LOPT Dance

NUTCRACKER DANCERS-- YOU WERE ALL FABULOUS TONIGHT! Had to get a pic by the pointe shoes tree 🩰🌲 NOW...focus on recovery, roll out those muscles, ice those sore feet and M***E for one more round tomorrow ❤️👍

Wishing all the dancers and everyone involved the best of luck with the Nutcracker Performances this weekend! Enjoy every minute!

Strong and Stable: 3 Exercises for Smoother Partnering

Strong and Stable: 3 Exercises for Smoother Partnering Whether you're being lifted in

Back injuries are common, with 80% of people experiencing back pain sometime during their lifetime. Dancers are not immune to back injury and are often seen in our PT clinic. Some injuries are minor and can recover quickly, but if the pain persists, medical evaluation and treatment may be needed. Here are some of the common injuries and treatment advice for dancer back injuries.

Lumbar Strain
Dancers may overuse their back muscles, oftentimes due to compensation for weakness in other muscle groups. When these symptoms first present, rest, ice and gentle stretching may help the muscles recover. If this pain becomes persistent and chronic, evaluation by a PT to help determine the root cause of the overuse injury can be helpful and prevent re-injury.

Lumbar sprain
The spine is connected with many joints which are supported by ligaments which can sprain. Oftentimes, when this occurs, it is accompanied by muscle spasm. Physical therapy can help regain normal joint mobility and treatment for muscle spasm. Ice and gentle stretching can also help alleviate the pain.

Disc problems
Although not common in younger people, disc bulging or herniation in the low back can cause nerve irritation with radiating leg pain, numbness and tingling in the legs. If you are experiencing radiating pain in your leg, evaluation by your doctor or PT is warranted and should be done ASAP.

Stress fractures
This type of injury is oftentimes due to an increase in training, causing excessive stress on the vertebrae. Pain is often at a high level and can radiate up and down the spine. X-rays will diagnose this injury so consultation with your physician is needed. Modification of activity to allow the fracture to heal if necessary.

How can you prevent back injury?
- Don't overtrain. Allow the body to self-heal between workouts.
- Stay strong. Do strengthening exercises to provide stability for the spine.
- Good nutrition. Keep your bones strong by eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Cross training. Consider doing other types of exercise along with dance.
- If pain persists, seek medical attention. At LOPT Dance, we understand the demands of dance and can help you recover from injury and return to dance. Call 402-436-2986 to schedule an appointment.

Callus Care 101: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Was just talking to a dancer this week with a painful split on the bottom of her big toe which likely came from the switch over in weather to colder, dry temperatures as well as increased rehearsal volume in barefoot choreography. Watched her technique to make sure she wasn't compensating by weight-bearing more on the outside of that foot. Dancers-- taking care of the skin on your feet IS a potential form injury prevention ;) -- SB, PTA

Callus Care 101: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Pointe is for the serious ballet dancer, providing valuable training and career advice for students and young professionals.

Should You Use Ice or Heat for Pain? (Infographic)

At LOPT Dance, we are frequently asked "Should I use ice or heat?" for their injuries. This article answers which is better, ice vs. heat, for many common injuries and conditions.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/should-you-use-ice-or-heat-for-pain-infographic/#:~:text=Muscle%20strains%20and%20sprains%20usually%20benefit%20from%20a,tenderness%20of%

Should You Use Ice or Heat for Pain? (Infographic) What's best for your aches and pains?

Ask Amy: Exercises to Keep From Knuckling on Pointe

Ask Amy: Exercises to Keep From Knuckling on Pointe Pointe is for the serious ballet dancer, providing valuable training and career advice for students and young professionals.

5 Ways to Release Your IT Band and TFL

5 Ways to Release Your IT Band and TFL When you're dancing with a fully extended knee, the IT band stabilizes the knee so that it doesn't move sideways out of alignment. However, “it is commonly tight in dancers due to compensatory patterns and overuse of the TFL," says Semanson. For example, if you force your turnout too much from you...

Happy Halloween from LOPT Dance!! 🎃👻💀🐈‍⬛️

Sickling and Rolling In

https://www.danceadvantage.net/sickling-and-rolling-in/

Sickling and Rolling In Sickling and Rolling In June 24, 2008 by Nichelle Suzanne (owner/editor) The terms sickling and rolling in are often used in dance classes to define issues with ankle alignment. However, I have found that many students do not have a clear understanding of the actions of the ankle and foot and, there...

Check it out-- one of my favorite pieces of equipment to use in the PT office and the one I most frequently recommend dancers keep in their dance bag and home space to:
-- improve mobility of the midfoot
-- decompress the glutes
-- address soft tissue restrictions of the lower leg
...AND SO MUCH MORE!

Quick video tutorial coming later this week 😉

When you work with us at LOPT Dance, you will walk out with "homework." Your home exercise program is always tailored specifically for you, and created to help you meet your therapy goals as quickly as possible. But the exercises only work if you do 😉 Keep it up dancers!

GOOD LUCK TODAY TO ALL DANCERS AUDITIONING FOR THE NUTCRACKER!!!

Make sure you do a proper physical warm-up before pinning that number on you leotard 😁👍

The Top 6 Foundational Shoulder Stability Exercises

We often focus on lower extremity injuries with dancers. However, dancers can also have problems with their upper extremities. Dancers are frequently lifting their arms overhead, bearing weight through their arms and using their arms to lift one another. Keeping your shoulder muscles strong is an important way to prevent shoulder injury. The following article gives suggestions on exercises to help improve your rotator cuff and interscapular strength. If you have shoulder pain or instability, feel free to give us a call (402-436-2986) at LOPT Dance. We are here for you!

The Top 6 Foundational Shoulder Stability Exercises The shoulder is one of the more dynamic joints in the human body in that it requires an incredible balance of mobility and stability. Often, imbalances are present which contribute towards injuries consisting of rotator cuff tendinopathy, rotator cuff tears, labral tears, bicep tendinopathy dislocat...

Hard Versus Soft Shanks: The Pros and Cons

And here's a friendly tip from your LOPT Dance PTA... DO NOT dance in "dead" shoes. Are dead shoes SUUPPPEERRR comfy? Yes. Does repeatedly dancing in them also increase your risk for soft tissue injuries of the midfoot and metatarsal stress fractures? ALSO YES.

Hard Versus Soft Shanks: The Pros and Cons Depending on your level of training or what you're doing on pointe, you might need a different strength shank. Hard shanks last longer and give you more support, but they make it more difficult to roll through; soft shanks make you stronger, faster, but they're not always the right fit for weaker an...

Happy National Dance Day from LOPT Dance!

Common Dance Injuries and Prevention Tips

Overuse injuries are common in dancers. Knowing the signs of injury and how to manage the injury are key to a quick recovery. At LOPT dance, we are here for our dancers. If the pain persists, be sure to seek medical attention. Addressing an injury early on can help speed up recovery and get dancers back on their toes!

Common Dance Injuries and Prevention Tips Learn from a Johns Hopkins orthopedist and performing arts physical therapists about how to minimize your risk of common dance injuries.

As the Season Starts, Here’s How to Prep Your Feet for Long Hours on Pointe - Pointe Magazine

As the Season Starts, Here’s How to Prep Your Feet for Long Hours on Pointe - Pointe Magazine Professionals in ballet and health care to discuss how to get back to all-day pointework as safely and painlessly as possible.

Ask Amy: The Truth About Forcing Your Turnout

Ask Amy: The Truth About Forcing Your Turnout Pointe is for the serious ballet dancer, providing valuable training and career advice for students and young professionals.

The Calf Strength Challenge — The Dance Docs

https://www.thedancedocs.com/blog/the-calf-strength-challenge

The Calf Strength Challenge — The Dance Docs As dancers are beginning to think about their return to the studio one thing has come up… “My calves are looking smaller than ever!”  I wanted to challenge our dancers to come back with calves even stronger than when they left the studios in March; so I put together this 4 week calf chall...

LOPT Dance is physical therapy customized for dancers. We understand that dance is a highly specialized activity, so you need a team with expertise in musculoskeletal conditions as well as dance technique and performance. Sarah Brown has a BA in Dance Pedagogy and started her career as a professional dancer. She later had her own dance studio and was an adjunct professor at UNL in their dance department. She went back to school to become a PTA so she could help dancers recover from injury and optimize their physical performance. Sarah's experience and knowledge in dance provides a unique ability to work with dancers and provide rehabilitation specific to their needs. So if you are a dancer and have an injury or are looking to optimize your dance potential, LOPT Dance will provide one-on-one rehabilitation by a team dedicated to helping you achieve your goals.

At LOPT, our goal is to help you reach your individual goals. We encourage all our patients just to be their best self. The beauty of humanity is the variety of individual talents we all possess. So listen to Mikhail Baryshnikov's advise and just "try to dance better than myself".

Beyond Six-Pack Abs: 5 Exercises for More Control With Complex Movement

Core stability starts with training your Transverse Abdominis. No crunches necessary 😉

Beyond Six-Pack Abs: 5 Exercises for More Control With Complex Movement Rock-solid six-pack abs may be alluring. But having them doesn't guarantee you the core strength to support ballet's complex movements, like coordinated pirouettes and controlled extensions. That abdominal strength lies much deeper—and requires more subtle work than crunches. One good place to sta...

Dancer: "I'm here because I keep rolling my ankle."

PT/PTA: "I'm going to teach you some core strengthening exercises to help with that."

Dancer: "No my abs are fine, it's my ankle that hurts! Fix my ankle."

PT/PTA: "Trust me... we need to strengthen your core. " 😉

Why Is Dancing So Good for Your Brain?

We all know that dance is good for our physical body, but is it good for our brains too?
Why can dancers do pirouettes without feeling dizzy? Can all this spinning around be good for our brains? And how about learning the choreography and practicing these movements repetitively...does this exercise our brain as well? The following article explains why dance is good for our bodies and our brains!

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201310/why-is-dancing-so-good-your-brain

Why Is Dancing So Good for Your Brain? Dancers maximize cognitive function and muscle memory through practice.

Happy 4th of July from the LOPT Dance Physical Therapy Dance Staff - Laura Freeman, DPT, Sarah Brown, PTA and Kim Knopik, PT. Wishing you a fun and safe holiday!

HEY DANCERS AND DANCE TEACHERS...

The SAID Principle states that our body will adapt to the demands we place on it 💪🏃

LOPT Dance can help you use this to your advantage! 👍

For example, if you / your dancer is challenged by holding their leg in a la seconde they could benefit from a customized cross-training protocol to address the underlying issues of strength, core instability, postural control, etc...

Summer is the PERFECT TIME to focus on implementing a cross-training routine aimed at reducing deficits to have you / your dancers stronger than ever for next year 🙂

LOPT Dance (402) 436-2986 www.lopt.com/dance

Dancers and dance teachers-- have you been getting/giving the same corrections over and over about releve but no matter what you try it doesn't seem to stick? This is where dance-focused physical therapy can be helpful to discover muscular imbalances and provide exercises to change faulty postures and movement habits.
Contact LOPT Dance at (402) 436-2986 for an evaluation 👍

Get Hip to Hip Health

Get Hip to Hip Health There’s a reason why dancers tend to walk like ducks and instinctively flop into a straddle when sitting on the floor: Our hips are conditioned to do things that aren’t anatomically “normal.”

What Was Underlying a Young Dancer’s Painful but Seemingly Simple Knee Injury?

What is CRPS? It stands for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. It is a condition where the nervous system becomes hyper-sensitive resulting in a high level of pain. These patients will note pain with very light touch. Typically the quicker this condition is identified and physical therapy treatment begins, the less severe the symptoms and the quicker the recovery and return to normal function. If you have an injury and have these symptoms of hypersensitivity and a high level of pain long after the tissues have healed, please talk with your doctor and consider physical therapy to help you get back to dance.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/articles/what-was-underlying-a-young-dancers-painful-but-seemingly-simple-knee-injury

What Was Underlying a Young Dancer’s Painful but Seemingly Simple Knee Injury? News and Publications > Articles What Was Underlying a Young Dancer’s Painful but Seemingly Simple Knee Injury? What Was Underlying a Young Dancer’s Painful but Seemingly Simple Knee Injury? Rania with her mom, Shabina Ahmed, is back to dancing after treatment for complex regional pain syndrom...

Dancing With Scoliosis: How I've Learned to Work With My Unique Spine - Pointe Magazine

Dancing With Scoliosis: How I've Learned to Work With My Unique Spine - Pointe Magazine For those with scoliosis, in which the spine curves in either a “C” or an “S” shape—dancing can be particularly challenging.

How Foam Rolling Can Make You a Better Dancer

"Foam rolling can help us gain the flexibility we need for dance without sacrificing muscular strength."

How Foam Rolling Can Make You a Better Dancer Foam rolling before and after class is basically the dancer version of a highly aspirational morning wellness routine. Both take serious discipline, and the ben

CONGRATULATIONS to all Lincoln and surrounding area dance studios on another season of year-end recitals performed and completed! 🎉 LOPT Dance applauds all of the hard work onstage and off 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

WHY ALL DANCERS NEED A PHYSICAL THERAPIST

WHY should you choose a person/team who knows DANCE for PT vs just going to anyone? THIS ⬇️

"It is important when choosing a PT that you find someone who is familiar with dance. They will know specifically how to use your dance training in your rehab, so that when you do start dancing again your body is capable of the technical skills required. Any PT can rehab an injury, but not all PT's can help you safely return to dance. Most PT's don't know what it means to turn out, do a developpe, or more importantly what your ankle needs to be capable of to safely go on pointe again. This can create a disconnect between the exercises they give you to get better and the exercises you need to be able to dance again."

https://www.onpointewellness.com/post/why-all-dancers-need-a-physical-therapist

WHY ALL DANCERS NEED A PHYSICAL THERAPIST Physical Therapists are the perfect person to be on a dancers team. Here's all the ways they can help keep you performing at your highest level.

Working with dancers is always a ball! 😉

We find fun and functional ways to keep our dancers moving the way they need to 💪🩰

Summer is a great time to focus on a body tune-up after a busy spring of auditions, competitions and recitals. (Hey dance teachers-- we know your bodies need some TLC too!)

Call (402) 436-2986, stop by to see us at 2801 Pine Lake, or check out the webpage at www.lopt.com/dance for more info 👍

Just your friendly dance PTA here reminding you it's summer (duh) and you need to ...

💧💧💧💧💧 HYDRATE 💧💧💧💧💧

Spent my day off from the clinic teaching ballet classes (thanks always Intermix in Lincoln for having me) and I made sure to keep refilling my water bottle! Check out the sweet article I shared today about temperature regulation as well 🔥❄️👍

Regulating Body Temperature: What Dancers Need to Know - Pointe Magazine

WHEN IT'S HOT... ☀️
Don't mistake environmental heat with being physically warm. You still need to properly warm up to get blood moving and make sure muscles are firing correctly.

Heat can also make it harder to judge your physical limits. “Dancers predominantly have excessive range of motion in their joints, so we can run the risk of working beyond the muscle range of motion or elasticity, into the tendons or even ligaments surrounding the joints,” says Quin. Feeling warm and free is helpful so long as dancers stay cautious of pushing too far."

Regulating Body Temperature: What Dancers Need to Know - Pointe Magazine As active people, dancers need to be mindful about their internal body temperature, whether their studio is chilly or sweltering.

Dance Guides: Prepping Your Child for Recital Season — HONG KONG DANCE MAGAZINE

LOPT Dance wants to wish all of the local dancers the best of luck at their dance recitals! Have fun!

Dance Guides: Prepping Your Child for Recital Season — HONG KONG DANCE MAGAZINE With recital season just around the corner, here are some tip-top tips to help you get prepped and primed for the big show day! Being ready for a dance showcase is not only about knowing how to do hair and makeup, it’s also about finding confidence through practice and determination to combat stag...