A stunning spring day, dancers are performing for the neighborhood in a park, the viewers is cheering and everyone seems to be having a stunning time: what an exquisite scene! There’s just one downside with it, one many individuals could not acknowledge – the dancers are acting on concrete. That will increase their danger for harm (each acute, or sudden, and overuse, wear-and-tear over time).
Dancers would possibly discover themselves in conditions when there isn’t a different choice however to bop on concrete. But, studying extra about why it’s harmful, in addition to methods to cut back the potential injury, might imply that these conditions occur much less typically and are much less dangerous after they do. Dance Informa speaks with Dr. Emily Love, Director of Bodily Remedy at Oklahoma Metropolis Ballet, with the intention to move on that information.
Chief amongst these harm-mitigation methods are moveable flooring, these which can be designed to help dancer well being and security in simply these kinds of out of doors dancing conditions. Stagestep has a wide range of these flooring on the market: light-weight, straightforward to move and versatile. And now, take it away, Dr. Love!
Is dancing on concrete harmful?
“Dancing on concrete is harmful for a handful of causes. The principle cause is that concrete has zero give and supplies no shock absorption; all of the affect forces throughout dancing will journey instantly by means of the dancer’s toes, ankles, shins, knees, hips and low again. The dancer must rely solely on their very own muscle groups, tendons, bones, and joints to soak up and handle the affect.
Secondly, concrete typically has inconsistencies in its texture. This could enhance friction on the floor for the dancer to navigate relying on the kind of footwear that they’re sporting, or there could also be cracks or divots within the concrete that may contribute to instability.”
In your observe, have you ever seen situations of harm (acute or overuse) from dancing on concrete? Is there something that may be achieved, clinically talking, at that time? (Issues occur!)
“Sure, I’ve seen situations of harm from dancing on concrete. Acute accidents embrace stress fractures from repetitive affect, ankle sprains from cracks/divots, and bone bruising on the heel bone from touchdown on a tough floor. Persistent accidents embrace shin splints, plantar fasciitis and low again ache.
If any accidents do happen from dancing on concrete, I might suggest implementing harm administration rules equivalent to relaxation, safety, compression, ice and optimum loading strategies.”
When dancing on concrete happens, it’s doubtless in circumstances of site-based performances, courses, and different occasions linked to neighborhood outreach, the like. What kinds of preventive measures can dancers, directors, et cetera implement in these circumstances (for instance, moveable dance flooring)? In such circumstances, what ought to dancers pay attention to and, if doable, do for private security?
“For preventative measures, I might suggest a transportable dance flooring that provides some shock absorption even when it isn’t as a lot because the dancer is used to within the studio. I might additionally suggest adjusting rehearsal occasions when doable to offer acceptable relaxation breaks and keep away from excessive repetition of jumps and better affect actions throughout rehearsals with the intention to reserve vitality and depth for performances.
Moreover, I might restrict consecutive days of rehearsals on onerous surfaces. Issues that dancers can do to organize for rehearsals and performances on concrete embrace sporting footwear with sufficient shock absorption every time doable, deal with touchdown mechanics with correct alignment and ‘softer’ landings, and prioritizing comfortable tissue mobilization with rolling out and stretching.
I all the time advocate for dancers to hearken to their our bodies. Early aches and pains must be warning indicators for a dancer to deal with quickly, as a substitute of ready for it to develop into a full blown harm.
It is usually vital to consider the general quantity of dancing on concrete between rehearsals and performances and realizing when to prioritize extra impactful actions throughout a efficiency and decreasing repetitions/quantity throughout rehearsals, when doable. Lastly, security must be prioritized for dancer longevity and never sacrificed for price range functions.”
To buy moveable dance flooring and extra, go to stagestep.com.
By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.
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