Analyzing and Improving Movement: The Benefits of Working with a Dance Physical Therapist
By Colleen Bickel
Colleen Bickel was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM. After obtaining a BFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah, she was able to tour as a professional dancer for many years. Colleen traveled all over the United States before settling in the concrete jungle of NYC. Living the artist’s life in NYC was a dream come true, but after a while she realized she was longing to reconnect with mountains and nature. Colleen graduated with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Washington and has called the gorgeous PNW home ever since.
Colleen's passion has always been to understand the inner mechanics of the body, whether for the everyday functions of life or for the more intense activities of the professional athlete or weekend warrior. She worked as a bookkeeper for many years (which helped pay the rent for her artistic life), and feels passionate about proper ergonomics and fitting physical activity into daily life. Colleen loves learning and is a certified Level 5 Romana’s Pilates Instructor and a MELT (Myofascial Energetic Lengthening Technique) Level 1 practitioner. She has taken classes in Ideokinesis, the Franklin method, Bartenieff Fundamentals, and other myofascial release systems. Additionally, Colleen is currently working towards her Certificate in Manual Physical Therapy and Certificate of Achievement in Pelvic Health. Colleen believes in looking at the body as an entire system rather than piecemeal parts in order to treat the whole person.
By Colleen Bickel
Dancers, I have a question for you.
Do you go see your doctor every year for a check-up?
Yes?
Why do you do that?
Is it to check to make sure that your heart, lungs, throat, lymph nodes, sinuses, abdominal organs, skin, etc. are healthy? Do you also bring any health concerns you are currently having to ask them?
Ok, here’s another question:
Do you go to your physical therapist (PT) for a yearly check in? Do you bring any muscle, tendon, and/or bone concerns you are currently having to ask them?
No? Hmmm. Neither did I. Until lately.
I grew up as a ballet dancer, majored in modern dance in college, danced professionally with 5 different dance companies in Utah and NYC… and I never saw a PT unless I was injured. Why is that? Well, part of it is because insurance company payments for physical therapy are structured around injuries, instead of prevention. Doctors are allowed to bill for “wellness or prevention visits,” but that principle has not been expanded to physical therapy yet. The APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) is trying to change that, so that injuries can be prevented. But, for now, if you wanted to see a PT without having a particular injury/pain/problem/discomfort, you would have to pay cash instead of using insurance (which a lot of dancers cannot afford), or find a PT who does pro bono work or has a sliding scale.
The other reason we do not seek out physical therapists is that it simply isn’t a habit. We don’t think to do it. We will seek out massage therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, trainers, Pilates & yoga classes and pay cash for those. So, why not PT?
After I retired from dancing, I knew I wanted to know even more about the body. I wanted answers to all the movement questions that had cropped up throughout my dance career. I knew how movement felt. I knew how to warm up, how to cross train and condition, how to rest and prevent catastrophic injuries, etc. But what if I was having issues with little cricks, little tweaks, or differences in my flexibility? What about my ability to balance on one leg versus the other? All I knew to do was stretch more, strengthen more, and focus on my form in the gym and in class. I never thought to ask my PT if she could help me figure out how to lift my left leg as high as my right. Or help me perform double pirouettes to the left, as they were so much harder for me than turning to the right.
So, here I was in my mid-30s, a dancer who had decided to retire. I was teaching Pilates while doing a variety of other odds and ends jobs, because that’s how you make ends meet in NYC. I thought about becoming a doctor or an orthopedic surgeon; but I still wanted to move and to watch movement. Who was I going to become after being a dancer?
One day, I asked a PT how they would describe what a PT did to someone who had never heard of a PT before. How would they define themselves? This PT told me, “I’m a musculoskeletal expert who analyzes movement and makes movement better.” At no point did they say they dealt only with injuries. Instantly I thought, “Well shoot! I’ve been analyzing movement all my life and I want to become a musculoskeletal expert!” The rest, as they say, is history.
A few years later, I find myself working with dancers daily as a part of my job at Innova Physical Therapy, and I love every minute of it.
So, here are my final questions for you:
Why, as a dancer, are you not working with a physical therapist who specializes in the performing arts to help you become an even better dancer? What things (beyond injuries) would you consider seeing your performing arts physical therapist for? Here are just a few:
Yearly Health Screenings for Joints, Muscles, Tendons, and Bones
Injury Prevention, Conditioning, and Home Programs
Pre-Pointe and Pointe Assessments
Body Asymmetries:
Do you have something that “looks different” between sides: like an ankle that wings more, or one side of your rib cage that sticks out more, or shoulders that are uneven?
Muscular Imbalances:
Do you feel stronger on one side rather than the other?
Do you feel crooked?
Is one calf or thigh bigger than the other?
Muscle or Joint Tightness:
Is one side tighter than the other?
Do you find you are standing on one leg more than the other?
Do you have a spot in your body that you stretch constantly but it always seems to be tight?
Do you have differences in turn out between legs (i.e. one side turns out much further than the other)?
Muscle Control:
Do you feel able to control all your movement?
Are you hypermobile?
I’m hopeful one day, every person in the United States will go to their PT for a yearly check in. For now, anyone can see a PT paying cash until we make changes to our medical system in order to use insurance. Now, keep in mind, you’ll probably want a specialist, and it may take some searching to find your perfect fit, but we are out there! I think dancers, who are so smart, in-touch, and thoughtful about their bodies, can start paving the way for others to follow. I’ve seen so many dancers (including myself) who have been able to increase their understanding of their bodies, and improve their strength, stamina, and technique by collaborating with a PT. Working strategically with a PT, may be a great way to improve your dancing, your health, and your longevity in the field for years to come.
If your studio is interested in a free workshop with one of our dance specialists please feel free to contact me. If you are uncertain if you should see a PT and whether it would be covered under insurance, feel free to send me an email as well!
Check out the links below to learn more about or contact Colleen, and check out DWC’s Local Dance Specialists page to find a dance specialist near you!