A Worry That Forcing The Splits Or Dancing In Pointe Shoes Can Damage Growth Plates

Parents can worry that the high demands of ballet training can distort or deform young children. Poorly taught turnout, for example, can result in the torqued look of feet turned out, with knees and thighs facing forward, and often with the a little bent. Growth plate damage is not common, but could result from dancing in pointe shoes starting at a too young age, or without proper preparation.

In ballet, the common injuries such as sprained ankles or knee injuries, will more likely be torn tendons, muscles or ligaments.

Starting with the splits, is there an impact on the hip bones that could damage growth plates? If young children practice vigorous or unsupervised stretching to do the splits, what is likely to be injured, if anything?

Doing the splits requires length in the large muscles at the front and back of the thighs, the large postural muscles that run down the front of the spine to the hips and thighs, and also requires long ligaments and tendons, that are not elastic.

Overexertion in stretching, or badly taught or unsupervised stretching, will first cause fairly significant pain (and stiffness the following day) in the muscles. Most younger children will not repeat this very willingly, and will avoid injury.

Overuse of the postural and large leg muscles that can cause injury to growth plates are most associated with sudden, unexpected exertion, for instance to recover from a badly executed long jump. This kind of uncontrolled pull, or compression, by a powerful muscle can damage a growth plate.

If a child, or any ballet student complains of severe, immediate (to the time of stretching), and localized (a child can point to it) pain, they must stop their exercise. If the pain returns at all, it is best that they be seen by a ballet/sports/fitness health practitioner as soon as possible.

Doing the splits is one thing that young dancers idealize in ballet. Some are not born to do the splits ever. Others can stretch to that degree gradually, with the usual guidelines - being extremely warmed up, and be patient.

Being able to dance in pointe shoes is another goal that young ballet dancers are eager to reach. Getting onto pointe too young could damage growth plates in the tiny foot bones. Even after the age of 12, lack of preparation for dancing ballet in pointe shoes can also result in damage.

Growth plate damage does not ever have to be considered a risk in ballet training. Good training is methodical, patient and is of very calculated exertion. Learn more about how to prevent ballet injuries with the materials at The Body Series.

How to Prevent Knee Injuries in Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes

If you are among those dancing in ballet shoes and pointe shoes, knowing why ballet technique is the way it is will help you prevent ballet injuries. Healthy knee function is not possible without healthy foot function. Also, in learning how to prevent knee injuries, understanding the function of the foot, knee, hip and spine connection is useful, at least in a general sense.

The knee joint is engineered beautifully. It has ligaments to prevent too much movement in any given direction, and a shock absorber as well, the meniscus behind the kneecap, or patella.

Classical ballet, and other athletic activity involves sudden change of direction, twisting, leaping, and sudden starts and stops.

Fortunately in ballet, we have turnout to assist us with these factors.

If our turnout is not strong, there is risk to the knee joint.

If our posture is incorrect, in the low back and core area, there is risk to the knee joint. Crunched and chronically tense rotator (turnout) muscles, quads (thigh muscles), hamstrings (back of thigh muscles), result from an incorrect pelvic position. This leads to nearly all the other muscles involved in ballet technique, ballet positions and ballet movements, being held in tense positions, instead of being fluid.

While tension is needed to dance ballet, tension should be fluid. The years of repetition in ballet training should result in the reflexes needed to constantly increase and release tension.

Think of your favorite ballerinas and leading male dancers. One of the observable qualities to their dancing is the effortlessness. They make it look so easy. You don't necessarily think of pillars of strength, although they are very strong. You can feel their fluidity when you watch them in difficult roles such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote and other classics.

So, back to the knee joints - ligaments and shocks are in place. We have turnout to make the best use of them.

Foot strength is a major factor. A high percentage of the general population pronates, that is, allows their feet to collapse toward the inner side, when they walk, run, dance, whenever their feet hit the ground.

Proper posture, use of turnout muscles, correcting hyper-extended knees placement, if hyper-extension is present, and strengthening of the intrinsic (exclusive to the foot) muscles can compensate for this factor and prevent knee injuries.

Knowing how to relax muscles after hard work, for instance with a pinkie ball, is a needed element in ballet training, as well. Not many ballet students have the time or opportunity to get regular massages. But hard working muscles must get relaxed, and must be given recovery time, neither of which factors are typical in ballet training.

If you are involved in ballet training and have ANY pain or persistent soreness in your knees, see a professional. A chiropractor, or physio-therapist with experience in dance or sports injuries will help you.

Also ask your ballet teacher to watch the finer details of your posture, turnout, and foot placement on the floor. These factors are never isolated. Educate yourself as well, with the expertly written dance manuals that are now available to anyone on the internet. The Perfect Pointe Book will give you the details you need to review your ballet technique in all the ways that it affects your knees.

Eat a healthy diet to support your ligaments and muscles. You will be able to prevent knee injuries and enjoy your dancing in ballet shoes and pointe shoes.

Prevent Ballet and Dance Injuries in Your Nutcracker Season

Learning how to minimize the chance of dance injuries is an acquired skill. Warming up, having healthy snacks in your dance bag, and perhaps having an extra pair of pointe shoes ready to wear, will help you avoid ballet injuries.

Rehearsal schedules intensify as the Nutcracker season approaches. Everyone wants to do their best.

Muscle aches and pains after classes and rehearsals should not be ignored. Soaking sore and exhausted muscles in epsom salt baths, ( a form of magnesium) elevating your legs while sitting, and using a pinkie ball to rid your muscles of tension is exactly what your muscles deserve.

Knee injuries, sprained ankles and shin splints all result from inaccurate technique, that do not necessarily show up until dance schedules intensify. A little fatigue, emotional distractions, anxiety, poor sleep or poor diet all contribute to that moment of error or mis-timing when an accident happens.

Fresh foods are necessary to keep your strength up. Sugar weakens muscles and also contributes to inflammation. Do your best to eat well. Magnesium is a nutrient that helps relax muscles and can lead to better sleep. Green vegetables and salad foods are full of trace minerals that help carry lactic acids and other cellular wastes out of tired muscles. Lean proteins, and whole grain carbohydrates will put more nutritional support in your diet.


Dance medicine specialist and author Deborah Vogel writes:

"Four Warning Signs of an Injury

* Pain that gets progressively worse during class, rehearsal, work out, etc.
* Pain that comes after your class, rehearsal, or work out, and comes back the next day after less movement is done.
* Pain that appears when executing certain movements (e.g. during arabesque or landing a jump).
* No real sense of "pain" but a definite restriction of movement."

Pay attention to your body's signals. Ice tired and tense muscles even if they don't hurt. Take some deep breaths when you sit down to relax, or when you go to bed. Use a pinky ball to ease out tension, then do some very gentle stretching afterwards. Have a real day of rest, and catch up with non-dance activities.

Even when you are a recreational dance student, you get the most out of it if you act like pro. Ask your family graciously for extra help or rest time that you need, and let them know how much you appreciate their support.

This way you will really get to enjoy your experience of performing in ballet shoes and pointe shoes.

Read more about injury prevention, strength for pointe work, and muscle care at The Ballet Store.

Dance Injuries Can Be Prevented By Pre-pointe Exercises

Common dance injuries such as sprained ankles, inflamed Achilles tendons, and shin splints can be prevented.

To build strength in the foot muscles, a deliberate and separate routine of practice can be included in your daily routines. Strong foot muscles prevent muscle exhaustion in the calves, and in the feet.

Not all ballet teachers emphasize the use of the floor in the zillion battement tendus and battement degages that you in the first few years of training. In fact, every brushing movement you do for a grand battement, a glissade or a jete or assemble, should work the sole of the foot muscles.

Even if you are taught to use the floor properly, foot exercises added to your daily routines ensure that you build the strength needed to begin pointe work.

The common ballet injuries mentioned above can be prevented. In practicing foot exercises, reflexes are built along with muscle. Your body's proprioception is enhanced. Proprioception is a vast subject.

Suffice it to say that your brain has a communication system with the muscles, joints, and inner ear, (part of your balance system ) that is automated. It allows instant perception and adjustments to muscle behaviour so that you can function in the world without deliberately monitoring every tiny move you make.

Since we are so brilliantly engineered, let's do all we can do to take full advantage of it.

For example, Achilles tendon injuries are a symptom of deficient muscle activity, or overtraining/muscle exhaustion in the feet and perhaps lower leg muscles too. Or full body exhaustion.

The Achilles tendon will become inflamed in response to the strain and resulting lack of support in nearby muscles. The use of the foot, ankle and calves must be reviewed in order to recover, and prevent future misuse.

Take full advantage of the information from current manuals that discuss anatomy, foot types, foot exercises, and all the requirements for advancing to dancing in pointe shoes (and also lead to excellent footwork for male ballet virtuosity).

Muscle exhaustion and injuries can be prevented.

THE PERFECT POINTE BOOK gives you a wealth of information on how to prevent dance injuries. Get yours today.