Starting Block Physical Therapy

Attention all Central Oregon Dancers! Do you want a head start for next year's season? If so, this workshop series was created just for you!

The Strong Foundations in Dance series was designed to improve dancer performance and health at all ages. It's the perfect way to review and fine-tune your foundational skills to get ready for next year. The first workshop starts Tuesday, July 7th so sign up now!

Attend a single workshop that applies the most to you or attend all three. Parents are welcome to attend and all workshops will be hosted at Move It Dancewear in Bend. The cost of each workshop is $35.

You can register at this link: https://buy.stripe.com/bJebJ12V25Hw5r14Hf6Vq00

Below are more details on each workshop:

-WORKSHOP #1: The Healthy Dancer's Toolkit - Staying Strong & Healthy in Dance (Tues, July 7th from 6:00-7:15 PM)
Learn ways to stay healthy and strong throughout the year. We will discuss strategies to decrease the risk of injury and things you can do at home to help.

-WORKSHOP #2: Improving Dance Performance - Foot, Core, & Balance Training (Tues, July 14th from 6:00-7:15 PM)
Learn ways to improve your dance performance focusing on improving and challenging your foot strength, core strength, and balance.

-WORKSHOP #3: Building a Strong Foundation for Pointe (Tues, July 21st from 6:00-7:15 PM)
Learn ways to ensure a strong foundation for pointe. This is great for dancers who are preparing to move into pointe AND dancers who currently dance en pointe who want to review and continue to build on their foundation.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. Are parents invited to attend?
Yes, parents are absolutely invited to attend with their dancer.

2. When I try to sign up, all three workshops are selected but I only want to attend one.
All three workshops are selected by default. To remove a workshop, click the "Quantity" button and change it to "0" or hit "remove."

3. What age is this workshop series for?
Dancers of all ages will benefit from this workshop series. However, each workshop is designed for dancers above the age of 9-10 years. There is no upper age limit.

4. Who is this workshop series for?
Each workshop is designed for a variety of ages and abilities. If you are a younger dancer aspiring to dance en pointe or at a higher competitive level, this workshop will help you learn how to ensure you build a strong foundation to help you stay strong and healthy for the rest of your dance career. If you are dancer who already dances at a high level or en pointe, this workshop is also designed for you. It will help you revisit the foundational strength and control necessary to prevent injury and help improve your performance.

My goal with each workshop is to help give any dancer the tools and skills to set them up for future success!

For more information, visit www.startingblockpt.com/workshops. If you have any questions or problems registering, you can email [email protected].

I'm super excited about this and I hope to see you there!

What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-S?

Simply put, it occurs when athletes don't get enough fuel through food to support their energy needs. Their intake does not equal how much energy they are expending, and many times this is not intentional.

This may sound similar to the Female Athlete Triad, and it is. However, this newer terminology is broader and more comprehensive to include a wider range of body systems and include athletes of all ages and abilities (not just females).

Signs of RED-S include:
-increased frequency of injury (especially bone stress injuries)
-decreased muscle strength
-decreased endurance
-impaired judgement, decreased concentration, or irritability
-decreased coordination
-depression
-missed periods or a change in periods for female athletes (can also look like a young female athlete not beginning her menstrual cycle)

Why should you care? Because RED-S can not only impact a young athlete's performance in the short-term, but also impact their overall and long-term health into adulthood.

If you suspect your athlete is experiencing RED-S, reach out to your primary care physician/pediatrician or a sports medicine physician who has experience working with RED-S.

RED-S often requires a multi-disciplinary treatment team, and a sports physical therapist may be an important member of that team especially if your athlete has been dealing with repeat injuries or pain.

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need help connecting with professionals experienced in working with RED-S.

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical care. Please seek the care of a qualified medical professional if you are concerned.

SEVER'S DISEASE (or Calcaneal Apophysitis)

Read on to learn more about this common cause of heel pain in kids.

Physical therapy can be a great resource to help decrease pain and help kids return to their activities. Physical therapy may help by:
-improving flexibility and strength of the lower extremity, especially the calf muscles
-improving balance
-addressing any changes in squatting, jumping, or running form
-education of proper warm-up and prevention exercises
-education and instruction on other pain-relieving methods

OSGOOD-SCHLATTER DISEASE

Swipe to learn more about what this common growth plate injury at the knee is and how physical therapy can help.

Disclaimer: this post is provided for educational purposes and does not substitute for professional medical care and advice.

Little League Shoulder (or Proximal Humeral Epiphysitis)

Swipe through to learn more about this growth plate injury at the shoulder.

While it is common in pitchers and baseball players, it can also occur in other overhead athletes.

Rest is often recommended initially, but physical therapy can help by:
-Restoring and/or improving strength, range of motion, flexibility, and balance
-Providing guidance on return to throwing
-Helping preventing re-injury or future pain while keeping you healthy while playing

Share with someone you know who has a young athlete who is dealing with shoulder pain.

*Disclaimer: this post is provided for educational purposes and does not substitute for professional medical care

8 Ways You Can Help Prevent Injury

1. Proper warm-up
2. Focus on technique
3. Cross-train
4. Eat a well balanced diet
5. Stay hydrated
6. Get enough rest
7. Ensure equipment fits properly
8. Seek help early if you experience pain or injury

We know specializing in a single sport at a young age can increase risk of injury, but did you also know that NOT participating in any activity or very little activity can also increase injury risk in kids?

It is important that we promote a well balanced and varied approach to physical activity in kids to keep them healthy and promote movement for life!

While growth spurts are normal and expected throughout childhood and adolescence, they also may put kids at increased risk of injury (especially during times of rapid growth).

If your child is experiencing an injury or pain related to growing, physical therapy can help!

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It's officially spring and that means it's baseball season!

Little League Elbow (or medial epicondyle apophysitis) is a common injury in young baseball players, especially those who do a lot of throwing like pitchers. However, it is not exclusive to baseball pitchers and can occur in any overhead athlete or young athlete participating in repetitive throwing motions.

Little league elbow is an overuse injury to the growth plate at the inside of the elbow and can occur at any time during pre-adolescence or adolescence when the growth plate is open (typically between the ages of 8-15 years of age). During this time, the growth plate is the weakest link among the other structures such as bone, ligaments, and tendons so is often what is injured in this population.

Most of the time a period of rest is recommended to decrease swelling and pain, but physical therapy can help speed up a player's return to throwing and provide essential education and guidance on things like return to throwing and proper warm-up. Additionally, PT can help restore and improve the following to help a player return to playing pain-free and minimize the risk of re-injury:

-Elbow mobility and strength
-Range of motion, flexibility, and strength of other key areas of the body that help with throwing (shoulder, back, core, hips, and legs)
-Single leg balance needed for efficient throwing mechanics
-Throwing mechanics in collaboration with coaches

If you found this post helpful, please like, comment, share, and save!

*Disclaimer: this post is provided for educational purposes and does not substitute for professional medical care.

Attention all parents of dancers and young athletes!

Check out this new FREE resource to help you determine whether you need to be concerned about any discomfort your child may be experiencing.

You can download the Pain vs Soreness Self-Checklist Tool for free at: https://www.startingblockpt.com/resources

My goal is to keep your child dancing and participating in their sport pain-free and injury-free. My hope is that this resource will help you both better decide when they can push through any discomfort or when they need to seek help from a medical professional.

Please feel free to share with any friends and teammates!

Here's to staying strong, healthy, and injury-free!