The Dance Docs

As counties begin to increase their guidance on the use of masks indoors and outdoors there has been a lot of talk about whether it is safe for dancers to be taking class, going to competitions, and performing with the use of masks. We touched on this in an earlier episode and Dr. Kat has written some guidance on the use of masks for dancers, we decided to take a deeper look at whether masks are safe to use in a dance setting.

This last week has brought on a new wave of emotions for many of us. With so many dance companies across the world closing their doors and rescheduling their seasons the questions are coming in with regards to the emotional impacts of not having any clear structure as to when will we return to work, and if there will still be a job for performing artists when all of this is over. Practitioners in the US have expressed concerns of having to close their small practices that focus on dance medicine as well as being called in to help make life altering decisions should our health care system become overwhelmed. As PT’s we wear so many hats; as your Physical therapist, as your mental therapist, as a care giver, but in times like these I think it’s necessary to reach out to the community at large and make sure that you are not only taken care of physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. The Dance Docs want to make sure that all aspects of dancer health are being addressed throughout the containment process of COVID-19.

I am excited about this first segment of The Whole Dancer where I sit down with Sports Psychologist Dr. Scott Leydig. Scott is a clinical sport psychologist who works with athletes, dancers and performers. Dr. Davenport and myself have both worked with him as part of an interdisciplinary team to help dancers overcome anxiety, depression, coping with injuries and much more.

On this week's episode of The Dance Docs I sit down with Dr. Caitlin Alexander PT. Caitlin and I connected a few years ago through a mutual friend and we quickly bonded over our past history as dancers and current love for triathlon. She has helped me through many of my own injuries and I am so thrilled to sit down with her to discuss running for dancers. Caitlin is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to running for dancers, whether it’s how to safely introduce a dancer to running, or what ways dancers can build the strength needed for running, and so much more. I hope that you enjoy this conversation with Caitlin, and if you want to check out her great dance videos, or even more information on running check her out on instagram @caitalexander.

Thank you for tuning in to the initial episode of Ask the Dance Docs, we are excited that you are joining us today.  On today’s episode Dr. Kathleen Davenport MD and myself sit down to discuss our top tips for injury prevention, how to transition from heels to pointe shoes, and what are some supplements to help subdue inflammation.

Hi, and welcome to the Dance Docs Podcast, I am your podcast host Dr. Kat Bower Physical Therapist.   The concept for this podcast was sparked by the thought provoking questions from the dancers that I have worked with over the years.  It is my goal is to create a space where dancers, practitioners, teachers and anyone in the dance community can come to ask their questions regarding dancer health and wellness.  This space is for you.  

Our first series of podcasts will be Ask The Dance Docs where myself and Dr. Kathleen L. Davenport MD will focus on  answering your questions on all things musculoskeletal, whether it’s how to get over nagging injuries, what are good cross training methods, how many relevés should I really be doing?  We are ready and looking forward to your questions.

I am really excited to welcome you to this space and see how it grows.  We look forward to hearing from you and tune in every other week for new episodes!

In Health
Dr. Kat Bower PT