How To Prevent Injury From Dancing?

[jtgirl6]

Hello!
I've been doing bhangra for a couple of years now and I always end up with shin splints, tight calves, and overall sharp pains in the bottom half of my legs (esp after dancing for a couple of hours). Note that I wear proper shoes and dance on an actual dance floor.


I was looking up stretches and stuff online, but I figured the best way to get help is to ask the experienced bhangra dancers of BTF.


So what are some good stretches that you do before or after practice in order to prevent injury?

 

[voxanimus]

i feel you, girl.


the best way to stretch your calves is to hang your heels off an elevated surface (like a step or something), and then lower them. try to imagine you're touching your heels to the ground. works wonders.

 

[Badwal]

I got this same problem, the area around my ankles feel like fire and the sides of my shin after practises

 

[Badwal]

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/shin-splints

How to deal with Shin Splints

 

[Ajay.H]

Warm up very well before you stretch and before you start stompin away. If you notice yourself hitting the ground pretty hard with your feet, try to be lighter on your feet to reduce that impact. Although shoes absorb impact, sometimes they make us dance a little heavier/stompy so be careful with that.

 

[campy614]

Warm up and stretch very well before you dance.

Also, don't forget to cool down and stretch after you practice. A lot of people say "Practice is over. I'm bouncin'" and completely forget to do this, but it definitely does help.

 

[Bharathi]

I used to only dance with shoes on and for the last couple of months I've been practicing barefoot and noticed a huge different in what gets sore and when. I think I feel a false sense of strength and stomp too hard with shoes on, and I'm lighter on my feet without them. Try dancing without your shoes for a few practices if that helps?

Ice should help the pain too.

Good luck

 

[Saab]

Shoes with gel insoles, constant stretching of your shins, and cutting down of bad habits. There are a host of stretches and outlying things that could cause bodily harm, but my best advice would be to not just go into dancing "cold". Do something to get prepped.

 

[mafzal]

two things that have already been said make a huge difference to me:
(1) Warm up lightly, then stretch thoroughly (but don't over-stretch), then start practice
(2) Cool down and stretch after practice, before you leave

 

[muskan03]

Stretching before and after is crucial also try warming up before actually getting into it. I've always had major issues with shin splints and other foot injuries but if you wear the right kind of shoes during practice it'll make a HUGE difference!


Also try shin sleeves http://www.mcdavidusa.com/Product/6577R/MCDAVID_Compression_Calf_Sleeves.aspx
I wear them every practice/performance. Hope it helps!!

 

[J Wong]

1. Warm-up
2. Stretch
3. Dance lightly (in the sense that you shouldnt slam your feet into the ground)
4. Cool-Down
5. Stretch


dont forget to hydrate and replace necessary salts and eat.