The age old question–now what am I supposed to do? That all depends on your needs and goals. It is always safest to get the opinion of a doctor, even if your injury is reoccurring. As much as we know our bodies, there are simply some things we cannot see or feel so it is best to check in with a medical professional if you are able. This also ensures that you know exactly what is going on so that you don't make the injury worse and possible increase your recovery time.
Dancers are often the last ones to admit that they are injured. We pride ourselves on physical and mental toughness, but injury is not weakness–it is merely a bump in the road and another obstacle to overcome. Don't let denial get the best of you. The faster you can be realistic about your prognosis, the better you can prepare for the recovery process. If you are interested in building a recovery plan, check out our guides and then our recovery trackers to set yourself up for success!
Most of all, remember that healing is non-linear and no two injuries are the same.
This resource, The Psychological Impact of Injury on Dancers, is a great place to start if you are interested in how injury affects dancer's psyche. The Dancer's Resource is also a great point of connection for professional dancers experiencing significant injury.
Every dancer is different, and the answer may change even day to day. Injury is a very isolating experience, so being around fellow dancers may be helpful. However, you may reach a point in your recovery where it feels unbearable to be around dance without being able to participate. This decision is entirely up to you and what you feel will serve you best in your journey. If you cannot dance, there are valuable ways to participate and engage in class by taking notes, running music, or giving feedback. If you are able to perform some exercises you may feel inclined to do what you are able, but be cautious of not causing or worsening further injury by compensating or sacrificing technique.
The repetitive nature of dance combined with the intense competition and drive to improve creates a perfect storm for injuries to occur. Injury is a common experience in dance, with severity ranging from a minor nuisance to career-ending. Common risk-factors are training conditions, type of dance, class frequency, body alignment, and nutrition. The frequency of injury varies dancer to dancer and style to style, dancers can expect to experience injury at least once in their careers.
The Harkness Center for Dance Injuries has many great resources for dance injuries, and regularly conducts groundbreaking research into the prevention and treatment of dance specific injuries. They have also developed the International Performing Arts Injury Reporting System with the aim to standardize injury surveillance in the field.
Some of the most common injuries in dance relate to overuse rather than trauma. Dancers commonly experience tendonitis, stress fractures, sprains, and strains that develop from the repeated use of a muscle or tendon that causes damage or stress over time. Often, dancers will experience pain or injury in their feet and ankles, back, and hips. Check out this resource for more information. Dance Magazine also has a detailed list of common dance injuries and their treatments here.
The best time to see the doctor after a sudden and traumatic injury is as soon as it happens! This will prevent any prolonging of your injury, and they can provide referrals and references to put you on the path to recovery.
Overuse and chronic injuries are tricky because they may not appear suddenly. If you are having consistent and disruptive pain–being unable to perform daily tasks without difficulty, compensating to one side, or constant and noticeable pain–you should consult a medical professional.
Approach them with understanding. Dancer's operate under a culture of "the show must go on," and are often told to hide their pain for the sake of their art. This is indoctrinated into the culture of dance, but does numbers on mental health when they are no longer able to perform. If you are unsure what steps to take first, a good place to start is by speaking with their instructor if they are still a student. If not, ask them how you can support them.
The Green Room has a parent guide available to provide more insight into how parents might support their dancer through injury. You can also read up on the relationship between dance, injury, and identity here to learn more about why your child might be struggling with their injury.
You are one of the greatest resources that your student has. Help them to understand the realities of their injury while also providing them outlets for their creativity by including them in classes and rehearsals as best you can. The Green Room has a teacher guide available to provide more insights into how teachers might support their students through injury.
Do you have a personal experience with injury or advice that you would like to share? Have a question you would like answered? The Green Room is built on the insights and feedback from dance community members and strives to constantly update our recovery guides and FAQ pages. Leave a line below to let us know a piece of advice that you would like to see added or what question you would like to see answered.