How to Prevent Musle Strain in Dance
Muscle strains or tears are a very preventable part of dance and exercise in general. Muscle strains, if serious enough, can require surgery. A simple stretching and warm-up regimen can prevent muscle strains during dance.
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Instructions
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Injury prevention
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Care for your diet. Vitamins B1 (whole grains, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, beans), C (fruits, broccoli, berries, peppers), and E (whole grains, vegetables, nuts) all help the body prevent muscle strain and injuries in general. Eating a well-balanced diet or taking supplements can decrease your chances of a sports-related, or dance-related injury.
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Warm up. Rolling your ankles clockwise and counterclockwise, stretching out the arches in your foot by moving the weight from the ball of your foot to the point of your foot and back, and various other exercises are a necessary part of injury prevention in dance. One important tip is the speed of the warm ups. If you warm up too quickly, you may actually increase the risk of injury in your body. Warming up slowly and thoroughly helps the body stay healthy.
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Stretch. Massaging muscles and stretching different parts of the body helps as part of the warm up process. Though everybody is different, stretching all different parts of your body--including the abdomen, legs, arms, and neck--is going to keep your body healthy and lower your chances of injury or strain.
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Replenish. Putting lost nutrients from exercise, even in dance where you may not lose a lot of sweat, is important. It is easy to become dehydrated after an extended cardiovascular-intensive dance session. Eating the right foods with the right vitamins, as well as staying hydrated during and after dancing is important to staying healthy and preventing muscle strains.
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Cool down. After all dancing is said and done, a cool down, which is very similar to the warm up, is recommended. Stopping exercise and not cooling down can leave you vulnerable for injuries later down the line. It is best to cool down the muscles that you have been working, by mimicking some of the stretches from the beginning of your work out.
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Tips & Warnings
Staying hydrated is paramount to preventing any muscle injuries, even in dance. By moving around and dancing for an extended period of time, you may sweat and lose nutrients that you will later need to replenish with water, vitamins, or a Gatorade.
Muscle strains can put you out of commission for several weeks, and in some cases, can require surgery. It is very important to warm up, stretch, replenish the muscles, and cool down.
