Cross-Training for Dancers

So far, you’ve read about the myths of working out, the most common misconceptions about exercising for dancers, and why you should stop believing those who say that running is bad for dancers. All of these articles discuss the varied beliefs surrounding cross-training for dancers. But what exactly is cross-training?

Cross-training is a term that has been around since the mid-80s and it simply refers to training in more than one sport or physical activity. The concept of cross-training came about as a way to address the shortcomings of sport-specific training, like muscular imbalances and an increased risk of developing overuse injuries. Cross-training is designed to improve the body’s physical fitness (cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength or endurance, flexibility, etc.) while reducing the negative effects of sport-specific training. Properly-selected cross-training routines can also fill in the gaps in functional ability that sport-specific training can have.

Static Stretching or Dynamic Movement?

You know that you should warm-up before you stretch, but how do you make sense of all of the conflicting information out there about static and dynamic stretching?

For decades, sports medicine practitioners and researchers have debated the effects of static and dynamic stretching. Unfortunately, it seems that every time new stretching-related research is published, its findings contradict the study that was published before it. The most important thing to remember when perusing the findings of all of these studies is that many of them are examining different outcomes: one study will compare static and dynamic stretching for improvement in flexibility while another study compares the two looking for any changes (improvement or decline) in athletic performance immediately after the stretch. Since studies are examining very specific effects from static and dynamic stretching, it is not always a good idea to compare these results to each other. However, the news media often does just that when they are reporting the most recent study’s findings, which leads to confusion.

Please, stop believing (and saying) that running is bad for dancers!

Dancers, especially those who take ballet, often hear that they should NEVER run as a form of exercise because it will do many horrible things to the body from a dance perspective. While injures can happen when you run, they can also happen while swimming, biking, dancing, riding in a car, walking in a shopping mall, getting out of bed, showering, or going up or down the stairs.

Most of the “reasons” why running is bad for you as a dancer have no basis of truth and some of them, quite frankly, just don’t make any sense. The vehemence with which dance teachers and some dancers argue against running is baffling.

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: Symptoms and Treatment

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (hereafter referred to as PFS) has many causes and can really be a hassle to deal with if you don’t recognize the symptoms early.

Your Guide to Knee Braces

One of the most annoying things about having knee pain (aside from the pain itself, of course) is trying to figure out which of the 9 million kinds of braces you should get. Alright, so maybe it only feels like there are that many types of knee braces. The majority of knee braces fall under one of 4 categories: knee sleeves, lateral stabilizers, hinged braces, and patellar tendon straps. Learn what distinguishes these categories from each other, why you’d want to use any of these types of braces, and how to ensure that you’re wearing the brace correctly.

Warm-up Before You Stretch

Most people know that you should warm-up before physical activity. But what you might not know is why. Keeping in mind that using a heating pad is not a substitute for warming up, a proper warm-up does not have to take very long or use much space or equipment for most performers, especially dancers. Dance classes are designed to start out with a warm-up-like component and gradually increase in difficulty as the class progresses. However, time and space are often limited in dance class, so dancers may not be able to perform a complete warm-up solely by taking class. Taking yourself through your own personal warm-up routine allows you to make sure that you’re ready to start physical activity, regardless of what that activity is and where you are.

Causes of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

The knee joint is actually a combination of two joints: the tibiofemoral joint (the hinge joint that most people think of when talking about the knee joint) and the patellofemoral joint (which isn’t so much a joint as it is a place where bones slide past each other). This article is going to focus only on the patellofemoral joint. This term describes the gliding articulation of the patella (kneecap) with the trochlear groove of the femur (thigh bone).

The patella glides up and down in the groove in the femur during knee flexion and extension. This groove helps facilitate keeping the patella lined up with the midline of the leg.