Dance, gymnastics and skating are all based on both physical ability and visual appeal. Intense training takes place in all three sports which goes largely unrecognized by the general public. All of these sports focus on jumping, flexibility and turning. Logically, based on these assumptions, many of the issues, injuries and training regimens should coincide. The focus of this article will be training regimens and long term results.
The most commonly injured areas in dance, gym and skating are the athlete’s legs. These performance sports involve repeating the same movement over many times until it is as close to perfect as possible. Many of these same movements will need a significant amount of flexibility but often missing is the strength for these movements. According to an article in Sports Medicine (1) ballerinas appear to have less leg strength than other groups of athletes having only 77% of the strength needed compared to their weight. Another article (2) suggests that “the need for trunk strength to maintain body position in skaters is frequently under-emphasized.” It is obvious to those who coach these sports that strength is important and researchers show that the most needed areas of strength are legs and trunk (abdominal and back muscles).
How much can coaches or teachers do? Your rink, class or apparatus time is limited each week. If you are serious about your sport it is important that you take the time to develop a proper strengthening program for your supportive musculature to prevent injuries. The most current article on this issue (3) shows that professional dancers have an increased prevalence of arthritis than non-dancers their age. Based on the similarities between the three sports we can assume long time gymnasts and skaters suffer similarly. The best way to prevent arthritis is to work on the strength of your abdominal and back muscles along with your flexibility to help take some of the “wear and tear” off of your joints. If you are unsure about which exercises would be best for you, your chiropractor and coach can work together to achieve a customized program for you. A final point; before strengthening your muscles you need to make sure you have proper joint, nerve and muscle function so your body can withstand the strain placed on it. Your chiropractor’s specialized skills can detect small problems before they become big ones. Remember – at all times, your body is your responsibility!
Prevention of hip and knee injuries in ballet dancers. Sports medicine, 1998, November;6(5):295-307.
Figure skating injuries. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 1999, February;10(1):177-8, viii.
Premature osteoarthrosis in professional dancers. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 1998, October;8(4):225-9.