When people think of sport injuries, an injury sustained while dancing may not be top of mind. While dancing doesn’t involve contact with other athletes in the traditional sense, dancers are prone to injuries. Overuse can easily be problematic for dancers and unfortunately can be career ending without proper care. Dr. John Kirchner, MD, a foot and ankle surgeon at Southlake Orthopedics, says that there are six main types of injuries that dancers struggle with most.
“The top injury we see in dancers is ankle sprains because they are so hypermobile. Their joints are not as stable for many dancers, and so they rely a lot more on ligaments. This means when they come out of a landing, they can sprain their ankle. It’s the number one injury we see in dancers,” Dr. Kirchner explains.
He also notes other common issues are shin splints, trigger toes, Achilles tendon pain, Snapping Hip Syndrome, and kneecap issues. “Because of all the laxity that dancers have, shin splints are probably the second most common issue we see in dancers. Then, of course, an issue that is unique to the foot and ankle, we see problems with the toes because of the on-point position that dancers are often in. This is known as trigger toe, and it is much like trigger finger, except the pain is from pinching in the back of the ankle instead of pinching in the hand.”
The Achilles tendon can start hurting and cause problems from dancers being up on their toes repeatedly, causing strain on the tendon over time. Dancers also struggle with Snapping Hip Syndrome, which is inflammation of the tendon that goes across the front of the hip joint and causes popping and pain. “Think of popping your knuckles a hundred times a day—eventually, it’s going to hurt, and that is what these dancers are dealing with when it comes to Snapping Hip Syndrome,” says Dr. Kirchner.
Lastly, dancers are known to struggle with complications with their knees, and that is because of all the twisting and pivoting that changes the force to their kneecaps. This causes either arthritis or inflammation in the top of the kneecap over time.
If you’re a dancer or a parent of a dancer, prevention is key to a long-lasting, pain-free dance career. “Often, prevention centers on getting ahead of the issue before it becomes a problem. You have to consider that a dancer isn’t like other athletes in the way that they train; they train in their sport 365 days a year. Most athletes—for instance, football players—have a season for their sport, and then they may cross-train by playing a different sport, like swimming, in the summer. That’s not the case for a dancer, so they are more prone to these overuse injuries. For dancers, it’s important to cross-train to build up other muscles so that they can better support their bodies in dance.” Dr. Kirchner says.
The doctor suggests training in Pilates, yoga, or other core exercises to balance the muscles across the joint. He also suggests that dancers need to take care of their whole body by eating properly, drinking plenty of hydrating fluids, and getting an adequate amount of sleep daily. “A lot of these athletes are young women, and they can focus more on their body image than taking proper care of their health overall. It’s important that they don’t get caught up on being three pounds lighter, restricting their fluid intake to fit a weight goal, or falling into harmful thinking patterns like that. That kind of thinking can lead to dangerous health outcomes and ultimately lead to more injuries,” stresses Dr. Kirchner.
Additionally, Dr. Kirchner recommends working with dance instructors who are knowledgeable in their field and highly conscious of the injuries that can occur. “Of course, wearing proper shoes and dancing on proper flooring is an important factor in avoiding injuries as well. The studio you choose to work with should have proper flooring so that it better cushions some of the falls and lessens the overall impact on the joints.” In addition, to prevent an injury from occurring, dancers need to use their voices and speak up about any discomfort they have. “If a dancer is experiencing pain, they need to tell their instructor what is going on. If they try to work through it, all that leads to is further injury, eventually making the problem worse.”
If you do experience an injury while dancing, Dr. Kirchner says the treatment provided by Southlake Orthopaedics is mostly supportive. “Think about one of the top injuries—an ankle sprain. To heal from that is mostly getting proper rehabilitation, proper knowledge about where you are in space, and strengthening the foot muscles so your foot is stronger for your vaults. You can’t just fix the problem; you’ve got to fix the reason that the problem occurred in the first place.”
Many dancers are elite athletes who require specialized care to heal from injuries just like gridiron greats and basketball court competitors. If you find yourself in need of professional care for your dancer, Southlake Orthopaedics is here to help! Contact us today to make an appointment with Dr. Kirchner or visit our website for more information.
