Attention dancers of all types! We’ve got your backs with dance-specific care provided by Dr. Cydney Keller and Suzanne Chi! Both providers have backgrounds as dancers themselves, and bring that unique perspective to the care of the many dancers we treat here at Equilibrium.
Treatment for Dancers
For active populations, especially those engaging rigorously in specific activities like dance, it becomes even more important to maintain good body mechanics. “You can think of chiropractic treatment like getting the alignment on your car checked and corrected. It can be preventive, ensuring that wear and tear does not occur asymmetrically. It can also be corrective, improving underlying dysfunction happening with or without pain,” says Dr. Cydney.
Suzanne recommends Chinese medicine as an effective treatment for musculoskeletal conditions, and as a whole-health approach to care. Acupuncture can help address aspects of health other than the primary complaint that can impact healing, including sleep health, hormone regulation and digestive health.
From Suzanne:
“Dancers are unique in the sense that they are athletes with a very specialized way in which they use their bodies. They need both strength and great flexibility, range of motion and articulation of physicality and emotion. It’s helpful to have health practitioners that understand this, and the training backgrounds that bring dancers to their door.”
Suzanne, combining her love for the Modern Dance style of Martha Graham, and her modern 2020 Acupuncture accoutrement. Here is pose #17, acupuncture edition
Dance challenges many of the body's tissues as well as the necessary balance between strength and flexibility. Because of the emphasis that dance often places on achieving certain body positions or aesthetics, healthy movement principles can be even more important. The unique stresses placed on a dancer’s body can manifest in common patterns of injury and dysfunction.
Dr. Cydney says,
“The injuries that dancers suffer range from things I see daily (such as unstable shoulder blades causing tight muscles in the neck and shoulders) to more unique conditions such as stress fractures in the toes and feet.”
Why is it important to have activity-specific care?
Seeing a provider with knowledge of the specific demands placed on a dancer's body can ensure that treatment is targeted and beneficial. Dancers need stability in some areas and mobility in others, which can vary greatly from the average patient. Many dance injuries are a result from improper technique and bad habits practiced over time. Having healthcare providers that are aware of common technique pitfalls and the body mechanics used in dance, like turnout, can greatly assist the provider’s ability to diagnose and treat issues.
Another reason to seek activity-specific care is to facilitate communication between patient and provider. Many styles of dance, like ballet, have very codified and specific terminology. When patient and providers share a common vocabulary, greater understanding can be reached on both sides.
International Association for Dance Medicine
Building on their dance-informed healthcare practices, Cydney and Suzanne attended the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science conference in 2019*, which provided the opportunity to learn from dance researchers, clinicians, and instructors from all over the world. IADMS is a collection of dance educators physiotherapists, health professionals, dance movement researchers, perceptuo-motor learning and dance kinesiology teachers; and students sharing knowledge and research to enhance the well-being, health, training and performance of dancers.
A huge value that Equilibrium can provide for dancers is the opportunity to be treated in tandem by both Dr. Cydney and Suzanne. Though they may focus on different symptoms and treatment approaches, they work closely on shared cases, bringing greater cohesiveness to the overall health of each dancer and patient.
Give us a call today to schedule an appointment, or learn more about these providers, click the button below!
*Photos taken in 2019, hence, no masks.