http://www.articlesnatch.com/profile/Lisa-Howell/28492 Lisa Howell is an author at ArticleSnatch.com Article Directory. Below are the most recent articles from Lisa Howell. For more of articles by Lisa Howell please use the link above. http://www.articlesnatch.com/profile/Lisa-Howell/28492 http://static.articlesnatch.com/i/logo.gif en-us http://www.articlesnatch.com/profile/Lisa-Howell/28492 PHP/5.0.26 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/All-a-dancer-needs-to-know-about-patellofemoral-knee-pain-/291077 Weak knees and pain underneath the knee cap is common in dancers. This kind of pain can often occur when the students are doing more jumping, or extended rehearsals, such as prior to a show or an exam. Pain underneath the knee cap is usually a 'tracking' issue, in that the knee cap is not sliding in the groove of your thigh bone the way it should. There are several possible reasons for this. One is the classic rolling in of the feet and knees, which we are all aware of. If the dancer is sure that she is not rolling, and still has pain, there could be a problem with one of the Quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh. 'Quad' means four, and there are four muscles that make up most of the bulk of the thigh. There is one in particular that is very important, Vastus Medialis Oblique - abbreviated as VMO. This muscle is on the inner part of the quads group, and is the only part that can pull the knee cap slightly in. All of the others pull it out a little. **End Summary** Topics: Knee pain]]> patella tracking]]> growing pains]]> Ballet]]> Dance]]> Lisa Howell]]> VMO]]> Vastus Medialis Oblique]]> Patello femoral pain]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty)is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist)based in Sydney,Australia,who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level,and teachers.She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge to the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter,go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/All-a-dancer-needs-to-know-about-patellofemoral-knee-pain-/291077 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Improving-the-height-of-demi-pointe-in-a-dancer-/291075 If you have good mobility of your big toe and a good pointe range, but canâ€'t quite show this off in your single leg rises, it is important to train this area in isolation from your regular dance training. Improving strength and control in this area is a great way to guard against a number of foot and ankle injuries common to dancers. Try the following exercise to improve your strength. It helps wake up all the small muscles of your foot that need to work to get a full demi-pointe position. • See how many full height single leg rises you can do in parallel, as a base measure. • Face a barre or wall with finger tips gently resting for support. • Stand in parallel to begin, with the feet slightly apart. • Slowly rise on both feet to your full height of demi pointe. • Transfer your weight to one foot, maintaining the height of demi-pointe. • Lift the other foot off the floor and hold your balance on one leg for a few seconds. • Slowly lower the heel of the supporting leg to the floor, remembering to maintain the inside of your arch. **End Summary** Topics: Demi-pointe]]> Range]]> Strength]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> Exercises]]> Rises]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty)is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney,Australia,who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers.She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge to the world.To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book"or to receive the newsletter,go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Improving-the-height-of-demi-pointe-in-a-dancer-/291075 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Correct-activation-and-use-of-the-gluteal-muscles-in-a-dancer-/291074 Your 'Gluteal Muscles' are actually extremely important when you are dancing, and the correct use of them will help you in everything from jumps, to your work en fondu, your arabesque line, your back, and even your flexibility into the splits. It is important to work out the correct way to use these muscles, and to avoid the downside of over-using them such as tight turnout muscles, poor hip mobility, and a 'too perky' bum under your tutu! The first thing you have to understand is the difference between your turnout muscles and your gluteals. In 'The Perfect Pointe Book' (A book designed for the education of dancers. Page 54) there are great pictures to demonstrate the difference. The turnout muscles are a group of 6 deep muscles that connect from the bumpy bone on the outside of your hip (greater trochanter) towards your tail bone (sacrum) and other parts of your pelvis. They turn the top bone (femur) of your leg out, and there are six of them so that they can work to turn the hip out, no matter what range the leg is in (helps in a Grande rond de jambe). **End Summary** Topics: Gluteal muscles]]> hip extensors]]> flexibility]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> glutes]]> turnout]]> arabesque]]> ]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty)is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney,Australia,who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages,from young students to professional level, and teachers.She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge to the world.To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book"or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Correct-activation-and-use-of-the-gluteal-muscles-in-a-dancer-/291074 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-to-Treat-Achilles-Tendon-Injuries-in-a-dancer/291071 Problems in the Achilles tendon are common in dancers and it is a generally poorly understood injury in many dance circles. It is important that several other issues that may give you pain in the back of the ankle are ruled out first, before trying this program, so check with a sports doctor or physiotherapist / physical therapist before you go ahead. Other things that may give you pain behind the ankle include may an extra bone at the back of the ankle called an 'os Trigonum' and a syndrome called 'Posterior Impingement' If you do have a problem with the Achilles Tendon, it responds best if treatment is started at an early stage, but even then it may take a while to heal (sometimes in excess of three months) Long-standing Achilles tendonopathy may require an intense rehab program of up to six months. This is because it has usually developed over a long period of time, and is usually due to weaknesses or imbalances in several different areas, so it is important to correct all of these to gain a full recovery. The keys to successful rehabilitation of Achilles tendonopathy are; **End Summary** Topics: Achilles tendon]]> dance injuries]]> eccentric strengthening]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney,Australia,who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages,from young students to professional level,and teachers.She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge to the world.To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter,go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-to-Treat-Achilles-Tendon-Injuries-in-a-dancer/291071 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Developing-effective-abdominal-control-and-core-strength-in-dancers-/290903 The abdominal muscles are critical for a dancer to maintain good posture and strength throughout class and performance. Many people focus on doing loads and loads of sit-ups in order to strengthen their abdominals. Having strength through the outer ‘6 packâ€' muscles (Rectus Abdominis) is important in a dance however, the deeper layers of your abdomen are far more important in controlling the stability of the spine and preventing injury. You actually have 4 layers of abdominals and the ‘6 packâ€' configuration down the front of the body is just the outer layer. Alongside these you have two layers of Obliques which help you flex and rotate your trunk and under this you have a very important layer called your Transversus Abdominis. The fibers of this layer run almost horizontal and instead of moving the spine in any direction they contract and stabilize your abdominal organs and your lower back. This is very important to get control of and will help in your turns, arabesque and your balance in general. Dancers are required to take their spines through extraordinary ranges of motion. Establishing effective control of each vertebra is essential to avoiding injury. **End Summary** Topics: Abdominals]]> Core-strength]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> Dancer]]> Stability]]> Transversus Abdominis]]> Multifidus]]> ]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Developing-effective-abdominal-control-and-core-strength-in-dancers-/290903 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Developing-strength-and-improving-the-height-of-leg-in-a-developp-----/290902 So many girls have good flexibility when stretching, but find it hard to use this when dancing, especially with a developpé. If you simply practise the step over and over, often the result is bulky thighs, with not a lot of increase in range. This will happen if you are trying to use the front of the leg to lift, rather than controlling the leg from the hip. Many girls try to improve the height of the leg by training with weights. This is not recommended, as the dancer simply learns to use the muscles that are already working more, rather than discovering the true turnout muscles, and the smaller muscles required to stabilize the leg en lâ€'air. Here is a simple exercise to increase the range of your developpé devant. · To work out all the true muscles needed to work the leg devant, lie on your back, with your legs out straight and your hands on your hips. · Slowly pull the foot up into a retire position (feel your inner thighs working!). · Make sure that the hips stay square, and donâ€'t hitch or twist! **End Summary** Topics: Strength]]> developp©]]> exercises]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> arabesque.]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Developing-strength-and-improving-the-height-of-leg-in-a-developp-----/290902 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/The-importance-of-balance-retraining-exercises-for-the-dance-student-/290901 Good control of balance and stability of the foot and ankle are essential in any dancer. However many dancers are unaware of the many things that combine to give you good balance, and how to train the components individually. Poor balance reactions may make your supporting foot wobble and you might find it hard to stabilize en demi-pointe, or be constantly corrected for rolling arches! Poor stability in your supporting ankle is a huge barrier in increasing how high you can lift your leg en l'air, as you will be working off an unstable base. There are so many things that can influence your balance, including; your vision; your sensation of where your foot and ankle ligaments are (proprioception), and the balance sensors that actually sit inside your inner ear. It is important to train the stability of the ankle while removing one or two of the feedback systems that we use to develop all parts of the complete system. Many dancers rely far too much on their vision to maintain their balance, and this becomes a problem when turning or performing in low light situations. **End Summary** Topics: Balance]]> Demi-pointe]]> Strength]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> Exercises]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/The-importance-of-balance-retraining-exercises-for-the-dance-student-/290901 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-to-improve-your-flexibility-safely-in-to-the-splits-/290900 There are a few common mistakes people make while trying to improve their flexibility. Number one is the trying too hard with their stretches. Far too many people push their stretches too far and risk tearing muscle fibres in the process. When you stretch a muscle too much it has a protective response called the 'stretch reflex' that actually makes the muscle contract. This means that you not only risk injuring yourself, but that you donâ€'t get as much improvement as if you go a little more gently. Secondly, if you are contracting lots of other muscles to pull your leg up (this is common when trying to stretch the hamstring muscles), all the tension in the rest of your body does nothing to help the muscle you are trying to stretch relax. It important to stay relaxed throughout the programme Most people try to improve their flexibility into the splits by simply doing the splits. This will get you a certain distance but is certainly not the whole picture. **End Summary** Topics: Flexibility]]> Stretches]]> Stretch programme]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> Exercises]]> Splits]]> Flexible]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-to-improve-your-flexibility-safely-in-to-the-splits-/290900 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Why-do-dancers-often-get-growing-pains-/290875 Lots of girls and boys between the ages of 10 and 16 may be experiencing pain related to their rapid growth. Unfortunately as we grow, all the action takes place at the growth plates in our bones, and it does take some time for the muscles, ligaments and nerves to adjust to their new positions. This means that hamstrings that were allowing you to get into the splits easily three months ago might be a little short for the new leg they are attached to! As tempting as it is to stretch them out constantly, it is also a time when we have to be REALLY careful about how much, and how hard we stretch. Unfortunately, a lot of your muscles attach to the bones right on the growth plate. For instance, the tendon that attaches your knee cap to your lower leg does so right on the growth plate of your tibia (shin bone). Your hamstrings also attach to a softer bit of bone at the base of your pelvis. **End Summary** Topics: Knee pain]]> growth pains]]> flexibility]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> growing pains]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Why-do-dancers-often-get-growing-pains-/290875 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/What-is-Osgood-Schlatters-Disease-/289773 The way some muscles attaches into the growth plates of your bones can cause problems if you are doing a lot of sport involving jumping and running, which is why a lot of girls and boys who dance or do athletics get issue with their knees. This happens especially around periods of growth when the growth plates are more active. If you have pain below the knee cap, and you think it may be the growth plates, it may be a syndrome called Osgood Schlatters Disease. This is not really a ‘diseaseâ€' but is just named after the guy who discovered it. The tendon that attaches the patella (knee cap) to the tibia (shin bone) is called the patella tendon. The tendon attaches to your tibia right on the growth plate. The muscles of the front of the thigh (quadriceps) attach into the top of the patella which acts as a pulley to allow you to straighten your leg without the muscle rubbing over the edges of the bone. If you bend and straighten the knee many times, the constant pulling on the growth plate can aggravate it and you can get quite a bit of pain. **End Summary** Topics: Knee pain]]> growth pains]]> Osgood Schlatters Disease]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> growing pains]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/What-is-Osgood-Schlatters-Disease-/289773 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/What-Pointe-Shoes-Are-Best-For-My-Feet-/289771 There are many different brands of pointe shoes, made in very different countries and there is no one shoe that is perfect for everyone. Different dancers have different shaped feet, and so require different proportions to their shoe to get that magic fit. Some people have very long narrow toes while others have a very broad foot with a very narrow heel. Finding (or creating) a shoe that fits well can take a lot of searching, along with a little trial and error. One way to find the shoe that is best for you is to go to a store that has several makes of shoe to find the one that suits your foot the best. Once you find which brand suits you, a specialty store that stocks only that one brand will probably have more shoes around your size to get a great fit. Some dance teachers like all their girls to have the same brand; however the chances of all those feet needing the same shoe are pretty slim! It is better for each girl to find the shoe that fits them the best, and then find ways to make the satins appear the same for performances. **End Summary** Topics: Flat Feet]]> Foot]]> Dancer]]> Pointe]]> Shoes]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> Fitting]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/What-Pointe-Shoes-Are-Best-For-My-Feet-/289771 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Dealing-with-Bunions-En-Pointe/289770 Many girls who start on pointe are scared that they will get bunions from doing pointe work. Pointe work will not 'cause' bunions, however if you do have a family predisposition to bunions (check out your Mother and Grandmothers feet!) then wearing ill fitting shoes (whether they are street shoes or pointe shoes) may hasten their development. People usually say that they have a bunion if they start getting a lump out at the base of the big toe. You can get a 'pseudo' bunion by the rubbing of the pointe shoe if the wings are too short and do not come up to the level of the big toe joint, or wear a very narrow box. This causes the toes to be squashed together, and the ball of the foot sits above the box, rather than being supported within it. Often picking a shoe with longer wings and a wider box will help reduce pressure on the area, and the irritation will subside... **End Summary** Topics: Bunions]]> Pointe]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> Exercises]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Dealing-with-Bunions-En-Pointe/289770 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-Do-You-Fit-Pointe-Shoes-Properly-/289768 All brands make several different shapes and styles of pointe shoes, which are designed for different people and different uses. This is often very confusing for first time buyers, so if at all possible get your dance teacher, or an experienced dancer to go along to the fitting with you. The fitters in various stores can range from exceptional to very average, so it is a good idea to get a name of a good fitter on the recommendation of someone you trust. While the person who fits your shoe should check all of the following things, it is good to know what to look for, and to feel, yourself. The fitter can look at how the shoe looks from the outside, but only you can feel what is going on inside. If possible, ask your teacher to come with you the first time you get your pointe shoes fitted, so that they can check the fit. If they cannot go, always check the fit of the shoes with them with them before you sew on the ribbons, break in the shoe or dance in them. **End Summary** Topics: Dancer]]> Pointe]]> Shoes]]> Ballet]]> Lisa Howell]]> Fitting]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-Do-You-Fit-Pointe-Shoes-Properly-/289768 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-Old-Is-Too-Old-To-Start-Pointe-Work-/289766 The "How Old Is Too Old?" question comes up often in forums and discussion groups centred on pointe training and it is an issue that not many teachers/therapists/authors address. Technically, there is less risk to adult feet when beginning en pointe as their growth plates are fully fused. However, very few adults who have not danced for several years in their youth will possess a foot of suitable shape or strength for dancing en pointe. The Perfect Pointe Book”, a downloadable e-book designed to help girls get strong enough for pointe work, has details on exactly how to measure the range of motion in various parts of the foot and ankle required for pointe training. The issue of flexibility is the main area that will hinder most mature students from achieving a fully pointed position of the ankle, as this often requires some gentle stretching of the ligaments that is much easier when we are young. The range possible at the ankle also depends significantly on the natural mobility of the ligaments in general. Therefore, in a ‘hypermobileâ€' individual (general laxity in all ligaments of the body), this will be easier to achieve. **End Summary** Topics: Pointe]]> Age]]> Old]]> Adult Ballet]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-Old-Is-Too-Old-To-Start-Pointe-Work-/289766 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Pointe-vs--Weight--How-heavy-is-too-heavy-to-be-dancing-en-pointe-/289764 It is possible that a dancer who is slightly ‘heavierâ€' does has enough strength to hold their weight en pointe, however how heavy is too heavy to dance en pointe? This issue of "weight" is very common in dancing, and often girls get a distorted idea of what is normal when involved in dance for a long period of time. However it is commonly asked what is about the ideal weight for pointe work. It is possible to be too big for pointe work, and bigger girls do need to be stronger to go en pointe due to more pressure going through the ankle ligaments. However, you do not need to be a 'stick' either! "Les Trocaderos De Monte Carlo" there are plenty of fully grown men en pointe, who I am sure will be vastly heavier than any girl. Basically, it depends whether you carry weight as muscle or as fatty tissue, and how strong you are. If you have done all the preparation exercises in The Perfect Pointe Book, and are sure that you are doing all the tests correctly and can demonstrate your strength to you teacher. I feel it is reasonable to dance on pointe. **End Summary** Topics: Weight]]> pointe]]> Lisa Howell]]> Dance]]> Ballet]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Pointe-vs--Weight--How-heavy-is-too-heavy-to-be-dancing-en-pointe-/289764 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-Ballet-Dancers-Can-Avoid-Common-Foot-Injuries/289763 Most dancers will complain of some foot injury at some stage in their training, and professional ballet dancers will often be plagued with chronic foot injuries, ranging from mild ones that are nursed for years, to severe injuries that may be career ending. The truth is that many common foot and ankle ‘injuriesâ€' occur as a result of poor intrinsic” foot muscle strength. The intrinsic” foot muscles are tiny little muscles that start and end within the foot, that help control the position of a ballet dancerâ€'s arch, and are responsible for the control of her toes within the shoe en pointe. If these small muscles are not working effectively, larger muscles called the extrinsic” foot muscles that originate further up the leg become overused, as they attempt to perform two roles. This often leads to conditions such as Anterior Compartment Syndrome”, Stress Fractures” of the shin bone (tibia), or ‘Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome” , commonly known as Shin Splints”. Weakness in the intrinsic foot muscles and overuse of the extrinsic muscles will also result in the toes ‘clawingâ€' both when rising, and en pointe. **End Summary** Topics: Ballet]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-Ballet-Dancers-Can-Avoid-Common-Foot-Injuries/289763 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/The-Value-Of-Online-Community-In-Dance-Education/289762 There is a huge need for comprehensive quality dance information to educate young dancers about their bodies, to extend their boundaries and their perception of what they are capable of, and learn about the prevention and treatment of injuries. Far too often in the dance community, the old adage of, if it hurts, it is good for you” is far too prevalent, and despite the many wonderful teachers who embrace safe dance techniques, many young dancers are getting serious injuries at very young ages. Many young dancers cannot differentiate between the ‘painâ€' of a stretch, and ‘injury painâ€'. They are often ‘working intoâ€' areas best left to heal, and not addressing the real causes of their aches and pains. The development of an extensive online dance community has enabled the spread of essential information to the dancers who need it most. No matter how remote the dancers location, and what standard of teaching he/she is able to get, as long as they have access to an internet connection, there is the possibility to learn so much about their own body, as well as techniques to advance their dancing. **End Summary** Topics: Dance]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/The-Value-Of-Online-Community-In-Dance-Education/289762 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-do-you-tell-when-a-girl-is-ready-for-pointe-work-/289761 It is one of the most often asked questions in ballet, yet one to which there has not really been one definitive answer; How do I know when I (or one of my students) am ready for pointe work?” Young girls dream of their first pair of pointe shoes for years before they will be allowed to get into them, and, until now, it has basically been up to the teacher to decide when each student makes the transition. This has lead to many girls being allowed up too early, to keep up with their class”, often resulting in chronic foot injuries that may plague even the most competent dancer throughout their career, or even permanent damage. Due to the variability in growth rates of girls in the 11 14 year age group (when most girls start en pointe) and the lack of complete closure of many of the growth plates in the feet until at least 16 18 years of age, strength of the feet and ankles is a huge factor in preventing injury when progressing onto pointe. In Australia, many dance teachers have realised the importance of getting each girl individually assessed prior to going onto pointe. **End Summary** Topics: Pointe]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancer"'s newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge around the world. To find out more about The Perfect Pointe Book" or to receive the newsletter, go to <a href="http://www.theperfectpointebook.com">www.theperfectpointebook.com</a> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-do-you-tell-when-a-girl-is-ready-for-pointe-work-/289761