Dancing whilst in pain

[Twirly]

Having hobbled my way through the class at Greenwich on Tuesday, and more often than not being in some sort of pain whilst dancing, I wondered how common it is. How many of you dance whilst in pain?

This could be due to a current injury, an old injury flaring up occasionally, or wear and tear on the body (such as arthritis, in my case in my foot).

How does this affect your dancing? I struggle a bit, and know that my night isn’t going to be as good as it could have been.

Do you worry about dancing whilst in pain? Does it make it worse? Do you think you’ll do yourself more damage in the long run, but you so need to dance that it makes it worthwhile?

Thought a poll might be interesting – DJ, do try to resist clicking on every option!

[David Bailey]

Having hobbled my way through the class at Greenwich on Tuesday, and more often than not being in some sort of pain whilst dancing, I wondered how common it is. How many of you dance whilst in pain?

I definitely don't - which is why I haven't been dancing much recently.

Pain is a signal, don't ignore it - especially if it's likely to be aggravated (backs and evil drops etc).

Having said that, dancing is generally good for you, as it's both reasonable exercise and it produces the feelgood feeling.

If in doubt, see someone who knows what they're doing (e.g. a sports physio - not your GP)

Thought a poll might be interesting – DJ, do try to resist clicking on every option!

Oh believe me I won't - this is something that very much strikes close to home

What options did you want for the poll then?

[Trouble]

i get pain in my feet. Normally just a dull ache but ocassionally the arches my toes hurt from so much dancing. It can hurt but i do just dance through it then suffer at night when im in bed and they are pounding.

[Twirly]

Er, sorry, managed to mess up adding the poll. Have PMed it some moderators - can someone oblige please?

[Rhythm King]

If I have a specific injury, then I'll rest it, rather than cause any further damage, or lengthen the recovery time.

Given that, I have long term knee, hip, back and neck problems and live on anti-inflammatories and industrial strength pain-killers anyway. So to answer your question - yes I continue dancing whilst in pain, but not if it's something new/temporary that will get better with rest.

[David Bailey]

Er, sorry, managed to mess up adding the poll. Have PMed it some moderators - can someone oblige please?

Sorted

[Twirly]

Thanks

[the whale]

My old coach (sporting , from a long, long time ago!!!) used to say: -

"pain is merely a sensation"

&

"pain just proves you're still alive"

I'd almost forgotten how much I hated him it's a shame he's my father

D

[Lynn]

If I have a specific injury, then I'll rest it, rather than cause any further damage, or lengthen the recovery time.

And once I do start dancing again, (esp if its an injury from dancing), it affects my dancing as I'm wary of anything that might make it worse, I tend to stick to dancing with people I know and trust, and depending on the injury I can dance differently. I never dance as well, even if not in pain, as I'm aware of it and that affects my ability to totally immerse myself in the dance. If I'm in pain then I'm aware I might injure something else by 'favouring' the injured part - so need to be even more careful.

I dance a lot less too and I'll stop if the injury starts to hurt.

What I won't do is take lots of painkillers and dance through it as that can cause further injury. I'll would take some anti inflamatories.

I wouldn't count 'sore feet' as an injury - but I've had to stop dancing at weekenders because my feet hurt too much. But that's usually my own fault for not pacing myself or changing my dance shoes enough.

I had a back injury about a month ago. Its fine now, but I'm still not going to do a dips and drops workshop next weekend - just in case its not quite fully healed.

I have a knee that plays up from time to time (don't we all?! - hasn't for ages until today - I'm hobbling round the office) and I carry a support bandage in my dance bag in case I need it - but that's not an injury.

[Jhutch]

Without wanting to be awkward, i find that it depends on what the injury is When my elbow was hurting i carried on for a while but had to stop when it really started hurting a couple of dances into freestyle one night. I still don't do any moves that i know aggravated it when it hurt even though it is now fine.

After coming back from snowboarding i had hurt my ankle in several ways (bump and muscle i think) and it was swollen. I could have not gone to ceroc then but, having gone only twice in the previous six weeks, largely due to my elbow, i felt that i had to. It hurt during the next week or two and definitely impeded my dancing when i trod on that foot (tried spinning on it during one routine just to stop myself from letting it put me off doing stuff) but it seemed to get better by itself.

[Twirly]

I definitely don't - which is why I haven't been dancing much recently.

Pain is a signal, don't ignore it - especially if it's likely to be aggravated (backs and evil drops etc).

Having said that, dancing is generally good for you, as it's both reasonable exercise and it produces the feelgood feeling.

If in doubt, see someone who knows what they're doing (e.g. a sports physio - not your GP)


Oh believe me I won't - this is something that very much strikes close to home

My problem is that my right foot hurts continuously - not an injury as such, but a combination of things including arthritis, so if I waited till it stopped hurting, I'd have to give up dancing (and walking probably) However, I have realised that dancing itself doesn't aggravate it (I thought I was going to have to give up last summer, but couldn't go dancing for a few weeks, and actually it hurt more which I thought was odd).

Having said all that, I am going to see the GP tomorrow if I can get an appointment as there are other problems developing. And I'm hoping I'll get referred for physio. (We have one at work, but I need a referral.)

If I have a specific injury, then I'll rest it, rather than cause any further damage, or lengthen the recovery time.

Given that, I have long term knee, hip, back and neck problems and live on anti-inflammatories and industrial strength pain-killers anyway. So to answer your question - yes I continue dancing whilst in pain, but not if it's something new/temporary that will get better with rest.

Actually it was talking to you RK, at Hammersmith the other week, which made me think about posting a thread to find out how many other people suffer as well, combined with my pain this week.

I get annoyed with my dancing when I'm in pain. I'm more cautious and probably harder to lead - I noticed on Tuesday that I missed several things whilst dancing for example. Fortunately that was with very good leads, and they were able to compensate, but I hate that.

And of course the fact that it's my right foot that's hurting (ball of the foot) means that spinning is tough too. I'm feeling particularly frustrated as I want to do more dancing to improve, but it hurts! And I've got a workshop on Sunday - probably shouldn't go, but really want to

[David Bailey]

Having said all that, I am going to see the GP tomorrow if I can get an appointment as there are other problems developing. And I'm hoping I'll get referred for physio. (We have one at work, but I need a referral.)

Yes - realistically, GPs are only useful to generate referrals in this area, in my experience.

Actually it was talking to you RK, at Hammersmith the other week, which made me think about posting a thread to find out how many other people suffer as well, combined with my pain this week.

I've the utmost admiration and respect for people like RK and LM, who have long-term health issues, but who still manage to live their lives as fully as possible.

I probably don't say this enough, but I think you guys are heroes

[Trouble]

Yes - realistically, GPs are only useful to generate referrals in this area, in my experience.


I've the utmost admiration and respect for people like RK and LM, who have long-term health issues, but who still manage to live their lives as fully as possible.

I probably don't say this enough, but I think you guys are heroes

and RK and LM you can pay DJ later.

[LMC]

If I have a specific injury, then I'll rest it, rather than cause any further damage, or lengthen the recovery time. ... I continue dancing whilst in pain, but not if it's something new/temporary that will get better with rest.

Although I'm lucky not to suffer as badly as RK and LM, I do have three old injuries (R/knee, L/hip and L/shoulder) and just dance through/take painkillers when they start niggling. I can't say that the injuries don't affect my dancing, but they don't really make my dancing any different - because they are always "there". Having said that, if they flare up (like naughty knee collapsing at Storm ), then I'll treat as a 'new' injury and rest up or, if not too bad, adapt dancing accordingly (stick with leads I know/trust and ask them to avoid some moves).

I'm also considering a revisit to physio- or osteo- to see whether there's anything else I can do to support the damaged joints/tendons concerned (by improving the muscle round them).

[Donna]

I had a fall on the stairs Sunday and hurt both my neck and lower part of my back. I haven't been able to dance all week! I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms now so getting back on that dance floor Saturday whether it's better or not! I'm sure I'll cope, because I'll be dosed up to the eyeballs with paracetamol!

[straycat]

Given that, I have long term knee, hip, back and neck problems and live on anti-inflammatories and industrial strength pain-killers anyway. So to answer your question - yes I continue dancing whilst in pain, but not if it's something new/temporary that will get better with rest.

I've been told by quite a few people not to do anything if it hurts, but quite simply, if I didn't do anything that hurt, I wouldn't be able to do a thing. Including sleep. And including Pilates, which has done more to help with my back problems than anything else I've tried so far.

A few years ago, when my back was ... much worse than it is now, I did find out one of the more unexpected downsides of dancing through some kinds of pain was that if you allow the pain to show on your face (I was prone to these momentary flashes of sheer agony from one hip), girls get put off dancing with you for some reason - no matter how you try to explain it's nothing they've done, and is just 'one of those things.'

Having said all that, as others have said, pain is your friend in that it can give you 'cease and desist' messages that can save you from damaging yourself further. You just have to learn to distinguish identify when that's the cause of the pain - and when it isn't.

[LMC]

Having said all that, as others have said, pain is your friend in that it can give you 'cease and desist' messages that can save you from damaging yourself further. You just have to learn to distinguish identify when that's the cause of the pain - and when it isn't.

With a long-standing injury, it's easier to tell whether it's a "cease and desist" message or just a "whinge". But recent/temporary things, it's not so easy to tell. I avoid taking painkillers for as long as possible because they fuzz the message - and when I have taken them, I take it easier than when I was dancing through the pain - better safe than sorry.

Go to a GP before dancing Donna - you don't want a hopefully temporary strain to turn into a long-term injury.

[Freya]

My problem is that my right foot hurts continuously - not an injury as such, but a combination of things including arthritis, so if I waited till it stopped hurting, I'd have to give up dancing (and walking probably) However, I have realised that dancing itself doesn't aggravate it (I thought I was going to have to give up last summer, but couldn't go dancing for a few weeks, and actually it hurt more which I thought was odd).

Hi Twirly,

Having only read what you wrote and not knowing what exactly the problem is I might have a little explanation as to why it hurt more!

What kind of Arthritis is it?

Most arthritis while painful can actually be made worse by inactivity! This is because the things irritating the joint settel and keep causing an inflamitory response and pain. By being active then removal of the waste products occurs more regularly and also maintains production of synovial fluid (lubrication of the joints)

The other thing with osteosrthritis is that bone remoddeling occurs in the form of osteophytes and while these are painful in themselves if the joint is mobile then it can slow formation. After a long period of inactivity and rest then when you strat activity again it will be painful as the osteophytes have to be worn away again.

In Rheumatoid atrthritis then it keeps blood flow maintained and keeps flushing away the waste products and the irritants!

However it is important to not over do it! If in a flare up of RA then you will probably find that you'll need to cut back just until it settles back down again!

Hope this helps! You may not need to know this or wated to hear it but I wrote it anyway!

It is important to include your Dr in your treatment as they are the link between all the disciplines. They also may refer you to a rheumatologist! If you can manage the problem as early as possible you will stay fitter and healthier for longer. Also your Dr can be very good at giving you lovely Painkillers!

[Lee Bartholomew]

I quite often dance in pain.

My local DJ's play so much s**te that my ears hurt on a regular basis.

[Mezzosoprano]

I suppose it's not really an injury but.... I have asthma which was never a problem until this past winter... I got pneumonia.... I kept dancing as long as I could but in the end had to take a couple of weeks out..... I find it hard to dance when I can't breathe.
Since i had my small people (surgically removed - sounds so much better than "c-section" I think!) I've had a bad back and hip and I find that - thanks to the physio's at Raigmore - accupunture really helped with pain management and the core stability exercises have helped my dancing!