Working with dancers with scoliosis

Clippinger, Karen MSPE, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, United States 

Purpose: This session is designed to provide practical tools for physical therapists, Pilates instructors, and other movement specialists to work with dancers who have scoliosis. The goal is to decrease the asymmetries and muscle imbalances often associated with scoliosis.

Approach: Participants will work in partners to develop basic skills in one approach to postural evaluation and promoting a more symmetrical standing posture or keynote position of the spine. Participants will participate in selected strengthening exercises, focusing not only on countering the lateral asymmetries, but also the rotational asymmetries associated with scoliosis. These exercises will focus on stabilizing one region of the spine, while laterally flexing and rotating the relevant portion of the spine to counter the scoliotic deformation. Sample cueing will be presented that can be used in the dance class, as well as in activities of daily living to help dancers establish their keynote position.

Results: Dancers utilizing these exercises and tools have reported less back discomfort, improved appearance in terms of symmetry, improved ability to execute dance movements with greater similarity between the right and left sides, and improved ability to balance on one leg.

Selected References

Akella P, Warren M, Jonnavithula S, Brooks-Gunn J: Scoliosis in ballet dancers.  Med Probl Perform Art. 1991; 6(3):84-86.

Molnar M,  Esterson J: Screening students in a pre-professional ballet school. J Dance Med Sci. 1997; 1(3):118-121.

Mooney V, Gulick J, Pozos, R: A preliminary report on the effect of measured strength training in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. J Spinal Disorders. 2000; 13(2):102-7.

Nault M, Allard P, Hinse S, LeBlanc R, Caron O. Sadeghi H: Relations between standing stability and body posture parameters in a scoliosis. Spine. 2002; 27(17):1911-17.