Growth-Related Pain & Injuries
For the dancer, and the growing human behind the dancer.
What do parents and dancers need to know?
Periods of growth are a unique and critical time for young dancers and humans. Dancers are often asked to increase their training while simultaneously managing human changes in real time.
+ Healing for young dancers is often about managing load alongside the changing body.
+ Rehab and healing needs to emphasize human qualities that compliment dance training.
+ Growth and maturation is different for everyone, so healing isn’t a one-size-fits-all.
Our physical therapy approach includes life-long education. We instill management strategies and skills so dancers know how to take ownership of their self-care, find the right support, and to bring clarity and confidence to the family during these periods of change.
Learn more.
Meeting your dancers where they’re at.
Young and growing dancers are human first. Health for life with only help with health for dance performance.
An educational healing process.
Your dancers will discover their why. Proper warm-up routines and individualized preparation for the growing artist to best manage their injuries and healing.
Connecting the dots.
Making the continual connections between human needs and the demands of dance.
Free Family Resource:
Supporting Our Growing Dancers.
In this free resource for families, Dr. Robert Tsai, PT, DPT talks about
+ How families, teachers, and community members can support the growing dancer,
+ The reasons why we see specific types of injuries in growing dancers, and
+ How DANCE|PREHAB approaches care for our future movement artists.
Youth and Adolescent Injuries We Treat include:
HIP INJURIES
Hip Flexor Tightness / During growth spurts, muscles and tendons may not lengthen at the same rate as bones, leading to tightness in the hip flexors and limiting flexibility.
Snapping Hip Syndrome / Tight tendons and muscles, especially around the hip, can cause a snapping sensation, limiting flexibility and range of motion.
Hip Labral Tears / Growth-related changes and repetitive hip movements in dancers can cause labral damage, reducing hip flexibility.
Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) / Structural changes in the hip joint during growth can lead to impingement, causing pain and limiting flexibility in deep hip movements.
Iliopsoas Tendonitis / Inflammation of the iliopsoas tendon can result from repetitive use during growth, leading to restricted hip flexibility.
KNEE INJURIES
Osgood-Schlatter Disease / A growth-related condition where the patellar tendon pulls on the growth plate in the shinbone, causing pain and tightness in the knee area, reducing flexibility.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome / Growth and alignment changes in the knees can cause improper tracking of the kneecap, limiting knee flexibility.
Quadriceps Tendonitis / Tight quadriceps muscles during periods of rapid growth can result in inflammation of the tendon, affecting knee flexibility.
Tight Hamstrings / During growth spurts, the hamstrings may not lengthen proportionately to bone growth, reducing flexibility in the back of the knee.
Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper’s Knee) / Growth-related stress on the patellar tendon can cause inflammation and reduce flexibility in knee extension.
ANKLE INJURIES
Achilles Tendonitis / Tightness in the Achilles tendon during growth spurts can lead to inflammation, reducing ankle flexibility.
Sever’s Disease / Inflammation of the growth plate in the heel due to rapid bone growth, causing tightness in the Achilles tendon and limiting ankle flexibility.
Posterior Tibial Tendonitis / Overuse or misalignment during growth can lead to inflammation of the posterior tibial tendon, limiting flexibility in the ankle and foot.
Plantar Fasciitis / Tightness in the plantar fascia due to growth-related changes can reduce ankle and foot flexibility, especially in the arch.
Ankle Ligament Strains / During periods of rapid growth, ligaments around the ankle may be prone to overstretching, limiting flexibility and increasing injury risk.
