Preventing Ankle Injuries As A Dancer

04 Jun Preventing Ankle Injuries As A Dancer

At Moving Forward Physical Therapy, our team understands how committed dancers are to their craft. Years of training and effort are put in so you can show off your skills. That is why sustaining an injury to your ankle while dancing can be devastating. To help you prevent this situation from occurring, our team would like to offer some advice on how dancers can stay healthy and prevent injuries such as those relating to the ankles.

Conditions That Affect Your Ankle

Seeking out treatment as soon as you suspect there is an issue with your ankle can help increase your recovery time and limit the chances of any long term complications taking place. That is why you should always be aware of the issues that can plague your ankles as a result of dancing. If you believe you are suffering from any of the below, reach out to our staff immediately:

• Achilles bursitis.
• Sprains.
• Muscular problems.
• Stress fractures.
• Ligament tears.
• Dislocations.

How To Prevent Ankle Injuries

As a dancer, having to spend time away from your craft due to injury can be frustrating. One wrong step while dancing can lead to you spending months rehabbing this area, which makes prevention the best form of treatment. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your ankle and avoid the need to spend time sitting in our facility receiving care. Examples of these prevention methods are listed below:

• Focus on conditioning and strengthening the muscles in your legs and core.
• Immediately begin to rest if you begin to experience ankle discomfort.
• When possible, be sure to wear footwear that offers enough ankle support.
• Avoid dancing on uneven surfaces.
• Have multiple pairs of dance shoes you can swap between.
• Store your shoes properly.
• Stretch before you begin your dancing.
• Remember to stay hydrated.

Treatment At Moving Forward Physical Therapy

Even after you’ve done your part to keep your ankles protected, unfortunately, an injury can still take place at any time. When this happens to you, you’ll need to work with a team you can trust. At Moving Forward Physical Therapy, our staff is well versed in treating the most common ankle injuries a dancer can face. Those who choose our team for treatment can benefit from the below treatment options:

• Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is an activity-based form of treatment that focuses on promoting healing from within. Depending on the type of ankle injury you suffered, performing a variety of therapeutic stretches and strengthening exercises, such as the ones that encompass physical therapy, could prove to be the most effective.

• Massage Therapy: When problems with your leg muscles have led to an ankle injury, massage therapy may be the answer. Our massage therapist will manipulate the soft tissues in your leg to stimulate blood flow and enhance your healing.  

• Normatec Compression Boots: Our team at Moving Forward Physical Therapy always looks to provide our patients with the most advanced forms of treatment for their injuries. Normatec compression boots were designed to help massage your limbs, mobilize fluids, and increase recovery speed.   

Contact Us

When you’ve suffered an ankle injury while you were dancing, the first thing you need to do is seek out treatment from a team of experienced medical professionals. Whether you dance professionally or for recreational purposes, sustaining an injury can derail your quality of life. That is why at Moving Forward Physical Therapy, we’re committed to providing our patients with the best care possible. We have experience treating professional dancers and performers and will work to get you back to full health as soon as possible. For more prevention methods, or to learn more about what goes into treatment, contact us today.