The majority of dance related injuries are soft tissue
injuries – being muscle, ligament or tendon damage. First and foremost, always
get a professional opinion. What may appear to be a slight muscle strain could
in fact be something more serious. But… in the event that you are dealing with
a basic soft tissue injury the best treatment is R.I.C.E.
Rest
You know when you are at the beginning of a cold and you
take a day off to stay in bed with chicken noodle soup? Often you get over the
cold within a day or two and are back at it functioning at 100%. But, if you
push through the cold and don’t take that one day off, the cold often lingers
for weeks leaving you at maybe 80% for a long time. Injuries are the same. Rest
is important to allow the injury time to heal, pushing through could end up
doing more damage than sitting out for one or two dance classes, which can mean
you are back on your feet sooner.
Ice
Applying ice to an injury helps to decrease pain and swelling
while increasing the healing process. The best ice treatment is 15-20 minutes
on once an hour. Always wrap the ice pack or frozen vegi’s in a towel so it
does not have direct contact with skin.
Compression
Compression of the area using a tensor bandage can help to
keep contain the swelling.
Elevation
Elevating the area that is injured can help to get the blood
back into circulation rather than pooling at the injury. Gravity can be in your
favour.
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