The truth about injury risk in dance
The unfortunate truth is that dance has a very high injury rate. A report published in the British Medical Journal found that 80% of dancers suffered an injury that affected their ability to perform. Professional rugby has an injury rate of about 20%. (You can read the study here). That’s a pretty scary statistic! The statistics don’t have to mean that your passion for dance is sending you on a fast track to injury. Injuries happen from a wide range of factors, many being very individual to each dancer and each injury. There are some common threads, though. Following the steps below is a good way help keep you dancing for a long time to come.
This old proverb is a great rule for dancers to abide by. No one wants to be injured and have to take time off, so the best way to prevent this from happening is to address any problems before they turn into an injury. There is no sure-fire way to prevent an injury, but there a number of things you can do to reduce your risk.
Pain is the body’s way of saying that something is not right. It’s normal to feel achy and tired after training, but with a good night’s sleep, you should feel better. If you have an ache or pain that doesn’t go away, or that just keeps coming back every time you go to class, then don’t ignore it! So many dancers try to push through pain for fear of having to take time off, but in the long run, you’re likely to be worse off.
Evaluate your technique regularly during class. Make sure you try to focus on performing movements cleanly and correctly. Avoid developing bad habits and sloppy shortcuts. We all have ‘off’ days, when we are tired or just not in the zone. One bad day won’t damage your body, but regularly dancing with sloppy technique could put undue stress on your bones, joints and soft tissue. A few sessions with a specialist dance therapist or private lessons can also be a great way to help identify any potential problem areas before they can cause an issue.
If you do have any recurrent aches or pains, get help! Addressing any areas of weakness, technique problems or overuse strains before they turn into an injury could save you from a full-blown injury and having to take time off. If at all possible, seek help from a professional. There are, for example, many reasons why your knee could be hurting. Your knee pain could be due to a completely different cause than your friend’s pain. If you have any sudden, unexplained pain during class, don’t try to just ‘dance through’ the pain. Stop and assess the situation, and listen to your body. If there is any indication of possible damage, then you might be best to rest for the day. Sitting out of the remainder of one class is better than having to sit out for six weeks.
It is now widely recognized that traditional dance classes do not completely prepare the body for the demands of modern day choreography and training. Building up your cardio fitness and muscle strength outside of class, particularly focusing on any areas of personal weakness, are important to prevent injury.
This is so important – if you don’t fuel your body properly, your body cannot perform properly. You won’t have the energy to dance to your full potential, and your body won’t have the resources it needs to repair and rebuild after training. Make sure you eat plenty of nutritious foods and make sure you eat enough.
Of course, to improve your dancing, to get stronger and fitter, you need to work hard in class and supplement your training outside of class. However, too much of a good thing can be bad. Training breaks down your body. It is during rest and sleep that your body repairs and rebuilds so that you come back stronger for the next training session. Try to get plenty of sleep and schedule rest days into your training plan. If you do not have adequate rest, your body will not have time to repair, leaving you prone to overuse stresses and ultimately injury.
The vast majority of dance teachers are great professional who are passionate about their art and want to do all they can to help their students achieve their full potential. A great teacher will always stay up-to-date with current knowledge, research, and best practices to improve technique and prevent injury. I 100% believe that all teachers mean well, but sometime teaching practice can become out-dated or misinformed. If you feel at all uncomfortable about what your teacher is asking you to do, then you might need to reconsider the quality of teaching. If you regularly feel pressured to do things that cause pain or you if feel like despite lots of hard work you are just not improving, you may need to consider finding a new teacher.
There is are no way to completely remove your risk of injury, but following the principles above is a good way to minimize your risk. I would love to hear your thoughts and any techniques you live by to keep yourself safe – leave your comments below! And PLEASE SHARE. Industry-wide practices are slow to change, but together we can help to improve these shocking statistics!
If you have been battling any recurrent aches or pains, you may want to consider my injury prevention package or even a one-off injury prevention session. If not my services, there are many, many very good teachers and specialist physios out there who can help. Don’t suffer in silence! Please seek help before an injury occurs.
