
It is almost impossible to find a dancer who has never suffered foot or ankle injuries at some point in their life -especially if we are talking about a ballet dancer. This does not come as a surprise considering the long hours and days spent in training that involve strenuous and highly repetitive feet and ankle movements. The myriad of movements usually pushes the foot and ankle to limits which result in heel pain or weak ankles. It is, therefore, untrue to claim that any given dance move is safe and without risks. The best you can do is identify types of injuries caused by the various moves and positions, so you know what to do when they happen.
Moves that result in injuries
Jumping moves
Dance moves that entail a lot of repetitive jumps cause Achilles Tendinitis, an injury where the dancer experiences heel pain and a tight calf. Apart from pain swelling, other symptoms include a stiff and weak Achilles tendon.
Performing a relieve
Dancing on Demi Pointe exposes you to pain in the back of the ankles as well as pain and stiffness in the heel area. It happens because the bony structures and the tissues are compressed in ankle’s posterior. The type of pain felt is achy, and possibly sore in nature. It becomes worse when one sits for long periods or engages in increased activity. The big toe may also feel weak, pain, stiff and will often sickle to avoid pain.
Plies
The top of your foot – the area around the crease – may hurt when you perform plies. In worst case scenarios, it becomes difficult to complete plies due to the excruciating pain. The pain is naturally achy, but a sharp pain may be felt when impinging.
Poor landing
Well, this is not a dance move, but poor landing happens almost all the time when performing any move. If you land in an incorrect way, and you roll over your ankle, the outside of the foot will hurt, and the ankle will become weak and unstable. Some of the symptoms to look out for include, tenderness, swelling as well as an unstable ankle.
Screening and medical care
Dancing and sports such as football have so much in common, which means that, in as much as preventative measures are put in place, accidents and injuries are almost inevitable. However, such injuries should not be taken lightly. Whenever you suffer heel pain or weak ankles, seek medical screening as soon as possible. Medical professional comes in handy in treating and ensuring proper rehabilitation of the injuries suffered during dancing. Make a point of having screening sessions regularly for possible problems to be identified in good time.