist to be enlightened about dance anatomy for purposes such as avoiding injuries as well as enhancing proficiency (Smith et al. 54). The musculoskeletal system form part of the primary organ systems in a person. The organ system comprises two or more distinct organs that function jointly to achieve a common goal. In light of this paper, the goal is movement.

The bones and muscles provide movement virtually. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that we are organisms, therefore, an entire unit. Consequently, the function of movement may be influenced by other variables occurring in a particular individual, which could be either in a different anatomical system, mental or emotional history (Smith et al. 52).

The skeletal system is composed of ligaments, cartilage, bones, and tendons. The system accomplishes three different goals: safeguarding sensitive internal organs, offering support for the body and offering appendage surfaces for the organs or muscles (Caine et al. 142). The bones comprise of distinct kinds of tissue including cancellous tissue, compact tissue, and subchondral tissue.

The muscular system is composed of cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscles in the whole body. The primary purpose of the system is to offer mobility. The muscles consist of contractile fibers that are malleable; their size distort to provide mobility, and their ability to shrink or enlarge is what results in efficiency.

Conclusion

Injuries can hamper a dance career, especially when ignored. Nevertheless, one can diminish their occurrence or preclude them when self-ware and educated about the basics. To be knowledgeable about the reasons for particular injuries and ways to exclude them is paramount. It is also important to note that the kind of dance one exercises might influence its key risks. Therefore, the different styles that a dancer exercises will have a bearing on the risk that he or she will face. Still, widespread dance injuries will arise mainly from the musculoskeletal system due to repeated physical strain.

Works Cited

Abichandani, Deepa, and Payal Mistry. "Awareness of Risk Factors Leading to Ankle and Foot Injuries among Ballet Dancers, in Mumbai,India." International Journal of Therapies and Rehabilitation Research 5.5 (2016): 215-222.

Caine, Dennis, et al. "Epidemiological Review of Injury in Pre-Professional Ballet dancers." Journal of Dance Medicine & Science 19.4 (2015): 140-148.

Smith, Toby O., et al. "Prevalence and Profile of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Ballet dancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." Physical Therapy in Sport 19 (2016): 50-56.

Trentacosta, Natasha, Dai Sugimoto, and Lyle J. Micheli. "Hip and Groin Injuries in Dancers: a Systematic Review." Sports Health 9.5 (2017): 422-427.