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It is critically important to apply ice and compression immediately after an injury. Studies show that recovery from an injury is directly related to how soon ice and compression are applied. More Ice Therapy facts »
Ouch! Five Common Dance Injuries & How To Treat Them
Category: Other Sports and RICES
Dec 20, 2005
Few dancers manage to perform without ever spraining an ankle. According to Dr. William Hamilton, orthopedic consultant to the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the School of American Ballet (and my husband), ankle sprains are the most common acute injury in dance. Less well-known is that they also tend to happen more than once. Megan LeCrone, a promising young corps dancer, has had three sprains since joining New York City Ballet three years ago. Her most recent ankle injury occurred in a late afternoon rehearsal of The Nutcracker when she says she felt a "pop after slipping in a pile of snow."
Fatigue may have been a factor. LeCrone recalls feeling tired before she slipped, due to back-to-back rehearsals. It was impossible to tell if the injury was serious because her "ankle looked like a balloon!" Luckily the swelling went down after she began the standard treatment for all acute injuries: RICE, an acronym for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.