I’m getting ready for my performance in Yulia’s show, Colors of Love. I wish I could say I feel confident, but I feel less sure than I would normally, not only because we haven’t had enough time to work on the choreo and my technique, but especially because I pulled my back in December and then re-injured it recently. How did I injure it, you might ask? Well, it was while dancing tango with a tall partner. He expected me to reach really high with my left arm to do the very close embrace where the elbow is practically on the partners shoulder. Even though I stretched, that elbow was not going to reach his shoulder. I didn’t feel it at the time but the next day, my whole left side was sore, and there was even a bruise at the back of my hip. It took about 3 weeks to get better, with me still being active and dancing, and then in January I did about 50 body rolls in an hour and woke up the next day with my back stiff and sore, especially the left side. Anyway, this time round, I rested, I needed to get better quickly for the show, it’s taken about 2 weeks but I’m better, I suppose. Who says dance is not an extreme sport?
The fear of having a bad back is real! So many people suffer from it and so many have to take medications chronically, including opiates. People taking opiates can quickly develop dependency and I have had babies in the NICU born addicted to opiates because their mothers took opiates for back pain during pregnancy. So my fear of back pain is well-founded. Other than taking meds, there’s the fear of not being able to dance and even move freely. Staying away from dance these past 2- 3 weeks has been hard. I was able to practice tango, but I wasn’t able to do it at my previous level; my movements were painful and guarded and generally wrong.
Anyway, I feel better now, so I’m going to practice as hard as I can and hopefully, I will catch up to myself.
4 Responses
It’s very difficult to know in the middle of dancing what will cause you discomfort after the dancing is done. I had somewhat similar thing happen to me with my left hip. My body was able to do the high kicks required in the one dance and all the torso twisting in the other dance but all together it suffered afterwards. Turns out I possibly have some bone structural issues but needed strengthening of the muscles at the joint. A 2 year process. I still tend to have more hip pain in the left but am able to do most everything and the pain is not near that severe. I wish you continued success and recovery as you live, love and dance
Thank-you for the reassurance! I hope it all just heals, but faster than 2 years.
Sorry to hear that – back pain is terrible. Lots of rest, heating pad, and honestly, physio can help. Next time make him meet you half way!
There won’t be a next time!