Injury

It's amazing how complex the human body is, the limits that we dancers push beyond in an attempt to make unnatural movement appear natural. We bend, we stretch, and we strengthen.  Our bodies do have breaking points and sometimes a break, a tear, or pull can come from months, or years of unknowing misuse.

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.