Sore back? Painful plantar fasciitis? Tired legs? Sounds
like you’ve been dancing! These, among many others, are all common issues that
dancers of all kinds (professional, amateur and everyone in between) deal with
when they spend time in the studio. Whether you want to feed your soul or to
get in better shape, your body is sure to feel the effects of your craft. You
stretch, you work on core strength, and you take Epsom salt baths, yet some
aches and pains persist. So where do you turn to find relief so you can
continue to cha cha to your heart’s content? One word: bodywork.
Massage Therapy, while becoming more mainstream in our
society as a legitimate tool in self-care, still struggles with the stigma of
being frivolous. Many people continue to view massage as a way to “pamper”
themselves, rather than as an important way to maintain healthy musculature,
manage pain, and improve overall health. You might “indulge” once or twice a
year and go to the spa. Perhaps you are having a hard time justifying spending
the time and money on regular bodywork. Perhaps you still think of massage
simply as a way to relax. Are massages relaxing? Certainly. Do your muscles
NEED to be relaxed? Absolutely!!! Being both a long-time dancer and a licensed
massage therapist, I have an insider’s perspective on how vital it is that
those who dance incorporate massage into their regular health care routine.
Regardless of how cliché as it sounds, as a dancer you know
that your body is your instrument. It is the tool with which you express
yourself. So, to belabor the metaphor, let’s imagine your body as an actual
musical instrument: a guitar. Your strings need to be properly positioned in
order to play your tune. If they are in the wrong position you will not be able
to produce the sound you desire; the tone will be thin and poor at best and it
can even put stress and strain on the wood of the guitar, thus warping the wood
(sometimes irreparably). All it takes is some regular realignment and
fine-tuning of these strings to get you playing the way you want (and need) to.
Naturally, in this scenario, your muscles are your guitar strings; they require
constant attention and realignment in order to keep your body functioning at an
optimal level. By assuring that your muscles are where they are supposed to be,
your body can better cope with the strain that dance can put upon them. And
that makes for not only better but more comfortable movement. Want more
comfortable and effortless movement? Every dancer does. So be a fool for
dancing, but don’t be a dancing fool: get that massage!
To break it down, here is a list of some of the myriad
benefits you can expect from regular bodywork:
·
Relief of muscular and myofascial tension and
stiffness
·
Improved circulation of blood and the lymphatic
system
·
Increase in range of motion and flexibility in
joints
·
Promotion of tissue regeneration and reduction
of scar tissue
·
Lessening of anxiety, depression and general
stress
·
Heightened immune system
·
Release of endorphins (the natural pain reliever
of the body) and oxytocin
·
Relief of migraine and tension headaches and
fibromyalgia
·
Reduction of swelling
·
Improvement of posture
·
Lowering of blood pressure
·
Enhancement of injury and/or post-operative
rehabilitation
In today’s fast-paced society, we want results NOW. And in a
perfect world, you could get a massage once and all your aches and pains would
be cured. However, our bodies don’t cooperate with this “one-and-done”
mentality. Constant stressors on both the mind and body continuously add
tension to your muscles and it takes effort to combat the effects. You wouldn’t
brush your teeth once every six months and expect to maintain good oral
hygiene, right? Of course not! The same is true of your muscular system,
especially when you engage in such vigorous use of it like you do when you
dance. As a massage therapist, one of the most common questions I get asked is,
“How often should I get a massage?” My answer is always the same: “As often as
your pocketbook allows!” The truth is, there is no hard and fast answer to this
question. Many variables factor into how often you should get bodywork. Do you
have any injuries, chronic or acute? How is your nutrition? What is your
exercise regime? How is your general health? And yes, the taboo question of
your age plays a part in this as well. The hard fact is that the older we get,
the more care we need to give our muscles. At the age of 41, my body simply
doesn’t respond the way it did when I was in my twenties; I have to work a
little harder to do things that came effortlessly when I was younger. I marvel
at some of the feats I was capable of in my heyday as a dancer that seem next to
impossible these days! However, receiving regular bodywork is one way I make
sure that my body is working at maximum capacity so that I can continue to do
what I love: dance! There is absolutely no reason I can’t dance my way into my
eighties and beyond! It just takes more effort on my part to make that
possible. Massage is a vital part of that self-care.
So continue to work on your frame, your footwork and your
styling. Take that group class, that private lesson and that workshop. Go to
the club, participate in a fun dance outing and sign up for that competition
you’ve been dreaming about. Dance to your heart’s content! And then do yourself
a favor and book a massage. Your partner, your instructor and (most
importantly) your body will thank you.
Contributed by Rebecca Ash
