Meredith’s Injury Recovery

From our guest writer – Meredith Butulis on injury recovery and management over the break:

For many teams, it is the middle of the competitive high school season. For studios and companies, it is Nutcracker season. As we see dancers pushing for the final meets and performances in December, the injury rates are rapidly climbing too.<br />
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December offers a unique opportunity, as there is usually a holiday break. As a dancer, here are some tips on what you can do to help yourself recover right now.<br />
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1. The number one factor that is associated with dance injury is fatigue. As noted semi-annually at the Principles of Dance Medicine conference in New York City, dancers need 8-10 hours of sleep per night. While we can’t make up for lost sleep, <b>getting 8-10 hours/night </b>over your break weeks can help with recovery.<br />
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2. <b>Decrease your exercise for a week.</b> Most sports incorporate a concept called periodization, which determines how much work and how much rest take place at different phases in the season. This concept is often not fully applied in dance. However, during the holidays, you likely do have a week or two to rest your body and participate in fewer practice hours than normal. Take advantage of it and use the time to sleep or do things you love outside of dancing. You will come back more energized and ready to work in the new year. Realize that continually increasing the intensity and volume of exercise will not make you stronger, but rather more likely to become injured.<br />
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3. <b>Eat clean</b>. Your energy levels and ability to recover depend on the fuel you put in your body. Select foods that are part of major food groups i.e. vegetables, fruit, protein, healthy fats, and whole grains. Try to minimize processed foods and foods high in saturated fats and sugars. Basic nutrition concepts and advice can be found at <a href=”http://www.choosemyplate.gov/”>ChooseMyPlate</a>. Some dance specific guidelines can be found in this <a href=”http://osrptdance.blogspot.com/2012/11/nutrition-for-dancers-focus-on.html”>link</a>. <br />
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Try these tips now, and leave us comments and questions on your experiences!

 
Meredith Butulis, DPT, MSPT, ACSM HFS, CPT
OSR Physical Therapy – Eden Prairie
www.osrpt.com
952-873-7400