It is especially frustrating for me when I suffer an injury as a dancer.
This morning I injured a muscle in my back while I was going through my morning routine. It wasn’t a workout, dance practice or even a yoga flow. It happened while I was brushing my hair. All I can say is that getting old really sucks – even when you’re in pretty good shape.
So I thought that this would be a great time to share how I approach injuries as a dancer (and a human with a life) while I wait for my pain killer to kick in so I can (maybe) do some drills.
I don’t avoid activity
The biggest mistake I used to make was to go straight to bed when I slipped a disk sneezing or pulled a muscle getting out of bed – which used to happen an embarrassing amount. I would just give up, get a prescription for pain meds from my doctor and lay in bed for a week. Yeah, eventually I would feel better, but it didn’t help keep it from happening again. And for someone with depression, it would often lead to a depressive episode that could last weeks.
Acknowledge the frustration
Another thing that would send me spiraling would be the feeling of failure and helplessness. I had this perception that I was just broken and would never be able to fix whatever was wrong with me. I thought I was just resigned to a life of injuries and pain that I had no choice but to kneel to. That was so far from the truth though. Is it frustrating when you hurt yourself doing something silly? Oh yeah. It can keep you from doing things you enjoy and can breed feelings of weakness and incompetence. But you have to acknowledge that you’re hurt, that it sucks and that you need to get better.
Breathe into the injury
I do mean this both figuratively and literally. You often hear yoga instructors say to “breathe into” a part of your body. Sounds weird, but if a decade or more of practicing yoga has taught me anything it’s that this makes perfect sense. The first thing I do is figure out where it hurts. I do some gentle exploration through stretching gently. Once I locate the spot I will take time to work on it. This morning it was side body stretches and twists to try and keep the muscle from tightening up immediately. It’s a slower, less intense and more intentional practice than normal. Yes, to avoid further injury, but also to control my breathing and use it to help move me through the discomfort.
Know my limits and modify routines
All of that intentional movement and body awareness leads directly into knowing my limits. Overworking the injured area won’t help me recover faster. Whether it’s a simple pulled muscle or a more serious injury, I try to be mindful of my abilities. It’s okay to slow down. Take a shorter walk, ask for help with difficult tasks, take time to stretch and move the injured area. It might mean that I don’t accomplish as much, but it will ensure that I will be stronger once I heal and will, hopefully, have gained some awareness about my body and self that will serve me in the future.
Being injured when I feel like I just can’t slow down
I’ll have to be really mindful today and balance rest with movement. I had wanted to work on drills and sword today and I have rehearsals three evenings this week, starting tomorrow, in preparation for our performance run this fall. One requires that I wield two 3 pound steel swords for an hour or two to finalize one of our Valkyrie Dance Project choreographies. So, I will have to take breaks to stretch and possibly work on some of the combos without the swords in hand to prevent further injury. I have a great instructor and troupe leader so I know she won’t pressure me to push through.
These are my experiences and practices. I am not a professional or expert in the realm of physical fitness or medicine. If you are and you have some perspective to offer, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Have you ever experienced an injury during a time when you felt like you just couldn’t take the time to recover? How did you feel pressured to push through?