Injury Report – Achilles

Achilles Tendinopathy is often an injury that can develop in dancers due to the repetitive nature of a dancer’s workload. Dancers will often feel stiff and sore in the tendon in the mornings or after cooling down after dancing. Others may struggle with pain when completing jumping activities such as allegro and feel very tight into the calves.

Pain in the area of the Achilles Tendon is often misdiagnosed, so please make sure to get a specific diagnosis. Attending to any pain in the area as soon as the symptoms appear should help prevent a tendinopathy from developing and save a lot of rehab time! Any comprehensive treatment plan should be guided by a qualified health professional and must address all contributing factors.

A period of relative rest is often needed to settle the pain and retrain the motor programs that govern the movement before a gradual progression back into class. Modification may include a floor barre and restrictions on rising and jumping until the pain settles. This will help prevent the same injury reoccurring!