I was stretching during class in early March when I heard and felt a pop in the back of my leg. Ice, and a little bit of rest kept me going until the performance. All went well, but once I was back in classes the pain in the back of my leg only grew worse.
After a week of rest my leg still hurt horrifically. We made an appointment with a sports medicine doctor who referred me to a Physical Therapist. I had torn tissue in my hamstring, most likely from an imbalance of flexibility and strength. I was given stretches like the one below, with my leg on a wall gently stretching the hamstring. Getting my leg straight up and down like this is progress but before the injury I could get my leg to my head.
I am now in week two of recovery and it's great to be back in ballet class. It's going to take a few more weeks of healing before I reach where I'm supposed to be. Things are healing fast, but I know that I must return to my top dancing shape slowly lest I injure myself again.
