37 replies to this topic

[Pas de Quoi]

Hello Fellow Dancers: Thanks for this information - very good subject! Does anyone know if dancers are held to a "higher standard" with regards to the Thomas test? I have just recently begun some physical therapy work and when I do the Thomas test, my extended leg is very far below the table, meaning that I pass this test. The physical therapist said that for dancers, this is not nearly good enough, and she wants me to work on getting even more range of motion. Her reason is that if one wants to do so called "extreme stretches" like the front splits, one has to have no tightness and more than normal flexibility in the psoas/hip flexor area, in order to prevent low back and hip injuries.

Thanks!

[ami1436]

I will ask my PT on Monday!

(Hey, Clara, Mazenderan, and Miss Persistant -- my longer response/update is on p. 2 of this thread).

[ami1436]

I love my dance teachers, love my PT, and love this board!

I got back to the PT today. Some good news: my core is much stronger (huzzah!) and my pelvis is actually level. Amazing! She still noted some muscular hiking on the one side and gave me more specific things to work on.

Clara, she read through your exercises and loved them! She hasn't worked with many dancers in the past so she said that she loved to read your focus on the inner thigh, etc -- because it's what she tries to make her other patients understand. You have a fan! She watched me do your exercises for form, which was very helpful -- she tweaked some of them very slightly for my body (like, for the one when I'm lying on my stomach, I'm supposed to place a folded towel at a specific place on my pelvis), and she gave me some harder versions of the bridge (with a ball, and then at the top to roll the ball in and out). She wants to be sure that if I want to stretch for flexibility, that I'm still working on strength for stability.

She said my ankles weren't wobbly enough to warrant concern with daily activities, but gave me some variations on the 'calf raises' and some theraband exercises too.

(PdQ - she hasn't worked with enough dancers to answer your question)

Her main recommendation now -- Pilates Reformer. I know I asked about that last year but I never went... so... now, it's time to actually bite the financial bullet and do it. I've been more cautious about my finances lately anyways, so hopefully I can manage at least a few privates... but this month I've also gotta pay for our summer session, car insurance... it's never ending.... Anyways, I will go. Promise. Who wants to donate to the "Ami's New Body" fund?

From my last post, any thoughts on this? I think the calf raises/getting used to it might help... but thoughts always welcome.

However, working on this demi, I am having some dull achy tired pain on... hmmm... I guess I'd call it the 'pad' of my big toe joint? I'm hoping this is to be expected. I won't have class again with the teacher who first talked to me about the weight placement stuff for another 10 days or so. I talked to another teacher who encouraged me to also think about my second toe. Again, if I'm fully up on my highest demi, there's no other 'pad' that's taking weight. If I try to spread my toes more, I feel like I start gripping. I'm trying to be very careful not to pronate while on demi, which I was doing at the beginning to over-correct. Oops.

The last part is that I'm supposed to bend my knees more in everyday walking. I feel like MC Hammer just walking around the office!

[Miss Persistent]

The last part is that I'm supposed to bend my knees more in everyday walking. I feel like MC Hammer just walking around the office!

U Can't Touch Ami! She's on a roll Someone find this girl some happy pants...

In my experience, Pilates reformer is worth the money, even if just for a short while to get ontop of your issues and then you have a better chance to 'maintain' with mat work/home exercises from there. Goodluck

[ami1436]

Ha! Wonder what the other half would think of the hammer pants!

Yeah, I have wanted to do reformer classes forever (have done a lot of mat).... this is just the kick I need to actually commit to it!

[ami1436]

Omg! First reformer class done--- so, so, so awesome! Will be back next week!

[Miss Persistent]

Omg! First reformer class done--- so, so, so awesome! Will be back next week!

Great to hear Keep working that core!

[ami1436]

The main thing it did for me was clearly demonstrate my imbalances, and make it easier for me to feel them. While we're obviously going to work on the core, there is a lot of work to be done on the upper leg area...I'm sore today, but happily so.