“I’m scared to tell my teachers I am injured, I don’t want to let them down.”
“I’ve tried to seek help before, but I felt my needs were misunderstood.”
“When I was injured previously I was told to stop dancing.”
My young patients frequently voice these concerns. Dancing through pain, fear of lost performance time, and feeling misunderstood by medical providers are obstacles dancers often face during recovery.
My role as a dance physical therapist is to bridge the gap between therapy and class to ensure a safe and smooth transition from initial injury to the stage. In the process, I strive to promote self-advocacy in my dancers to reduce risk of re-injury and make long-lasting dance careers a possibility.
Working with dancers requires vast knowledge of dance vocabulary, technique, and dance forms, along with the ability to create exercise progressions that factor in the unique movement patterns a dancer uses in their daily practice.
There is a fundamental issue with communication regarding care for injured youth dancers, stemming from cultural norms that can disrupt the dancer’s recovery. Dancers mistakenly believe communication is not important to their recovery, resulting in the athlete not fully understanding the nature of their injuries, failing to seek medical attention due to the fear of lost performance time, self-diagnosing or treating, and feeling misunderstood. When a medical professional is actively involved and there is appropriate communication, young dancers are less likely to miss dance time, and there is a reduced injury rate.
What To Do if You’re a Dancer With an Injury:
Listen to your body – seek medical attention sooner rather than later if experiencing pain
Learn – attend injury prevention or dance anatomy classes, learn more about dance technique and corrections you are receiving in class
Communicate – talk openly with family, medical providers, and dance educators regarding your injury and restrictions
Advocate – find specialists in your area that understand your specific needs
Apply – identify the root cause of the injury and practice proper technique to reduce risk of re-injury
Dance is a dynamic and complex sport and art form that requires open communication and a team approach from dancers, family members, medical providers, and dance educators. Each member of the team holds great value in the recovery process to ensure safe and efficient return to full participation.
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Featured Expert
Aimee K Heslop, PT, DPT
Clinical Therapies
Aimee Heslop, PT, DPT, was born in Columbus, Ohio where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance at Ohio State University. She moved to San Francisco to further her career in dance before moving to Chicago where she received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Aimee specializes in treating the performing arts population and has worked with Joffrey Ballet Academy/Studio company, A&A Ballet, and Columbia College Dance and Musical Theater in her time as a physical therapist. She enjoys working with dancers, gymnasts, cheerleaders as well as general orthopedics population. She is the president of the physical therapy Performing Arts Special Interest Group and dance outreach program at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
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