At California Pacific Orthopaedics, we understand that for dancers, movement is more than just a hobby—it’s a passion, an art form, and a way of life. We also understand that the incredible strength, flexibility, and control that dance requires can put unique and significant stress on the body. That’s why we have a dedicated focus on dance medicine and surgery, providing specialized care for dancers of all ages and levels, from students in their first ballet class to professional performers in the vibrant San Francisco arts scene.
Our goal is simple: to help you return to the dance floor as quickly and safely as possible. We combine our deep understanding of the biomechanics of dance with cutting-edge orthopaedic care to diagnose, treat, and prevent dance-related injuries.
Overview of Dance Medicine
Dance medicine is a specialized area of sports medicine that focuses on the unique physical demands and injuries common to dancers. Unlike other athletes, dancers often perform movements at the extreme ends of their range of motion, requiring a delicate balance of incredible flexibility and powerful muscular control. This can lead to specific types of injuries that are different from those seen in other sports.
A dance medicine specialist, like the orthopaedic surgeons at California Pacific Orthopaedics, understands the nuances of different dance styles—from ballet and modern to hip-hop and ballroom. We know that a “turnout” in ballet places different stresses on the hip than a “layout” in jazz, and we use this knowledge to provide care that is tailored to your specific needs as a dancer.
Common Dance Injuries: Symptoms and Causes
Dancers are prone to a wide range of injuries, most of which are overuse injuries caused by the repetitive movements of training and performing. Here are some of the most common injuries we see in our San Francisco-area dancers:
Foot and Ankle Injuries
The foot and ankle bear the brunt of the impact in dance, from landing jumps to balancing on pointe.
- Ankle Sprains: This is the most common traumatic injury in dance, often occurring when landing a jump incorrectly. You may feel a sharp pain on the outside of your ankle and see swelling and bruising.
- Achilles Tendonitis: This is an inflammation of the large tendon at the back of your ankle. Dancers often feel a dull ache or pain in the back of the heel, especially when pointing their feet.
- “Trigger Toe” (Flexor Hallucis Longus Tenosynovitis): Common in ballet dancers, this condition causes pain and a clicking or catching sensation when bending the big toe.
- Ankle Impingement: This occurs when soft tissues or bone get pinched in the ankle joint, causing pain in the front (“anterior impingement”) or back (“posterior impingement”) of the ankle, especially when pointing or flexing the foot.
Knee Injuries
The knee is another common site of injury, especially from the deep bending (plié) and jumping required in many dance forms.
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: Also known as “dancer’s knee,” this condition causes a dull, aching pain in the front of the knee, around the kneecap (patella). It’s often caused by muscle imbalances and improper tracking of the kneecap.
- Meniscus Tears: The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber in the knee. Twisting movements on a bent knee can cause it to tear, leading to pain, swelling, and a “locking” sensation.
Hip Injuries
The extreme range of motion required in dance, especially the rotation of the legs from the hips (“turnout”), can lead to several hip problems.
- Snapping Hip Syndrome: This is a snapping or popping sound in the hip that you can hear or feel when you swing your leg, lift it to the side, or walk. It can be painless, but it can also cause discomfort and inflammation.
- Hip Impingement (Femoroacetabular Impingement – FAI): This condition occurs when the bones of the hip joint don’t fit together perfectly, causing friction and damage to the joint over time. Dancers may feel a deep, sharp pain in the front of the hip, especially in a deep plié or high leg extensions.
- Labral Tears: The labrum is a ring of cartilage that helps to stabilize the hip joint. Repetitive movements can cause it to tear, leading to pain, clicking, and a feeling of instability in the hip.
Back and Spine Injuries
The flexibility and strength required of the spine in dance can lead to overuse injuries.
- Stress Fractures (Spondylolysis): These are small cracks in the vertebrae (the bones of the spine), often caused by the repeated hyperextension (arching back) seen in many dance movements. This can cause a persistent low back ache.
Common Risk Factors for Dance Injuries
While anyone who dances can get injured, certain factors can increase your risk:
- Overtraining: Dancing too much without adequate rest can lead to overuse injuries.
- Poor Technique: Improper alignment and faulty technique can put unnecessary stress on your joints and muscles.
- Inadequate Fitness: Weak core muscles, muscle imbalances, and poor cardiovascular fitness can all contribute to a higher risk of injury.
- Environmental Factors: Dancing on a hard, unsprung floor can increase the impact on your body.
- Anatomical Variations: Some dancers may have body structures, such as hypermobility (being “double-jointed”) or differences in leg length, that can predispose them to certain injuries.
What to Expect at California Pacific Orthopaedics
If you’re a dancer experiencing pain, your visit to our San Francisco clinic will be tailored to your unique needs.
Before Your Appointment
When you schedule your appointment, be prepared to discuss your dance history, including the styles of dance you do, your training schedule, and when your pain started.
During Your Appointment
- Evaluation: Your orthopaedic specialist will conduct a thorough physical examination. This will likely include a dance-specific assessment, where we may ask you to perform certain movements to evaluate your technique, alignment, strength, and flexibility.
- Diagnosis: In addition to the physical exam, we may use advanced imaging techniques like X-rays or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to get a clear picture of what’s happening inside your body.
- Treatment Plan: We believe in a collaborative approach to care. We will discuss our findings with you and develop a personalized treatment plan that takes into account your goals as a dancer.
After Your Appointment: Treatment and Recovery
Our primary goal is to use the most conservative and effective treatments to get you back to dancing.
- Non-Surgical Treatments:
- Physical Therapy: This is a cornerstone of dance injury rehabilitation. We work with physical therapists who understand the demands of dance and can guide you through a program of dance-specific exercises to improve your strength, flexibility, and technique.
- Rest and Activity Modification: Sometimes, the best medicine is rest. We may recommend a period of time away from dancing or modifying your activities to allow your body to heal.
- Medication and Injections: Anti-inflammatory medications can help to reduce pain and swelling. In some cases, injections may be used to deliver medication directly to the site of injury.
- Surgical Treatments:
- When is Surgery Needed? Surgery is typically considered a last resort, reserved for injuries that do not respond to conservative treatment or for traumatic injuries that require surgical repair.
- Minimally Invasive Techniques: When surgery is necessary, our surgeons are experts in arthroscopy, a minimally invasive technique that uses small incisions and a tiny camera to see inside the joint. This approach often leads to less pain, less scarring, and a faster recovery.
- Common Surgical Procedures for Dancers: These may include repairing a torn meniscus in the knee, fixing a labral tear in the hip, or removing bone spurs that are causing ankle impingement.
- Post-Surgical Rehabilitation: After surgery, a dedicated rehabilitation program is crucial. We will work closely with you and your physical therapist to ensure a safe and successful return to dance.
At California Pacific Orthopaedics, we are committed to providing the highest level of care to the San Francisco dance community. We understand the passion and dedication it takes to be a dancer, and we are here to support you every step of the way. If you are a dancer struggling with an injury, contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our dance medicine specialists.
