need help!

[Guest balletbarbie]

Hi I am new here and I have a really bad injury in my foot that I got in like may last year, it's called tendinitis and it's in my achilles...its really bothering me so I took about 3 months off last year and it was a little bit better but when I started dancing it got worse. This summer I went to a hard summer intensive and I danced pointe and everything because they wanted me too and I think it made it so much worse. My question is that, I havent seen much improvement from taking time off so should I just dance on it since I don't think it will ever get better or should I just keep taking time off until it is better. May I add that at this very moment I am taking a few months off to let it heal, if it ever does...sorry about this long question but I miss dance terribly and I don't know what to do!!!

Thank You!

[Guest probablydancin]

okay I'm not giving advice I would just like to say that I completely sympethsize with what you are going through. I have a foot injury that is keeping me off dance, and I miss it terribely. You should wait for the moderators to give you advice, though. They will reply soon I think.

[Victoria Leigh]

Hello balletbarbie, welcome to the Young Dancers forum here on Ballet Talk for Dancers!

 

I'm sorry to hear about your achilles tendinitis problems. Other than time off, you did not mention any other treatment. Have you had any physical therapy? Do you ice it and take anti-inflammatory medication in addition to taking time off? I think it would also be a good idea to try and determine WHY it keeps coming back after the time off. It should heal, and, if you are working correctly, then it should not be chronic. A physical therapist might be able to help you determine what you are doing wrong that could be causing this. Your teacher should have input here too.

 

In the meantime, you should not dance if you are in pain. This will cause more trouble with that tendon, and possibly other problems from compensating for that pain. See an orthopedic physician who treats dancers, and then you should be able to see a physical therapist, with a prescription from the orthopedic doctor. To find the doctor contact your nearest professional ballet company.

[Guest balletbarbie]

Thank you...I had physical therapy a while back I think it was in June for about 6 weeks it made it a little bit better so that I could dance again but my foot started hurting just as bad when I went back. When I had to dance on it I would always take the medicine anti-inflammatory and I iced it many times. I think I know how I got it because I never put my heals down when I jumped which is what alot of other people said that they noticed. But when I started dancing I always put my heals down completely I made sure of it! So I don't really know why it keeps coming back. I went to the doctor and hes the one who told me to go to physical therapy but other than that he didnt seem to know much about dance injuries. And thank you for the advice I will try to get a professional ballet company doctor.

Edited October 10, 2004 by balletbarbie

[ABT Wannabe]

I have had tendonitis many times too, the best advice I can give you is to not dance on it, ice it reguraly, and when you do dance again, put your heels down! Good Luck with that!

[Guest balletbarbie]

Thanks for the good advice everyone and I will be sure to try all of those things thanks again.

[ConstanzaElisabeth]

I have chronic achilles tendonitis and ive had a few major flareups-from personal experience, i can tell you that stubbornness does not pay. I used to just say, oh, thats normal, or i cant sit down, im in class, but then it got really bad. and i always find an excuse not to ice my achilles after class, which i know i really ought to. just listen to your body, your teachers, and your physical therapist/doctor.

[Guest balletbarbie]

Thats really good advice...thanks!

[angel_lissa_91]

I hope you get well soon!