No matter what, Maggie Carey knows that at the start of every season, her calves and toenails are going to be in pain. “It’s usually a pretty brutal week,” the Smuin Contemporary Ballet dancer admits. As much as she tries to gird herself ahead of time or “baby” her body with ice and foam rolling, […]

Dancers suffering from an injury should consider emotional recovery as well as physical recovery and, if experiencing mental health challenges, seek professional help. According to Mainwaring, finding someone to confide in is key, particularly a psychologist or psychiatrist who has experience working with dancers.

Dancers have an advantage going into physical therapy because of the amount of bodily knowledge they already possess. “Every hour they’ve ever spent building their dance technique is a step along the path toward becoming amazing physical therapists,” says Jennifer Morley, associate teaching professor at Drexel University.

Three dancers and a physical therapist share their experiences navigating the energy output necessary for a high level of performance, the preservation of artistic integrity and the maintenance of a healthy, balanced instrument.

While flexibility is beautiful onstage and is often a source of pride for dancers, it’s important to safeguard your lower back—and pay attention to aches and pains early—to ensure a long, healthy career.

Internal snapping hip often stems from a muscle imbalance linked with repetitive hip flexion from lifting the leg to the front, says Sarah Plumer-Holzman, a physical therapist at NYU Langone’s Harkness Center for Dance Injuries.

I would very much like to go back eight months in time and beg that naive version of myself to meet with a physical therapist before diving back into rigorous training. How I’m moving forward while managing an injury is this month’s topic.

High-impact activity, like dancing, is associated with pelvic floor dysfunction, says Brooke Winder, a physical therapist in Southern California dually trained in orthopedic and pelvic floor physical therapy.