Injuries are a consequence of trauma to a bodily structure. In the athletic population, this includes ligaments, tendons, muscles or bones. The trauma can be acute or chronic and can affect more than one body structure (if you have a primary shoulder injury, you may start to hold your head in an abnormal position, or perhaps rely on the opposite arm more so than you usually do). The injury causes changes at the micro and macro levels of the individual athlete. Torn ligaments can cause swelling and pain at the site of injury (micro), instability of the leg and fear of movement (macro).

The healing process should be taken into consideration. It is typically divided into three phases: inflammatory (~2 days), proliferative (48 hours – 4 weeks), and regenerative (4-6 weeks). Each phase typically lasts for a specific amount of time. However, there may be some overlap between phases and it is possible to regress if a structured program is not followed or early return to sport is adopted. 

Injuries can limit participation in dance- this can be self-limiting such as pain, weakness or fear of movement. Or it can be at the request of a choreographer or director- they may choose to modify certain dance moves or parts of a show. 

If acute injuries are not properly cared for, they may linger on and effect how you move. If you become accustomed to avoiding a particular move due to weakness or instability, you may adjust your dance style to avoid this pain. 

This article will speak to ballroom dancers in Poland and how they address injuries.