The Dance Physio Podcast

Back by popular demand, another Q&A style episode. 

In part 4 of this series, we tackle questions like 

Have a question you want answered on a future episode? Send me an email or a DM on social media and I'll add it to the list for next time!

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

The start of the new dance season is just around the corner, and with it comes an increase in early season dance injuries. On this week's episode we're discussing why we see a spike in injuries at the beginning of the season, what dancer's should be doing NOW (ie before the season starts) to prepare their body, and what they should be doing the first 4-6 weeks of the season to make sure your season isn't derailed by injury when it's just getting started.

Additional podcast episodes mentioned in this episode:
Episode 6: Periodization in...

A bit of a different podcast episode this week as I've recently returned from the Calgary Dance Teacher Expo and I wanted to share some of the my experience and reflections on the event. Have a listen to hear about the expo, what I thought about both exhibiting and presenting, as well as my key take-aways from the event.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

In this week's podcast episode, I am fortunate to sit down with Dr Stephanie Potreck from AusDancersOverseas. Dr. Potreck is a sports nutritionist and expert in the field of low energy availability and especially how it affects dancers health and performance. In this conversation, we discuss her journey in the dance world and transition into medicine, how the field is rapidly changing, and whether RED-S/RED-D exists as a separate entity or whether it is tied to the larger picture of stress physiology/allostatic load. 

*disclaimer: please be aware that this episode discusses topics including eating disorders, d...

Balance is a complex task that requires skilled practice, especially at the level required by dancers. Simply standing on one leg in a static passé or relevé position is often not enough to see the improvements most dancers are looking for. In this episode, I break down the 3 major components of balance, and why understanding what is affecting our balance is the key to training it effectively.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

It’s no secret that the demands for flexibility have increased in the dance world in recent years. But what about those students who seem to hit a flexibility plateau so matter how much stretching they do? In this episode, I discuss 5 things that could be limiting your dancer's flexibility progress, despite them working hard and stretching regularly.

Additional podcast episodes mentioned in this episode:
Episode 11: Flexibility for Dancers Part 1 - Flexibility vs Mobility
Episode 12: Flexibility for Dancers Part 2 -  The Truth About Overstretching
Episode 13: Flexibility for Dancers Part 3 - The Nervous Sys...

A common goal amongst dancers is wanting to improve their pointe range or their arch. But is this actually possible? In this episode, we dive into the factors that are involved in pointe range, figuring out where the limitations might be coming from, and whether we can change them through exercise and training.

Additional podcast episodes mentioned in this episode:
Episode 57: The Truth About Foot Stretchers

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

This past week there was a major dance media outlet that published an article and social media post with some problematic language around 'gripping in the quads'. In this week's podcast episode, I unpack what was so problematic and why it matters to dancers, as well as what gripping in the quads actually means and how we can address it in a productive way.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

On this week's episode, I'm joined by ballet educator, mentor and founder of Ballet Reeducation - Austin Crumley. We discuss his journey from professional dancer to professional educator, his unique approach to teaching ballet for the 21st century, and how we can use what research and dance science tells us to inform and progress ballet education.

About Austin:
Austin Crumley is a ballet educator, pedagogy researcher, and the founder of Ballet Reeducation (BRe) — a professional development platform built at the intersection of pedagogy, psychology, and dance science. His work centers on on...

The concept of light as a healing element has been around for thousands of years, but it's only been recently that Red Light Therapy has become a popular modality for healing and wellness.

In this week's podcast, I break down what Red Light Therapy is, how different types of wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum affect cellular function, the specific benefits of different types of bioactive light, and how dancers can use Red Light Therapy to promote healing and recovery.

Check out my favourite source for trusted red light products - Fringe Heals. Summer Sale on...

Functional tasks, or fundamental movement patterns, are movements that lay the foundation for more complicated movement patterns. They are often considered essential movements for activities of daily living, and are some of the first movement patterns we develop as babies and toddlers when we're learning gross motor skills.

Dancers spend endless hours training complex and highly skilled movement patterns, sometimes at the expense of these foundational movement patterns.

In this week's podcast, I discuss the #1 functional task that I see dancers struggle with in the clinic and why it matters for more than just injury...

Sever's Disease is a common cause of heel pain in growing adolescent dancers. Probably more aptly named a condition rather than a disease, Sever's is inflammation of the calcaneal growth plate (officially termed calcaneal apophysitis).

In this episode, you'll learn what causes Sever's Disease, common symptoms associated with it, why an accurate diagnosis is important, as well as treatment approaches we use for dancers experiencing it.

Additional podcast episodes mentioned in this episode:
Episode 28: Growth Plate Injuries in Dancers
Episode 129: Osgood-Schlatter Disease in Dancers<...