Above the Barre

Stuck somewhere between the traditional idea of an athlete and an artist, the “performing athlete” not only has the physical demands of their activity to consider, but also the artistic performance aspect. Whether you are a dancer, gymnast, cheerleader or ice skater - you put your life, mind and body into your sport. And when you get hurt, you want someone who understands that.

If you do it for exercise, just for fun or if you are pursuing a career in your chosen performance field, you deserve health care that is specific to your individual needs. At Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital, our physical therapists work with your physician, your teacher or coach and most importantly with you to develop a program that will return you quickly and safely to your activity.

• Our physical therapists have over 20 years of performance experience including performances with Ballet Austin, Colorado Ballet, BalletMet, California Ballet, Walnut Hill School for Performing Arts, Creighton Ballet Company as well as high school and club cheerleading teams. These performance experiences coupled with our rehabilitation expertise allow us to provide care that is specific to you and to your sport.
• Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital Physical Therapy is the official physical therapy provider for Ballet Nebraska, Nebraska’s only professional ballet company.

All athletes have sport specific physical demands that need to be addressed in order to return them to full, pain free activity following an orthopedic injury. “Performing Athletes” participate in intense, highly repetitive and high impact activities. They have unique strength, flexibility, balance and movement control requirements to perform at their highest level. In addition to these physical demands, there is also an aesthetic quality and performance aspect that must be considered. A thorough understanding of these things and how they impact injury and rehabilitation are crucial in the care of the performing athlete.

• Strength and Flexibility Assessment - Dance, cheerleading and gymnastics have a tendency to favor certain muscle groups over others, creating imbalances in strength and flexibility. These imbalances lead to undo stress on your muscles and joints and can lead to pain and injury.
• Biomechanical Analysis - The physical demands of these artistic activities is beyond normal expectations for the body. Are you using your body correctly to achieve these above ordinary postures and positions? Or are you compensating in a way that is damaging your body?
• Relative Rest Recommendations - Sometimes it is safe to dance or compete through the pain, sometimes it is not. We will tailor a return to performance program that is specific to you so that you can continue doing what you love without causing further injury.
• Prevention Strategies - Tired of the same problem coming and going? Don’t just try to treat it yourself- learn tips to avoid repetitive injuries, and how to prevent something small from turning into something serious.

For more information about our Physical and Occupational Therapy services, please contact us at 402.609.1750 or email ptot@nohmail.com.