Most Common Dance Injuries free essay sample

Next to stage fright, it’s these overuse injuries that become a dancers biggest nightmare. For many dancers depending on the severity of the injury it’s their bodies’ simple way of ending a career and something the dancer has enjoyed all their life. Across the spectrum of dance there is very little doubt that the vast majority of injuries are the result of overuse rather than trauma. The foot, ankle, and lower leg area is the most vulnerable to a wide range of injuries (Solomon and Russell). The following are types of injuries but are not limited to, stress fractures, tendon injuries, sprains, and strains. However, it’s these injuries that show up in greater frequencies. As dancer’s age their chances of becoming injured caused by overuse significantly increases, which is why is it so important to emphasis ways to prevent future injuries. According to expert consultants Ruth Solomon and Jeffrey Russell, dancers are exposed to a wide range of factors for injury. The most common issues that cause dance injuries are the type of dance and frequency of the class, duration of the training and the conditions of the environment. Most wouldn’t consider the floor type and temperature in the studios but these factors play a huge role in injuries. Along with the previously stated, the equipment used such as shoes can cause damage because the individual’s body alignment can be altered. Alongside these issues, the appearance of previous injury to body parts and nutritional deficiencies are among the biggest risk factors for the dancing community (Solomon and Russell). In 1996, several doctors teamed up to better understand the prevalence and risk factors for theatrical injuries and conducted a survey of performers in Broadway productions and touring companies (Evan, Evans and Carvajal). The doctors obtained information from three hundred and thirteen performers across twenty three different companies. Shockingly they instantly found that fifty five point five percent of the performers were injured (Evan, Evans and Carvajal). When put in terms of numbers that averages to 1. 08 injuries per dancer. The lower extremity injuries were the most common at fifty two percent, followed by back at twenty two percent and the neck at twelve percent (Evan, Evans and Carvajal). The least frequent injuries occurred in the upper extremities with the shoulder consisting of only six percent of the dancers (Evan, Evans and Carvajal). Of the lower extremities the knee at twenty nine percent, ankle at twenty five percent, foot at twenty percent, and the hip at twelve percent (Evan, Evans and Carvajal). As the study reported factors that significantly increased the risk of injury for dancers, it was their goal to heighten the concern for reduction prevention through stretching, proper warm up technique, and overall general care for their bodies (Evan, Evans and Carvajal). After acquiring an injury taking the proper treatment in order to recover your body to it fullest potential is most important. Your spine is made up of three sections; the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar (Fukishima). When it comes to back injuries, dancers tend to get injured in their thoracic or lumbar regions. The most common injury is frozen back, which is when the muscles in the back spasm (Fukishima). This is caused by fatigue, hyper mobility, inequalities in the dancer’s leg length, and scoliosis or curvature in the spine. Another common back injury is sprains and strains in the ligaments in the spine (Fukishima). The best way to treat a back injury is R. I. C. E. R. I. C. E stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Increasing your core strength is also very important because it helps support your lower back and makes it less susceptible to injury (Fukishima). Stretching properly is a great way to protect your back from injuries. The neck is made up of the cervical potion of the spine. A common trait of dancers is jutting the chin. Jutting the chin is when you lift your head up to increase height appearance and when doing this the head is pulled out of alignment with the rest of the spine (Kay). This means the neck is more vulnerable to injuries. Jutting the chin can cause instability and early degeneration or erosion in the cervical spine (Kay). Another cause of neck injuries is throwing your head weight because the head weighs approximately ten to twelve pounds. When dropping the head straight back or forcefully to the side the spine and nerves running down the arm and chest are compressed which can lead to cervical sprains (Kay). The knee is a part of the body that dancers tend to not necessarily focus on mostly. Most knee injuries occur from leaps in dance and turnout, which is seen in ballet dancers. The most common knee injury is hyperextension, which is the movement or extension of joints, tendons, or muscles beyond the normal limit of range of motion (Kay, The Knees). This occurs more in ballet dancers from trying to obtain turnout, by pushing back into the knees, putting unnecessary pressure on the joints. Another common knee injury is to the anterior crucial ligament or ACL (Kay, The Knees). The ACL is the ligament within the knee that keeps your femur and tibia together. This is usually caused by large leaps and jumps and landing abruptly, or twisting your body while your foot stays in place (Kay, The Knees). In treating a knee injury again the best treatment is R. I. C. E. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Electrical stimulation and ultrasound is also great treatments in working with ligament injuries. Electrical stimulation is a machine that uses an electrical current to cause a single muscle or a group of muscles to contract (Kay, The Knees). This strengthens the muscles and ligaments without causing strain or stress on the injury. Ultrasound is used to treat pain conditions and heals damaged tissues. Other treatments for knee injuries include squat exercises, bicycling, weight-bearing exercises, and stabilizing exercises. Another great thing is to stretch and strengthen the muscles that surround your knee; such as the quads, hamstrings, and gluteal, so that the knee is stable and supported (Kay, The Knees). In dance the most common ankle injury is an inversion ankle sprain which is when the foot is forced inward beyond ligament control (NYU Langone Medical Center). This usually occurs when the dancer looses balance or lands from a jump with the ankle/ foot is extended. There are three types of ankle sprains; grade one, grade two, and grade three (NYU Langone Medical Center). A grade one ankle sprain is a very small tear or excessive stretching of the ligament with no looseness within the joint (NYU Langone Medical Center). A grade two sprain has a more severe tear, and the injured can sometimes feel a popping sensation in the ankle however there is also some instability and control in a grade two sprain (NYU Langone Medical Center). A grade three sprain is the most severe. This is a complete tear of the ligament with significant instability or none at all (NYU Langone Medical Center). When taking care of an ankle or foot injury R. I. C. E is also the first treatment type used. The hip is a stable structure due to its ball and socket anatomical makeup. The hip is surrounded by strong muscles; such as adductors, abductors, flexors, rotators, hamstring and gluteal; which allow smooth, controlled, and balanced movements (Wozny). Most hip injuries are caused by performing bad technique. One common hip injury is referred to as â€Å"snapping hip†. Snapping hip is a condition that is represented by a snapping sensation felt in the hip (Wozny). Dancers with this condition can also feel or hear a popping within their hip when it is flexed and extended. This is caused by the hip tendon catching on a bone and then â€Å"snapping† in place when the hip joint moves (Wozny). Dancers tend to get this condition due to their abnormal flexibility. Another common injury in the hip is called trochanteric bursitis. Trochanteric bursitis is when there is inflammation or swelling on the trochanteric bursa, which is located on the side of your hip (Rowand, Chambliss and Mackler). There is usually no specific cause for this condition but can be from overuse of the hip or snapping hip. Treatment for snapping hip consists of reducing practices and training and just resting the hip. If there is pain with the condition then anti-inflammatory drugs may be used to reduce pain and swelling. In treating trochanteric bursitis the best way is through rest and icing the hip (Rowand, Chambliss and Mackler). After obtaining any type of injury it is important that the dancer take the proper steps in repairing and recovering from their injury. It is also vital that the dancer does not try to work through their pain. While working through pain can cause overuse and even increase the severity of the injury, it will also make the injury harder to treat. Focusing on developing and strengthening your muscles can also help prevent injuries from occurring more frequently. The best thing you can do for your body is giving it the rest it needs. When you rest it allows your body to recover properly and allows you to perform with less stress on the body. Proper technique is also important in preventing injuries. In conjunction with proper technique, however, the most important thing you can do to prevent an injury is to practice proper warm-ups and stretching. Stretching allows the body to be prepared for training. ? References Evan, Randolph W, et al. A Survey of Injuries among Broadway Performers. American Journal of Public Health 86. 1 (1996): 77-80. Fukishima, Rhoda. The Facts on Backs: Health and Fitness for Life. Dance Magazine 20 April 2002: 13-14. Kay, Lauren. The Head NEck. Dance Magazine 14 Janurary 2010: 12-13. —. The Knees. Dance Magazine 14 July 2010: 13-14. NYU Langone Medical Center. The Foot and Ankle. 2011. 19 5 2013 . Rowand, Mark, Lee M Chambliss and Leslie Mackler. How Should you Treat Throchanteric Bursitis? The Journal of Family Practice (2009): 494-500. Solomon, Ruth and Jeffrey A Russell. Stop Sports Injuries. 2010. 19 5 2013 . Wozny, Nancy. 10 Common Dance Injuries. 12 8 2010. 19 5 2013 .