Scoliosis

[Guest Dance4Eva320]

I recentely found out that i may have scoliosis....my ballet teacher gave my some exercises to do, though i have to ask....I have a dream of becoming a professional dancer....will scoliosis dampen my dream and make it not possible?

[Victoria Leigh]

Dance4Eva, I moved this post to YD because it is not a pointe shoe topic

 

Scoliosis is not too uncommon, even in dancers. It depends on the degree, of course. If it is not severe, you may not even be aware of it. Only in the most severe and serious cases would it affect your ability to dance, and if you are not having problems with it yet, then I would not worry too much. Get it checked, find out how bad it is, and talk to the doctor about ballet. It's possible that ballet will be very helpful in terms of your alignment, although some minor adjustments might be needed in your placement.

[Guest SpiritIvy]

I have scoliosis, too. It's not terrible, but it does hurt when I haven't been to a chiropractor in a while. I recently moved and had not been to my regular chiropractor appointments in about 5 months, and you could tell that one hip stuck out farther than my other one- lol.

 

My scoliosis weakened my left side. it took me 2 months longer to get my left split and my right, and even though I am equally flexible on both sides, it's still not as strong so i can't always hold my extensions to the side as high. because I was so much weaker and my left side even before I started dancing, without knowing it I relied more on my right. I had to work extra hard to get pirouettes on the left and even little things like petit battemtents. I also had to work more with a theraband on my left ankle, because my pointework wasn't as strong. Though I still have work to do to strengthen my left side, I've come a long way. My pointework is equal, I can balance and do multiple pirouettes on my left, and my extensions are getting so much better.

 

It sounds though, like you've been dancing since you've had this, which will make it easier since you do things on BOTH sides in ballet, so you might not have this problem.

 

I've found that the best things I can do to help keep my scoliosis from interfereing with things is to keep up with my chiropractor/doctors appointments. this keeps things from getting worse. I also have to stretch longer on my left split because when I moved and wasn't able to get into a chiropractor, my left split was totally lost. It's back now but it's still pretty painful. I still have to do extra work with my left side, but as long as you keep up with it, it should be fine. Doing things like sitting up straight and making sure you use your UPPER body as well as your lower body for cambres back should also help. I found out part of the reason it hurt so bad after I moved was that I was doing them wrong, and ONLY using my lower back- make sure you use both your upper AND lower back. this helped me a lot.

 

Basically, as long as you keep up with your exersises and dotors appointments, it should be fine. for the longest time I worried, too that my scoliosis would interfere with things, but you know what? I forget about it once I steo into class, and a dance my butt off, and I am just as good as the rest of the people in my class. I can have scoliosis, and still be a dancer. it took me more work than it would have, but it's worth it!

[Juliet]

Wendy Whelan has scoliosis and there was an article several years back in Dance Magazine (I believe) about the steps she took when younger to work with this and a great deal of other helpful information.

[Guest pointe]

Most of us would have some sort of curvature in the spine. It's a matter of if it would eventually developed into scoliosis. That's was according to my orthopaedic surgeon. In fact, I have slight scoliosis, according to my surgeon. The signs that could be seen are uneven shoulders and a tilted hip. My doctor said that I could have developed it during my teen years. Fortunately, it didn't progress and I'm not in pain.

 

He suggested to do back exercises to strengthen my back. And he recently gave me the green light to do ballet, almost 2 years after the corrective osteotomy on my left foot/ankle. And I have been doing classes regularly, although it's only once a week; but I exercise a lot everyday to strengthen my body overall, not just my left ankle/foot.

 

So, you see, you shouldn't be worried about your scoliosis unless it's going to prevent you from leading your life normally. You should always go for doctor's appointments to ensure that you would not have problems that will interfere with your immediate goals of becoming a professional dancer. And, ALWAYS follow your doctor's advice, so you should seek out a doctor who is sincere and willing to help you with the questions and concerns you have about your condition. Best of luck!

 

~pointe~

[Mel Johnson]

Scoliosis, in and of itself, will not stop you from dancing. In fact, it won't even hurt you unless it's very severe! It's one of the things that ballet has been used to correct over the years, and ballet as Physical Therapy for the condition has a good track record.

 

I know a girl who had been run over while swimming by a motorboat. The propellor rearranged her insides something fierce! When she got out of the body cast, it was obvious her spine was taking off in directions never intended! Her doctor advised ballet as PT, and she became good enough to dance for awhile in several small professional companies. She also had several kids, which was not supposed to be possible, either.

[Guest dancer04]

Wendy Whelan has taken some classes at my studio and if I recall correctly she wore something that resembled a back brace to class once.

[Guest ballet princess]

Wow! I never knew Wendy Whelan had scoliosis! Juliet, do you know anywhere where I can view that article?

 

I also have a slight case of scoliosis. Sometimes it gets me very upset and I cry about it. It's not that bad though, Usually I completely forget about it. Like pointe said, you have to work harder to get some steps right. But hasnt stopped me from accomplishing some goals in dance. I've passed a lot of the dance auditions I've gone too since having scoliosis. And i got into a performing arts high school, etc. So dont let it get you down!

 

Dance4Eva, can you share those excersises with me??

[Mel Johnson]

I'd really feel a lot more comfortable if people didn't share corrective therapies or exercises on-board (or at all, really). The exercises that work for one may not work for another, or worse, be exactly what SHOULD NOT be done.

[Guest ballet princess]

Okay, sorry about that!

[Mel Johnson]

No hurt, no foul. It's just that I'd rather have a subject with scoliosis (this is a spinal deformity, after all) be given correctives by someone who can actually see them and the way they work. It's not like exercises for rotation, or how to build up the abs, or something like those, this is actual physical rehabilitation, and is a very very sensitive part of our work!