Well the season is coming up in full force now. Class, rehearsal, rehearsal, class, rehearsal (sleep? eat?). It is all ok but I feel like I have barely had much time to write anything... or much energy for that matter. First couple of twinges in my ankles e.t.c. so I am being careful by icing and massaging a lot. I will write a little bit about injury prevention here.
For me most of my injuries occur because my muscles get too tight. The best things for me is massage therapy but seen as it is quite expensive (and time consuming) I try to do the best I can at home. I use a foam roller for my IT bands when my knees start to hurt and a foot roller if the bottom of my arch starts hurting (plantar fascitis) and my hands when my calf muscles are tight.
Always warm up well before class or rehearsal, I usually take half an hour (but preferably an hour) before class to get warmed up. I stretch everything (calves, back, turnout, feet, hamstrings, oversplits, hips, neck, shoulders), roll out my IT bands, and do theraband exercises. Skimping on warm up is a really, really, really bad idea. If you ever do not feel warm enough to do something DON'T do it.
If I do find that I am having problems with something in class I will try to limit painful movement to avoid exacerbating the problem. If something hurts a little that is fine but if something feels like it is going to snap, or is really painful I will cut it out. Because most of my injuries are usually in my lower legs large jumps are usually the first to go.
After class I will massage the area that is hurting. I find it easier to massage everything in when I use skin cream while I am massaging. Other things I find are really helpful are Traumeel http://www.traumeel.com/, it is a godsend, it is an anti-inflammatory cream/ gel that helps a lot. Or Tigerbalm http://www.tigerbalm.com/, I don't like Tigerbalm as much because it smells very strong and is a little bit more aggressive the way it works but it is also a natural remedy so I use it every now and then.
Hot baths are good and ICE, lots of ice. Never before rehearsals or exercise, but always after I have stopped dancing. Sometime I sleep with (not too cold) ice-packs on, that works well for me.
If something is persistent I will help it by getting a brace to help stabilize it. If it is terrible, really swollen, gets worse or doesn't heal that is when I go and see a doctor.
Those are all of the things I do when I am worried about injury, or injured. Hope some of it helps! These are just my experiences with injuries, every one's body is different. If you are injured please go see a physio, doctor, massage therapist a.s.a.p. A lot of minor sports injuries just take time to heal but there are always exercises and things that you can do to make them heal much faster! So do your research and find out what works for you. <3
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| Foam roller, you can get them from most physiotherapists |
Always warm up well before class or rehearsal, I usually take half an hour (but preferably an hour) before class to get warmed up. I stretch everything (calves, back, turnout, feet, hamstrings, oversplits, hips, neck, shoulders), roll out my IT bands, and do theraband exercises. Skimping on warm up is a really, really, really bad idea. If you ever do not feel warm enough to do something DON'T do it.
If I do find that I am having problems with something in class I will try to limit painful movement to avoid exacerbating the problem. If something hurts a little that is fine but if something feels like it is going to snap, or is really painful I will cut it out. Because most of my injuries are usually in my lower legs large jumps are usually the first to go.
After class I will massage the area that is hurting. I find it easier to massage everything in when I use skin cream while I am massaging. Other things I find are really helpful are Traumeel http://www.traumeel.com/, it is a godsend, it is an anti-inflammatory cream/ gel that helps a lot. Or Tigerbalm http://www.tigerbalm.com/, I don't like Tigerbalm as much because it smells very strong and is a little bit more aggressive the way it works but it is also a natural remedy so I use it every now and then.
Hot baths are good and ICE, lots of ice. Never before rehearsals or exercise, but always after I have stopped dancing. Sometime I sleep with (not too cold) ice-packs on, that works well for me.
If something is persistent I will help it by getting a brace to help stabilize it. If it is terrible, really swollen, gets worse or doesn't heal that is when I go and see a doctor.
Those are all of the things I do when I am worried about injury, or injured. Hope some of it helps! These are just my experiences with injuries, every one's body is different. If you are injured please go see a physio, doctor, massage therapist a.s.a.p. A lot of minor sports injuries just take time to heal but there are always exercises and things that you can do to make them heal much faster! So do your research and find out what works for you. <3
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| Julie Kent in Balanchine's Apollo, another one of my all-time favourite dancers!!! |
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