Weight Training – Rehab
Dancing Smart Newsletter
March 18, 2005
Happy post St. Patrick's Day!
First I want to let you know April's Dance Spirit magazine has an article written by me on Callus Care – Page 108. Lots of other good articles on the body in this issue as well.
Onto the first question of the week..
Thank you so much for producing your wonderful newsletters! I also tremendously enjoy your classes at the Dance Teacher Summer Conferences.
After reading your strength training newsletter, a current controversial subject at our studio came to mind. We would love to have your input to help us head in the safest, most useful direction.
What is your opinion regarding the use of weight vests (15 lb -20 lb) on young female dancers (ages 11-18) whose body weight ranges from 80 lbs to 110 lbs? They have been used at the barre mostly (including grand plies and jumps), but sometimes also in the center floor. The instructor's point of view is that it helps them strength train but I am concerned of the possibility of damage to their weight bearing joints and compression of the spine.
Thank you for your help on this matter.
Buffa
You're right to question the use of the weight vests, Buffa. We know that the impact force of running is three times the weight of your body. While plenty of information pro and con can be found on lifting for teenagers, that research is about teenagers using dumbbells and nautilus type equipment – not standing in positions that are challenging to stand in, even without weights.
Young female dancers are at a higher risk of osteoporosis because of low body fat and often poor nutrition and imbalanced hormonal levels. (You can read my article on osteoporosis that was in March 04 Dance Teacher Magazine at http://www.dance-teacher.com/backissues/march04/dhds.shtml) Even though weight training is promoted as a tool for prevention of osteoporosis, for the young dancer the excessive exercise is already part of the picture for the increased risk factor.
My main concern is that loading an extra 10 – 15 pounds on their already small bodies (tattoos adding on 10-20% of their body weight) will increase the potential for injury to the joints. We all know dancers who had their heel slip slightly and strain their knee, or not land well from a jump and twist their ankle. Don't even get me started about the value of grand plié in any position besides first and second! Jove seen chronic injuries develop from pulling the knees out sideways while doing a plié; I certainly would not add extra weight on above.
There are many good ways to increase strengthening in class. You can vary the number of repetitions; vary the speed of your legwork. You could design a class that focuses on use of the hamstring or quadriceps, or calf muscles. I think using a theraband for strengthening outside of class and working on the Pilates reformer are fantastic cross training opportunities. Even doing work on nautilus or some form of free weights training are also appropriate.
The last comment that I have on using the vests is that I think the studio is running an insurance risk with using them. If a dancer gets injured and it can be traced back to the use of the vest – you are going to have unhappy parents, and an unhappy studio owner. Your sense that it might not be the best for the weight-bearing joints was a correct one.
And the next question is from Brianna.
I have a quick question. I tore the cartilage in my knee (the meniscus) and I have to have arthroscopic surgery to repair it. I was wondering. I will be off for quite a while (12 weeks). Some of that time will be physical therapy. I'm afraid that in the amount of time it will take me to recover I will gain weight, lose muscle, and/or hurt my technique. Is there anything I can do other than Pilates that doesn't involve the knee to strengthen when I'm out? I'm especially concerned about my injured leg. I am afraid I will get behind but I also don't want to re-injure myself. Thanks!
Brianna
Brianna, your concerns are very common ones. When dancers are faced with any type of surgery there are concerns about how it will influence your dancing. The fact that you have torn your meniscus tells me that there may have been patterns of usage that were inefficient before your injury. Yes, sometimes meniscal tears happen when you land that one time from a leap and you tore it, (I don't know how you injured it, this is just an example), but more often than not there is weakness around the knee causing it to be less stable, which made it easier for the injury to happen.
I want to tell you that ultimately with good physical therapy, you can be a better dancer because of this injury. Your physical therapist will be looking at your muscle usage of both legs. I know that 12 weeks seems like a very long time to be off from dance. You might think of this time as the time to cross train your body. I've had a handful of college dancers who spent spring break hiking mountains, and when they came back into their dance class their legs were stronger because of it.
Please remember, Brianna, that there are professional dancers who did not start dancing seriously until they were in college. Taking some time off to take care of your body is always a good idea, and in your case, your knee is demanding it!
Don't worry about what class will be like after your rehabilitation. Right now turn your focus to increasing your overall health by eating well, getting enough rest, and focusing on the small improvements you will see after surgery. I want you to shift your perspective around this injury to seeing the positive opportunities for change rather than focusing on the injury. Do you remember my newsletter in Aug. 04 that was on injury perspectives? You might want to look it up under the archived newsletters at www.dancingsmart.com. Dance Teacher Magazine ran a shorter version of that article in last month's issue.
I will be sending you lots of positive thoughts and energy to help you with your rehab!
Warm regards,
Deborah