Ballet For Brains: Recovering from injuries

taken a month after I had decided to go back to dance

Injuries is something that can happen very easily to dancers, and although we try to avoid them, they sometimes just.. Happen (!)

The recovery process can either be calm and quick, or long and painful. But it's not just about your physical recovery. It's about making sure that you're in the correct mind-set to go back to whatever it is you had to take a break from.

For example, I had tendonitis and was out for almost a year. When it first happened, I did everything in my power to convince my parents and doctors to let me go back to dance. But once I had fully healed, all I could think about was how bad I was now that I hadn't trained for so long. It took me 3 months after my recovery, before I had the guts to walk into class.

And to be completely honest, I didn't like it at first. I felt out of place and didn't know how to deal with it. However I stuck with it - I went to class every day and did my best. Slowly, I fell back in love with it, and saw how much happier I was with dance.

I think it's important for dancers to know, that injuries are much more than just the musculo-sceletal injuries. Unfortunately a lot of dancers, especially in ballet, struggle with eating disorders. Those, can also count as an injury. Personally, I have never struggled with this, but a number of my friends have, and I cant tell you that just witnessing someone go through it is extremely rough, and I can only imagine what those people must be going through. For those who are struggling with eating disorders, or who know someone who is going through this, don't hesitate to tell someone. if you're going through this and don't know how to deal with it, start by talking with a friends, family member or even a dance teacher who you know you can trust. And please accept professional help. If you deal with the issue early, you'll be able to recover quicker and be back at dance a lot faster. Don't let this get out of control.

If you know someone who's struggling with their eating habits and portions, talk to someone who you know will be bale to help them, and avoid spreading any rumours. Talk to an adult that the affected person can trust and talk to. Whatever you do, do not tell them that they "have" something. Although this may be hard, find a way to ease reality into their life and help them understand that a good diet is key for all sports, including dance.

Lastly, I want you to know that whatever you're going through is going to be ok. Whether it's musculo-skeletal or bad eating habits, it's going to be ok, as long as you accept help from others and as long as you're willing to let your body heal. Don't try dancing while you're injured. From personal experience, I can tell you that that's never a good idea and that it won't get you anywhere. Injuries take time to heal, but its best to let them heal completely before going back to dance.

Take care, and be safe.