Dealing with a severe ankle sprain

Four weeks yesterday I seriously sprained my ankle. Trust me to do such a thing whilst trying to perform an exercise to build reaction and strength in the muscles surrounding the ankle joint! *face palm* It was totally my fault and not something I will do again!

Having had a very exciting meeting I wasn’t keeping track of the time and consequently had to race (within the speed limits) to reach that evenings rugby clinic. Still buzzing from the meeting and disappointed at myself for not keeping track of the time I wasn’t focused sufficiently to perform a complex exercise (I got caught up in a 12-inch hurdle whilst performing lateral ankle hops.) You live and learn eh! Good thing I wasn’t coaching a large group at the time!

At first I was in so much pain and worried as I couldn’t move my foot. (I hadn’t sprained my ankle since I was in primary school so the pain felt very alien). Thankfully my boyfriend Richard was there training with me and able to calm me down and carry me back inside. Having had a great number of injuries himself, Richard took on the role of therapist and could assess my ankle without much prompting from me (A sports therapist in the making perhaps?)! The injury didn’t seem too severe in that nothing was broken but instead a lot of soft tissue damage had been done. I’d fallen into a plantarflexion/inversion position so a lot of anterior structures had been damaged. I placed it at a severe grade 2 injury, and hobbled my way home for immediate treatment.

Immediate swelling

Over the next few hours/days the ankle swelled up quite significantly and bruising of a beautiful violet blue developed! I used the R.I.C.E protocol of rest, ice, compression and elevation for a good 10 days straight, and tried to keep off my feet as much as possible. This admittedly wasn’t as much as I ideally would have since my parents were visiting and I wished to show them around rather than be stuck indoors, but I survived!

Richard applying Kinesio Tape

Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

The swelling was pretty significant!

In addition to using a crepe bandage with horse-shoe padding to encourage a greater decrease in swelling, I used Kinesio Tape to help lymphatic drainage. Again Richard put his therapist skills to good use! The effects of this tape were most evident in the bruising, where on removal you could see where the tape had once laid (small thin .5cm lines no longer the colour of the bruising).

I had some beautiful bruising!

In the weeks prior to this injury, training had been going well and so this caused me the most frustration. However I have managed to adjust my training accordingly. For the first week I laid off training legs completely, only concentrating on my upper body – fun and frustrating at the same time. Slowly but surely I have gradually been working the ankle through proprioceptive work on the ground and then on un-even surfaces. At 14 days the ankle was still too painful to perform general resistance work with therabands so I stopped and moved on. Listening to your body following an injury is key to progress and not regress. I have finally managed to get back squatting by performing front squats as this doesn’t cause any pain at the ankle. Back squats however are another matter. I tried this exercise first, but found that my ankle was uncomfortable and consequently changed my form. I wasn’t having that! So I tried loading from the front i.e. front squats. Flexible training at its best!

Rehabilitation begins!

Thank you to Chris Rennison-Rae for allowing me to change the nature of our recent shoots due to the injury. Dancing on pointe and jumping around are not ideal with a poorly ankle! And I think the alternative photos turned out quite nicely!

You can see my swollen ankle if you look closely!

Four weeks in and the swelling has almost disappeared but what remains seems to be within the joint itself. Actively placing the foot in demi-point and pointing the toes/ankle is now possible. I am also able to jog without pain but springing off one foot is not yet comfortable. With swelling still present in the joint I am continuing to follow the R.I.C.E protocol and hope that I can up my rehabilitation soon. I expect it to take another 2 weeks to fully recover. Then I think I might try my hand at some running along our beautiful coastline.  

 - E

Eat Sweat Play | Book Review & My Reflections

Who wrote it?

Anna Kessell, sports writer for the guardian and the observer. Co founder and chair of women in football.

Who's it for?

Any woman interested in sport and exercise, men in sport, sport students and PE teachers.

I think this book is so good that I believe extracts should be compulsory reading for students within PE lessons.

What's actually in there?

A huge amount is covered within the book! Topics include: exercise and pregnancy; PE lessons; sporting taboos (including periods, the menopause and their influence on exercise); not needing to play sport to enjoy sport; hard hitting stories and sports women in the media.

Quote from book:

'It's time for women over the world to reconnect with our bodies'

Would I recommend it?

I would definitely recommend this book to any woman interested in sport or exercise. The book is so inspiring, and has left me feeling inspired to take part within a team sport again as a competitor.

My reflections on the book

How my eyes were opened to the subject of women in sport by reading the book ‘Eat Sweat Play’ by Anna Kessel. 

  

Despite having taken an active role in sport and exercise for the whole of my life I have been pretty absent from the area of women in sport. From the age of 3 to 18 I regularly took ballet lessons, and although I was dancing in a class of other girls, I felt completely alone in the activity. All work in class was geared to individual training and not team work. 

When I began rowing in my second year of university, I felt my competition, within the team was the male rowers. Without blowing my own trumpet, I felt I did pretty well compared to the men. This was probably due to the very strong leg strength I had as a result of my ballet training. I also took the rowing training very seriously, whereas some did not. The attitude of some women on the team, I must say, has put me off joining purely women's teams. Since leaving university I have worked wholly with male teams, as a sports therapist/coach, so the female sporting environment is relatively unknown to me.

Something which particularly shocked me in the book was the fact that there is little to no advice for expectant and new mothers wishing to exercise for the health of themselves and their child.  I didn't realise that there is such a huge need for research in the area of sport and exercise for new and expectant mothers. I also didn't realise how concerned and passionate I would become about it, as a 23yr old professional woman, not looking to start a family for a good few years yet. My partner always jokes that I will never want to have children as I'd never want to give up the gym. This makes me laugh and I agree because, in the back of my mind for some stupid reason, I have believed that if and when this time comes, I will have to give up heavy weight training and sacrifice all that hard work I have put in. Reading ‘Eat Sweat Play’ has led me to re-evaluate my thoughts, stop being stupid and think as the sport scientist I am that actually it is very healthy for women to take part in activity throughout pregnancy and post childbirth. I'm sure when the time comes I will be less selfish in my views. However, I am deeply concerned by the lack of research in this area and I do worry for other women and myself in the future. In fact it's kind of scary. When can we return to activity? For how long can we continue to weight train? What benefits will exercise have on childbirth and carrying the child, or even the health of the baby? What are the areas of training that should be avoided?

I believe women need to assert themselves in the gym. I'm not an overly confident person and before I began training in the gym I didn't have a clue how to lift weights, but with patience and persistence, I have worked it out. I have never once felt the need to shy away from the weights area because it was a 'men's only' room. This could be because I can look past what others think, and would encourage others to do the same. I know that some men in there are often more concerned about themselves and how they look in the mirror, than what you're doing - I've seen the evidence - particularly one guy hugging his own reflection in the mirror. The majority are either as confused as you or completely absorbed in their own workout. My advice would be to ask if you're unsure, or use available resources to help you.

A growing trend that I have noticed are those women, who are influenced by the media, treating the gym as a fashion show/social hub.   Similarly, the current obsession with 'booty gains' (ala Kim Kardashian-West) drives me nuts. The Kardashians are, in my opinion, not good role models with their rumoured plastic surgery and body reshaping giving an unrealistic view of the female form. Yes having strong glutes are important for athletic performance but seriously, what about the rest of you? A fit and healthy body is more important than a passing fashion trend.

I totally agree that women should support each other in sport. I love the ‘Girl Gains’ concept developed by Zanna, Tally and Victoria, which holds events for women to get together to enjoy being active and healthy.

Recently many people have commented about being friendly in the gym to other women.  Working with people every day in my job, it is nice to be able to train quietly by myself, pushing myself to achieve. It’s my downtime. When I'm in the gym I don't always wish to talk to others. So yes I don't always look happy or want to start a conversation, but not because I'm unfriendly or don't support others. I can and do smile, and say hello.

I do take my gym training very seriously for both personal and professional reasons, and I hope my attitude/approach to training in the gym would encourage others. However I have noticed that there can be too much shaming of some women in the gym when they are simply dedicated and motivated individuals wanting to achieve their best when training. So don't take offence if they look very serious and focused.

Part of the book ‘Eat, Sweat, Play’ speaks about women making their voice heard at football matches. Although I have no experience of this sport, I have watched many rugby and American football games where there are few women on the side-lines screaming support. However, at the rugby club I work with we have an awesome lady called Lynn, who is the glue that holds the teams together. Lynn is a very special lady, who volunteers many hours of her week, organising the rugby admin, acting as a mother to all the boys and still times find to scream support on the side-line at home and away games. It is great to hear a woman's voice among the men's more colourful language, and I think it has encouraged me to open up during games too. Hands down to Lynn for all the work she does.

So far within my career I have felt little prejudice towards me as a woman working within sport. The one area I have experienced some difficulty is working as a Strength and Conditioning coach. I am happily accepted as a Sports Therapist, caring for individuals, acting out a more ‘womanly’ role, but not so as a strength coach. I feel that some believe that, as I am woman, I can't know more than men about building individual and team strength to better performance. However, there are some environments where I am completely accepted as a specialist in these areas, and by some very good coaches and athletes. I believe this difference in attitude is down to the background, experience and education of individuals. It can be disheartening at times as this is the area I am most passionate about, but I’m finding ways to move onwards and upwards.

Personally, like many women working within the field of sport and exercise endeavouring to build a good reputation as professionals and athletes, I find it difficult to support female ‘sports’ such as the American Football Lingerie League. For practically naked women to flaunt around for men to watch in the name of sport is a huge step back for women’s equality and sexualizes women within sport. Again, working with purely men's teams I hear a lot of changing room talk, and these 'sports' just aren't helping women to be respected. Don't get me wrong, I admire the athleticism and training that goes into the sport itself, but just wish they would cover up. Even if you are a very talented player, many people will make assumptions as to your reasons for participating in such a ‘sport’.

I am incredibly lucky to have a very supportive partner who I met through sport when at university. He is himself a sportsman and I now coach him in strength and conditioning. Also, I have rehabbed him through injury and now coach American Football alongside him, where he's taught and continues to teach me about his sports, and I him about mine. We hold a mutual respect for each other's knowledge of sport and exercise and spend our weekends playing/coaching/training. It's great to have someone who completely supports me and also allows me to vent my frustration at times!

Here’s to continued development of women in sport!

And thank you Anna for writing such an inspiring book!

-E

All you need to know about muscle cramps

What?

Muscle cramp is the sudden and involuntary painful contraction of muscle (or part of it), which disappears within seconds or minutes and is often accompanied by knotting of the muscle during touch.

Cramp is the repetitive firing of motor unit action potentials, also known as “cramp discharge”.

The cause of cramping is unknown, however it is traditionally believed to be associated with exercise in hot and humid climates i.e. Dehydration and the depletion of electrolytes. However this isn’t fully backed by scientific evidence. Another theory suggests there is a neuromuscular cause. This thought proposes that the muscular overload and neuromuscular fatigue causes an imbalance between the excitatory impulses from muscle spindles and inhibitory impulses from Golgi Tendon organs. However, due to muscle cramping occurring within a variety of situations and environments conditions, some believe it is unlikely that there is a single cause.

Cramp vs. Spasm

It is possible to distinguish cramp from spasms. A spasm is an involuntary and abnormal muscle contraction, however cramps are severely painful (and can result in continued soreness), carry an involuntary and explosive onset with a gradual termination of the muscle stretching. This involves only one/one part of the muscle and it is possible to experience fair and forceful contractions. In addition, muscle cramps tend to occur within the muscles of the calf and foot which can in turn impair athletic performance.  

Who?

Cramps can occur in individuals with motor neuron disorders and metabolic disorders, but can also occur within healthy individuals during sleep, pregnancy and physical exertion.

Some of the reported risk factors for exercise-associated cramps include-

• Inadequate conditioning for the activity
• Increased exercise intensity and duration
• Previous history of cramps during or after exercise
• Family history of cramping.

Treatment

• Moderate static stretching 
• Prevention and treatment methods include fluid and electrolyte balance strategies. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association recommends that athletes prone to muscle cramps add 0.3 to 0.7g/L of salt to their drinks as a preventative tool. Others recommend adding sodium (3.0 to 6.0 g/L) to sports drinks based on the frequency of muscle cramps.Note: fluids and electrolytes are not immediately absorbed. Around 13 minutes is required to be absorbed into the circulatory system.

Prevention

• Neuromuscular training – there is strong support that the level of conditioning is a factor for the development of muscular cramping and that targeting the neuromuscular system can prevent this. The idea is to prevent neuromuscular fatigue. This could be done through plyometric and endurance training.
• Ingestion of water or a hypotonic sports drink an hour prior to competition ensures absorption.
• Maintaining hydration and adequate electrolytes aid in the prevention. Thus, fluids should be readily available throughout practices and competitions.
• A balanced diet is important to ensure fluid and electrolyte replacement.  

References

Minetto, M.A., Holobar, A., Botter, A. and Farina, D., 2013. Origin and development of muscle cramps. Exercise and sport sciences reviews, 41(1), pp.3-10.

Braulick, K.W., Miller, K.C., Albrecht, J.M., Tucker, J.M. and Deal, J.E., 2013. Significant and serious dehydration does not affect skeletal muscle cramp threshold frequency. British journal of sports medicine, 47(11), pp.710-714.

Miller, K. C., Stone, M. S., Huxel, K. C., & Edwards, J. E. (2010). Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention. Sports Health, 2(4), 279–283. http://doi.org/10.1177/1941738109357299

The importance of a well fitted bra with Firm Fit

If there’s anything you NEED for exercise women, it’s a sports bra! Forget those new Nike leggings or heart rate monitor, these are not important, a good fitting sports bra is!

 Breast structure

The female breasts are mostly comprised of fatty tissue which is supported by skin and fragile ligaments called the Coopers ligaments. No, unlike what you may think, there are no muscles within the breasts! Due to the lack of anatomical structure within the breast during high impact and repetitive exercise these non-elastic ligaments pull forcing them to stretch. Once they have stretched, they will not return to the length they once were, resulting in sagging breasts.

A good sports bra limits the amount of movement when performing high-intensity exercise such as running or jumping in dance class. Wearing ill-fitting or poorly structured bras can cause breast pain, upper back and shoulder problems.

The female breasts are affected by various hormonal changes such as menstruation, pregnancy, contraceptives and menopause. Such changes include changes in size, tenderness and density of the breasts.  It is currently unknown how the anatomical changes to a woman’s breasts that occur with age are affect the bra requirements for the older woman, however it is logical that the breasts must be supported in order to reduced shoulder, back and breast pain.

A funny story – one of my old secondary PE teachers told us that using a seated chest fly machine would reduce the sag of the breasts later in life. You can imagine the swarm of people to that machine afterwards!

The history of the sports bra

In 1977, two American women decided to make a bra more supportive for exercise. They did this through stitching 2 jock straps together. The Jockbra became the Jogbra! Nowadays a lot goes into the design of modern sports bras to provide structure and support.

 Sports bra design

Ultimately there are two common types of bras – the encapsulating bra and the compression bra.

The compression bra was the first type of bra to be designed, with its aim to restrict movement through compressing and flattening the breasts against the body. It is believed that this type of bra is better suited to women with a smaller cup size (A or B) (however at a C/D cup I feel perfectly comfortable wearing this style as long as it’s tight fitting). While women with larger breasts (C or D) require more support i.e. Encapsulating bras, which contain moulded cups to support the breasts individually. The breasts may move up to 21cm during exercise, and so the aim of the sports bra is for the breasts and trunk to move as one. Therefore even the smaller-chested of us still need some added support!

A 2013 study concluded that the most effective bras had the following features: compression, short vest style, high neckline, slings, cross back, bound neckline, no center gore, no wire, no cradle, no pad and a non-adjustable wide strap. This provides practical guidelines choosing the best design of sports bra!

A well-fitting bra

A shocking piece of research conducted by The University of Portsmouth reported ‘about half of all girls in UK secondary schools might avoid sport because of the embarrassment or pain caused by their breasts’, that  ‘only one in every ten 14 year old girls meets the government physical activity guidelines’ because ‘almost half of the girls they surveyed said their breasts had an effect on their sport or exercise participation’ and ‘15% of girls thought their breasts were too big to be able to exercise’. Even more shocking, ‘only 10% always wore a bra when exercising’. It is understandable that the teenage girl might feel uncomfortable with her changing body, however it is clear that little education has been given on the matter of breast health re the implications of not wearing a properly supportive bra. To find out more about The University of Portsmouth breast research follow this link to view an interesting infographic - http://www.port.ac.uk/department-of-sport-and-exercise-science/research/breast-health/

Additional research from the University of Portsmouth has found wearing a sports bra reduces the activity of the pectoral muscle by 55%, which could affect levels of fatigue when a woman runs. Plus supporting the breasts can significantly reduce the forces exerted through the leg and to the ground when running, reducing the risk of injury. It has also been suggested that the choice of bra may influence the breathing rate, lung capacity and thermos regulation during exercise. Therefore, by just wearing a sports bra, you could increase your athletic performance!

Indeed for the athlete, a sports bra is an integral part of their kit. The 11-times British javelin champion, Goldie Sayers has been reported to have commented that if she forgot her sports bra, she wouldn’t compete. The sports bra allows for the athlete to focus on the task at hand and not what their body is doing.

How to tell you’re wearing the wrong bra

1.       If you’re wearing the same bra to yoga as you are to run this is a bad idea! A sports bra for yoga or a barre class can be light and less supportive, however for high impact exercising you need something far more supportive.

2.       If you’re wearing two bras, then get rid!

3.       Spend the dosh to save saggy boobs. It might be all well and good paying £9.99 from H&M for a light bra, but this isn’t going to give you the proper support you need from paying £20 more on a sports brand bra.

4.       If your boobs hurt after you exercise.

5.       Cotton sports bras are not breathable enough for sport and it stretched. Sweat-wicking fabric is best! Plus, cotton sports bras are never supportive enough.

6.       6+ months old. Time to get out your purse!

 Follow these steps to find the perfectly fitted sports bra

ü  The band is horizontal around the whole trunk

ü  The cups do not bulge or gape

ü  The underwire follows the natural curve of the breast tissue

ü  The front of the bra sits flat against the chest

ü  Shoulder straps should be adjusted appropriately

Support when dancing

It was very noticeable when I was dancing 4 times a week that ballet leotards, although some fitted with a shelf bra, were not at all supportive.

During puberty I had some puppy fat on me, and consequently I had larger boobs. While they weren’t huge, I still struggled to find a good fitting leotard. Many leotard’s at the time were cut too closely under the arm pit (the side boob is not an exam requirement), had tiny thin straps with awful elastic that would easily stretch (especially as I was an am almost 6ft tall!) , low backs so you couldn’t wear a bra underneath, or had no internal bra support.

Even those bras with internal support were insufficient and at one stage I purchased a soft nude dance bra to go underneath. However this gave little more support when performing petite or grand allegro.

This problem is a very unlikely for the professional dancer. However, for young girls studying dance as a hobby, I believe better designed leotards should be made. If companies can make top quality sports bras, then there is no reason these designs cannot be integrated into a leotard.

For now, I would recommend wearing a decent sports bra underneath the leotard to help reduce any injuries or discomfort caused without.

  

Firm fit

I was recently very fortunate to be sent a few items by Firm Fit, a branch of the dance brand Dansez, a British dance and active wear manufacturer. Firm Fit design active wear for women participating in different sports and forms of exercise using high quality fabric sourced from Italy in order to support the female body through movement.

Their Minimal Bounce Bra was first launched in the 80s which has since been adapted.

The Punch Bra uses a compressive material to prevent damage to the Copper Ligaments within the breasts. I love the fit/shape of the Punch Bra as it sits very low, almost as a crop top. I have the medium size which fits me perfectly at a 10/12. The design is modern, with a bold colour showing through a black ‘mesh’ style overlay. The Layered Sports Bra is of a similar design and is a good option for those wanting something a bit brighter.

The elite sports bra is my favourite of the two I have worn! The bra is totally supportive and squishes me down to an a/b cup (which I love)! Not only this, but it stays completely in one place when moving around. When wearing most of my current sports bras I end up pulling down the bottom band after lifting my arms above my head. This can get annoying when working and exercising. Plus, the back design is pretty funky with an insert of colourful material.

Firm Fit were also kind enough to send me their Racer Vest which features a neon mesh back panel. This vest isn’t something I would usually choose to wear. However, after putting it on I am in love! The cut is perfect and fits me really well, and like the Elite Sports Bra, doesn’t ride up with movement.

These items ticks it all; chlorine resistant (for those swimmers looking for some extra support), blocks the sun’s harmful rays, is quick drying, environmentally friendly and wicks away the bodies sweat. I’m a big fan!

In the next few weeks Firm Fit are joining the organisation ‘United through Sport’ in St Lucia on the ‘Female Empowerment Project’. Here they shall be working with disadvantaged children to educate and raise awareness about health benefits of wearing a sports bra. Not only this, but they are sponsoring teams with kit, including sports bras and shorts for the girls competing in a competition in August – how ace are they!

Check out the Firm Fit range here - https://www.dans-ez.com/firmfit

The Dancer’s Essential Warm-up – Part 1 The Foot and Ankle

Photography by C. Rennison-Rae

The Anatomy

The foot consists of 26 bones and is divided into three separate parts- the hind foot, the midfoot and the forefoot.

·         The hind foot consists of the talus, calcaneus (heel bone), navicular, cuboid and 3 cuneiform bones.

·         The midfoot is comprised of 5 metatarsals.

·         The forefoot consists of the toes, each with three parts (the phalanges). Only the big toe (also known as hallux) has two phalange, just like the thumb.

The talus is a very important bone as it transfers the body’s weight to the foot, and is stabilised by multiple ligaments which are often exposed to injury due to insufficient strength at the joint.

The ankle Talocrural joint is classified as a hinge joint. Due to it being this kind of joint, movement is only possible in one plane i.e. plantarflexion (pointing the toes) and dorsiflexion (flexing the foot). The gastrocnemius, soleus and toe flexors work together to produce this movement. Dorsiflexion is carried out by the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, the peroneus tertius and the long toe extensors.

Inversion (sickle foot) and eversion (winged foot) of the ankle occurs at the Subtalar glide joint. Inversion is produced by the tibialis anterior and tibialis posterior. Eversion is carried out by the peroneal muscles.

Source: Bing Images

The importance of warming-up the foot and ankle

Strong coordinated feet are essential to a dancer’s technique.

The foot is required to be stable, yet at the same time, flexible and elastic. The joints of the foot are shock absorbers, built for dynamics and balance of the foot. Mobility of the foot is genetically determined, but good training from a young age can improve its form and mobility. Strength and stability are also important areas within the foot, which can be trained (an area I shall talk about in a future post).

Due to this, it is vitally important that the dancer thoroughly prepares their feet for class and performances. Fully preparing from the bottom of the kinetic chain up will contribute to preparing the rest of the body.

Follow these steps to correctly warm up your feet

Foot circles

This exercise not only acts as a gentle mobilisation exercise, but is also good for focusing the mind.

1.       Start by lying on your back. Bring the left knee to your chest and hold the shin parallel to the floor. Dorsiflex the ankle.

2.       Circle the foot to the outside, through a pointed foot, to the inside and back to the start in a dorsiflexed position.

3.       Repeat this 6 times and then repeat this movement in the opposite direction.

Note: Focus on working the whole range of movement while imagining yourself stirring a pot of thick porridge.

Good toes, naughty toes

1.       Sitting upright with your legs stretched out in front of you

2.       Wrap a theraband around the balls of the foot and hold either end of the band in both hands.

3.       Starting with the ankle in a neutral position, slowly roll through the foot to pointed ‘good’ toes. This movement should be against the resistance of the band.

4.       Slowly return the ankle to the neutral ‘naughty’ positon, resisting the recoil of the band.

5.       Repeat this exercise 15 times on each foot.

Good Toes

Naughty Toes

The Franklin Method

There are eight steps to follow to feel the full effects.

Preparation – stand comfortably on both feet and feel fully aware of your body

1.       Massage

Using one ball e.g. a tennis ball, gently roll your foot back and forth on the ball, massaging the whole sole of your foot.

How much pressure you apply is dependent on you as an individual.

2.       Forefoot rotation

Put your forefoot on the ball, keeping the heel on the floor. Inwardly rotate and outwardly rotate your foot, touching the little and then big toe to the ground.

Your knee and hip will move with the rotation of the foot. Go to your own comfort.

Repeat 5-6times each side.

3.       Inward/outward foot rolling with toes towards the sky

Continue rolling the foot inwards and outwards but reach the toes towards the sky.

4.       Point flex

Keeping a straight knee, roll the ball under the arch of the foot, point and flex 5-6 times (plantar flexion and dorsiflexion).

5.       Toe scrunch

With your forefoot foot still on the ball, hug the ball with your toes. Repeat this 5-6 times.

6.       Heel rotation

Bring the ball under your heel, toes brace on the floor. Rotate the heel inward and outward. Repeat 5-6 times.

7.       Step up

Place the ball in the centre of the foot and step up on it briefly, taking the other foot off the floor. Repeat 5-6 times. Keep alignment and posture.

8.       Take the ball away and stand on both feet. Notice how one foot feels different from the other.

Massage

Forefoot rotation

Heel rotation

Point flex

Forefoot rotation

Massage

Step Up

Toe Scrunch

Toes towards the sky

Single leg balance

1.       Using a folded towel, folded yoga matt or cushion place this under the standing leg.

2.       Raise the working leg off the floor and keep the standing leg slightly bent.

3.       Close your eyes and stabilise the joint.

4.       Progress this exercise by turning out or standing on demi pointe.

Hope you find these useful!

-E

My Past Dance Injuries

In a past post I mentioned I had suffered from a dance related injury. This injury was greatly overlooked and could have been prevented had I taken supplementary classes. I suffered from Chondromalacia Patella. This is roughening of the articulate cartilage on the underside of the patella. This cartilage can become soft and wear away, causing anterior knee pain. Luckily I was not at this stage and was able to rehabilitate. Chondromalacia Patella is caused by the incorrect tracking of the patella due to a muscle imbalance within the quadriceps. Through my dance training I had become dominant in my vastus lateralis which pulled my patella laterally out of its groove, causing pain with active movement. Through simple Pilates and strength training exercises, by the guidance of my Sports Therapist I was able to strengthen my Vastus Medialis and glutes to correct the problem.

Source - Google

Here are a few of the exercises I used to perform -

Single Leg Bridge

1.       Lie on your back with your knees bent to 90 degrees with your feet on the floor. Arms palm up at your side.

2.       Draw in your abdominal muscles, maintaining this throughout the exercise.

3.       Squeeze your glutes together and slowly raise your bum off the floor until your torso is in line with your thighs. Lift off one leg so that it is in-line with the other thigh. Ensure the hips stay level.

4.       Hold for 10 seconds and lower.

5.       Repeat 10 times on each leg.

Glute band walk

1.       Place the band above the knees.

2.       Keeping the glutes squeezed and the knees pushed out, walk side to side (crab walks) and forwards and backwards (monster walks).

3.       Ensure walks are slow and controlled.

Swiss ball squats

1.       Stand with your back facing the wall. Place a swiss ball at the lower back between you and the wall. Place feet slightly in front of the body.

2.       Hold a light medicine ball between your knees.

3.       Lower yourself until your legs are at 90degrees.

4.       Hold for 10 seconds and squeeze the ball.

5.       Drive up out of the squat to the starting position.

6.       Repeat 3 sets of 12 reps.

Please remember everyone’s injuries are different, therefore each may require different treatment. What worked for me may not work for you. However, these exercises are good, simple strengthening exercises which can be incorporated into your supplementary training regime to help prevent muscle imbalances.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

-E