How Physical Therapists Assess Dancers: Keeping You Strong and Injury-Free
Dancing isn’t just about the moves—it’s about how your body moves. Ever wondered how dancers stay strong and injury-free? At our physical therapy clinic, we specialize in evaluating dancers’ bodies to ensure optimal performance and injury prevention. In this post, we’ll break down the methods our experienced physical therapists, including Dr. Kaci, use to assess dancers. Discover the nine essential exercises we employ to check technique and prevent injuries. Let’s get started!
Feel free to try these at home, watching yourself in the mirror or recording a video of yourself to look back at. If you are struggling with any of them or are looking for more guidance, we’d love to see you in the studio for a FREE 15-minute dance screen.
Alignment: First Position
Goal:
Stand in first position with head, shoulders & lumbar spine in alignment
Things to Watch:
Head poking forward, back extension, anterior tilt of pelvis
Alignment: Grand Plie’ in Second
Goal:
Lower into second position with head, shoulders and lumbar spine in alignment with knees positioned over toes
Things to watch:
Head poking forward, anterior tilt of pelvis, internal rotation of knees (knees falling inwards towards pubic bone)
Toe Mobility
Goal:
Lift just the big toe off the ground, all toes but the big toe, then individually touch each toe on the ground
Things to watch:
Ability to perform movement, range of motion, compensation patterns (big toe moving inwards as you lift)
Single Leg Calf Raise
Goal:
30 repetitions on each leg with minimal (or no) use of hands for support
Things to watch:
Full ROM Releve, heel in line with 2nd/3rd toes, no sickled foot position, knee bending compensation/pushing with hands
Bear Hover / Dead Bug
Goal:
Low back arching, anterior pelvic tilt, coning/doming of abdominal muscles, do NOT hold your breath
Things to watch:
Be able to engage transversus abdominis muscle (deep core) as you lift body into position OR as you reach leg and arm away from body
Leg Lifts in Straddle
Goal:
In second position on the floor (straddle), keep an upright position as you lift an extended leg up 3+ inches off the ground
Things to watch:
Leaning backwards, using momentum to lift, not being able to control the slow descent back to the ground, comparing R and L legs
Hip Airplanes
Goal:
Perform a single leg RDL (romanian deadlift), rotate body underneath yourself and you open up arms and hip to the side, return to RDL position and then stand upright, repeat 10 times each side
Things to watch:
Single leg balance, back extension (RDL position), hip ROM into hip external rotation (turnout position), body control and balance returning to RDL position
Single Leg Bench Squat
Goal:
Perform single leg squat to bench/chair with controlled knee stability, 20 repetitions each side
Things to watch:
Hip/knee instability (knee wobbling), hip hiking (pelvis is not aligned across both hips), inability to get to 90 degree knee flexion
Multidirectional Balance
Goal:
Maintain balance as you start in front coupe’ extend to the front, return to coupe’ as you extend into second, return to back coupe’, extend to the back, return to back coupe’ and repeat to second and front positions, 10 repetitions on each side
Things to watch:
Hip/knee instability (stance knee wobbling), hip hiking (pelvis is not aligned across both hips), inability to control movement leg into each position or at higher leg lifts, body leaning away from movement leg
If you are struggling with any of these exercises or are looking for more guidance, we’d love to see you in the studio for a FREE 15-minute dance screen. Give us a call at 715-513-6313 and we’d love to help you out.
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