His dance moves defined gravity. There was no performance that did not leave the entire audience speechless. Michael Jackson even designed and patented a shoe to successfully pull off one of his memorable dance moves. But even Michael Jackson suffered from foot and ankle injuries. Shortly before being inducted in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, Jackson suffered a foot injury that kept him from moon walking his way into history. Dancing, like many sports, puts your foot and ankle at high risk for injury. So how does a professional or amateur dancer prevent such injuries? Here are some helpfull suggestions.
The most common dancing injuries are sprains, fractures, tendonitis, blisters, toenail injures, and bruises. The first step to prevent these injuries is to inspect your shoe gear. Depending on what type of dancer you are, will determine what types of shoes are most appropriate. Unfortunately, many dances require shoes that are not healthy for your feet. Such as many ballroom dances that requires women to wear high heels. Heels can cause instability and compression issues. When shoes are not your friend on the dance floor, there are other common practices that you should become familiar with to prevent injury.
A thorough warm up is always necessary to get your muscles warm and loose. This will greatly decrease the likelihood of strains and sprains. Paying attention to your pains is also extremely important. Pain and discomfort can indicate an underlying problem that may be treatable. Seeing a podiatrist to examine your foot and ankle prior to increasing your dancing regimen can greatly reduce the risk of injury. A trained podiatric physician can asses risk factor for foot and ankle injuries and provide treatment and therapies to improve your foot function.
Children are also at great risk of suffering from foot and ankle injuries while dancing. The bones in the foot are still developing late into childhood. For some dances, it is necessary for the child to be examined before being allowed to do certain moves. For an example, going up onto Pointe can be very dangerous and damaging to the foot if done prior to the growth plate closure. The only way to be certain that the growth plates are closed is through x-rays.
Before you jump on the dance floor, take time to watch the moves carefully so you fully comprehend the demands on your body. Understanding your bodies’ limitations is key. Learning taping and padding techniques can help you accommodate your ailments and further prevent future injures.
If you are dreaming about being the next Michael Jackson, you need to be prepared to deal with foot and ankle issues. Luckily, these ailments are often temporary and treatable, but they often take time and rest.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Super-Pregant Feet
It was recently announce that Ariana Lima and her basketball star husband are expecting their first baby. This Victoria Secret Supermodel is not along. Heidi Klum also recently announced she too is pregnant. When supermodels are pregnant they still find a way to uphold their image. We see them on TV strutting their stuff in high heels and designer gowns. Unable to drink or drug, how do celebrities keep the smile on their face with all the extra weight and tight shoes? The secret: Good Actresses! So, how does the real woman deal with the aches and pains of pregnancy?
My Feet Have Swollen and They Won’t Deflate!
The most common complaint among the child bearing is foot swelling. During the nine months, your baby grows into a healthy young baby and your feet grow about a half a size! Your feet swell because of the weight and position of the baby in its temporary home. This along with the added weight cause stretching of many of the tendons and ligaments in your foot. Thus, your foot gets bigger. For some, once the swelling subsides, they can go back to their old shoes. For many, their pre-baby shoes are off to the donation box. To cut down on the swelling, the most effective treatment is compressive stockings. Other treatment options are to rest with your feet elevated, stretch, and of course make sure that your shoes fit you properly. You never know when your feet are going to go on a growth spurt!
No Pain; No Gain!
In the process of nurturing a gift of joy in the womb, your body takes a severe beating. Pregnancy can be very traumatic on the expecting mother’s feet and will cause pain, pain, and more pain. As the pregnancy progresses, the feet are taking on an increasing amount of weight. This extra weight changes how we walk and move our body. To compensate for these changes, the foot tilts inward and the arch is decreased. This causes increases stress on the plantar fascia that helps support the arch. Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of this fascia and is the cause horrible heel pain. Though the pain usually subsides after the pregnancy, the pain is often unbearable. To address the pain, women are advised to wear shoe inserts to support the foot and ice the painful areas. It is often recommended to get custom made orthoses prior or early in the pregnancy to prevent future foot aches and pains.
Cramping your Style!
As one would expect when a life is growing in another, there is an increase in blood volume. In order to prevent hypertension, the body dilates the vessels to decrease the flow and pressure. This may lead to a decrease in oxygen delivery to muscles far away from the heart and lungs because it takes longer for fresh blood to get to the sight. A lack in oxygen supply is what often causes leg and foot cramps. To relieve the cramping, one should increase the blood flow. Thus, it is best to walk this one out!
At the end of the day, there is no big secret to pregnancy and comfort. All women experience the ups and downs of bringing life into the world. Foot pain is one of the many road bumps along the way. I wish I could say it was the worse, but the teen years will probably give you more pain and heartache than the 9 months and 12 years prior combined.
My Feet Have Swollen and They Won’t Deflate!
The most common complaint among the child bearing is foot swelling. During the nine months, your baby grows into a healthy young baby and your feet grow about a half a size! Your feet swell because of the weight and position of the baby in its temporary home. This along with the added weight cause stretching of many of the tendons and ligaments in your foot. Thus, your foot gets bigger. For some, once the swelling subsides, they can go back to their old shoes. For many, their pre-baby shoes are off to the donation box. To cut down on the swelling, the most effective treatment is compressive stockings. Other treatment options are to rest with your feet elevated, stretch, and of course make sure that your shoes fit you properly. You never know when your feet are going to go on a growth spurt!
No Pain; No Gain!
In the process of nurturing a gift of joy in the womb, your body takes a severe beating. Pregnancy can be very traumatic on the expecting mother’s feet and will cause pain, pain, and more pain. As the pregnancy progresses, the feet are taking on an increasing amount of weight. This extra weight changes how we walk and move our body. To compensate for these changes, the foot tilts inward and the arch is decreased. This causes increases stress on the plantar fascia that helps support the arch. Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of this fascia and is the cause horrible heel pain. Though the pain usually subsides after the pregnancy, the pain is often unbearable. To address the pain, women are advised to wear shoe inserts to support the foot and ice the painful areas. It is often recommended to get custom made orthoses prior or early in the pregnancy to prevent future foot aches and pains.
Cramping your Style!
As one would expect when a life is growing in another, there is an increase in blood volume. In order to prevent hypertension, the body dilates the vessels to decrease the flow and pressure. This may lead to a decrease in oxygen delivery to muscles far away from the heart and lungs because it takes longer for fresh blood to get to the sight. A lack in oxygen supply is what often causes leg and foot cramps. To relieve the cramping, one should increase the blood flow. Thus, it is best to walk this one out!
At the end of the day, there is no big secret to pregnancy and comfort. All women experience the ups and downs of bringing life into the world. Foot pain is one of the many road bumps along the way. I wish I could say it was the worse, but the teen years will probably give you more pain and heartache than the 9 months and 12 years prior combined.
