Physical Therapy for Dancers with Back Pain
Low back pain in dance has a different story than the general population.
The spine is part of your aesthetic line and the bridge between your hips and ribcage. Core stability is only one part of the picture. This is about building confidence and trust in your body again.
Low back pain has been described as the second most prevalent injury region in dancers, often driven by repetitive end-range spinal motion in movements like cambré derrière and arabesque.
Rapid growth can temporarily reduce flexibility, coordination, strength, and trunk control, often right when training demands are increasing.
Forced turnout and tight hip flexors can increase lumbar lordosis, and stress fracture risk rises with more than 5 hours of dancing per day or prolonged menstrual absence.
Low back pain has been described as the second most prevalent injury region in dancers, often driven by repetitive end-range spinal motion in movements like cambré derrière and arabesque.
Rapid growth can temporarily reduce flexibility, coordination, strength, and trunk control, often right when training demands are increasing.
Forced turnout and tight hip flexors can increase lumbar lordosis, and stress fracture risk rises with more than 5 hours of dancing per day or prolonged menstrual absence.
An Inside Look At Back Pain Rehab
Beyond static core exercises, let’s get you moving. Take a look at how we approach trunk and spine mechanics for dancers.
A gradual reintroduction to movement.
Back pain isn’t always just strength vs weakness. How can we let the body know it’s ok to move?
Learning to handle movement in all the ways.
Dance will ask us to move in all the ways – how can we prepare the muscles and joints appropriately?
Back to the demands of dance and performance.
Truly recovering and building capacity means asking, “Can you handle gravity and resist in all the ways dance will ask of you?”
Back Injuries We Treat include:
Muscle Strains / Overstretching or tearing of muscles in the back due to excessive movement or improper technique.
Facet Joint Syndrome / Inflammation or degeneration of the small joints in the spine, leading to localized back pain.
Herniated Disc / A disc in the spine bulges or ruptures, pressing on nearby nerves and causing pain or numbness.
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Dysfunction / Pain and inflammation in the SI joint, where the spine connects to the pelvis, often due to overuse.
Spondylolysis / Stress fracture in one of the vertebrae, often caused by repetitive hyperextension of the spine.
Spondylolisthesis / Forward slippage of one vertebra over the one below it, often stemming from spondylolysis.
Sciatica / Pain radiating along the sciatic nerve, often due to disc herniation or piriformis syndrome.
Piriformis Syndrome / Irritation of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle, leading to pain and numbness in the lower back and legs.
Lumbar Hyperlordosis / Exaggerated inward curvature of the lower spine, often seen in dancers due to posture and technique.
Lower Back Muscle Imbalance / Muscular imbalance between the front and back of the body, leading to overcompensation and pain.
Thoracic Spine Pain / Pain or discomfort in the middle of the back, often from poor posture or overuse.
Costovertebral Joint Dysfunction / Irritation or injury of the joints between the ribs and spine, leading to localized pain in the upper back.
Spinal Stenosis / Narrowing of the spinal canal, which can compress the spinal cord or nerves and cause pain or weakness.
Intercostal Muscle Strain / Strain of the muscles between the ribs, often caused by twisting movements during dance.
Kyphosis (Excessive Thoracic Curve) / Excessive rounding of the upper back, potentially leading to pain and postural issues.
Ankylosing Spondylitis / A type of arthritis that causes inflammation of the spine and sacroiliac joints, leading to stiffness and pain.
Lumbar Disc Protrusion / Protrusion of a disc in the lower spine, which may press on nerves and cause radiating pain.
Spinal Compression Fractures / Small fractures in the vertebrae, often caused by overuse or stress on the spine, common in repetitive movement.
Coccyx (Tailbone) Injury / Pain or injury to the tailbone, often from falls or landing awkwardly during jumps or other dance movements.