Advocating for the Artistic Athlete

There is a fundamental issue with communication regarding care for injured youth dancers, stemming from cultural norms that can impede the dancer’s recovery. This can result 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/treating, and feeling misunderstood. 

The rate of injury for dancers is extremely high, and the path to recovery, along with the ability to self-advocate, can be difficult.

“Progressing under pressure” is a phrase I use to describe the journey a dancer takes from initial injury to return to performance. Artistic athletes are often recovering from injuries in high stakes environments. When I’m asked why dancers are frequently injured, I have them consider numerous factors:

• Dance is a year-round sport.
• Dancers are in class sometimes more than 30 hours per week.
• Dancers often specialize in their sport.
• This sport lacks periodization (a training structure/plan).
• Dancers fear seeking help from medical providers will force them to rest from sport.

These demands put dancers at risk for injuries that may require relative rest and medical intervention.

After a dancer has seen a medical provider, it can be difficult for them to advocate for themselves in the studio due to peer pressure, fear of disappointing instructors, and fear of decreased performance opportunities. It can also be difficult for dance instructors to support the dancer if they are not aware of an injury in the first place.

Self-advocacy is an acquired skill and can make the process of recovery smoother and easier to handle. An injured dancer should:

• Listen to your body and address your pain early
• Educate teachers on your specific injury, return to dance timeline, and overall participation restrictions
• Address technical cues you receive in therapy to help apply them to your practice
• Focus on what you CAN do (home program, modified participation, etc.)
• Advocate for injury prevention outreach at your local dance studio
• Spread awareness that dance medicine providers exist and understand your sport
• Remember to care for your mental health at the same time; most setbacks are temporary and by giving yourself permission to recovery from injury, you’ll set yourself up for a healthy and strong return to the sport.
• Open communication and transparency
  • It is difficult to know you are experiencing pain if you do not share this information with your team
• Support system
  • Surround yourself with a supportive team; we are all in this together!