You overdid it on stage or
in the studio it and now you’ve got a minor injury, like a muscle
strain or a sprain. Unfortunately, we’ve
all been there. If you’re absolutely certain you haven’t done major damage to
yourself, you can probably treat the injury at home. If there’s any question in
your mind, definitely make a doctor appointment sooner rather than later. But
either way, now is the time to employ R.I.C.E, the acronym for Rest, Ice,
Compression and Elevation.
Problem is, many dancers-even those with more
experience- have a really hard time with all
of it. Resting for a dancer…are you kidding? No, I’m not; baby that injury!
Take a breather, you’re gonna need it
so you heal up quickly, don’t make things worse… and can keep on dancing in the
near future.
Compression and elevation are both no-brainers.
We’re all familiar with elastic wraps (like
Ace bandages) and various types of sports tapes. Compression will aid in decreasing the
swelling by preventing vasodilation, which is really just a fancy word for your
blood pooling in the area where you injured yourself. Just make sure you haven't wrapped up too tightly. Elevation will help reduce swelling too. It will also keep your blood from pooling by propping the injured body part up on a pillow- optimally above the level of
your heart- while you’re resting.
Yeah, I said rest. Again.
Oddly enough, many dancers
balk at icing their injuries. Here are the two reasons why:
Ice is rather uncomfortable (that’s an
understatement!)
Because
they don’t know how to ice properly.
Icing is super-important in the first forty-eight
to seventy two hours after an injury. I know you probably like heat because it
feels better… but when you’ve gotten a soft tissue injury like a strained
muscle, ligament or tendon, the capillaries that supply blood to that area have
also been injured. They actually rupture and leak into the traumatized tissue,
causing bruising, swelling, stiffness and pain. Heat will exacerbate the
situation; ice will alleviate it by causing your blood vessels to constrict,
which basically stops their leakage…and nips the swelling, bruising and pain in
the bud. It won’t stop it entirely, because that is our body’s natural response
to trauma, but it will help it to heal up much more quickly.
What’s the best way to ice?
First of all, you should never apply ice
directly onto your skin, or you’ll risk damaging that tissue, too. To protect
your skin, always use an ice pack with a covering, like those commercial soft
gel packs with the soft flannel or fleece on the outside. If you don’t have one
of those on hand, cover your skin with a thin towel or washcloth before
applying ice.
The nice thing about the medical gel packs is
that they conform to the shape of your body-specifically, the injured area. If
you don’t have one on hand, a package of frozen fruits or vegetables, will do
the same thing, just make sure you protect your skin by covering it-or the
vegetable package- with a towel before you apply it.
You can also make a really inexpensive homemade
version gel-pack. Mix one cup rubbing alcohol to three parts water, pour it
into a large, durable lock-seal plastic freezer bag, and keep it on hand so
that it’s ready to go when you need to ice your boo-boo.
You’ll probably want to ice your injury at least a couple of times a day, three to
four times is generally better. The area you’re icing will determine how long
it should be done. For example, the skin on your ankles or feet is much thinner
and way less dense or fatty than that of your upper thigh.
Quads, hamstrings, hips and knees
need about twenty minutes of ice; the wrist, elbows, feet or or ankles needs
about ten to twelve minutes, not more. It’s important that you don’t go over
these time limits, too!
While you’re icing, the injured area will
first feel cold, then you’ll most likely experience a burning sensation. After
that, your flesh becomes numb. When
you’ve reached the numb stage (or just after- set an alarm) remove your ice
pack, and take at the very least an
hour before re-applying the ice. Keep
doing this for three days, or the afore-mentioned forty eight to seventy two
hours.
After this, check with your doctor about
follow-up treatment, the use of heat as well as ice, and remember to rest.
A good thing to keep in your dance bag is one
of those “instant” cold packs, the kind you shake to activate the ingredients… they’re
inexpensive, and will work just fine til you get home and settled and can ice
your injury properly.
With R.I.C.E—and the correct and safe use of NSAIDS and icing, you should be
able to make a full recovery and get back into the studio or onstage soon!
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| Photo and design by Maharet Christina Hughes |