How to Prevent Common Belly Dance Injuries

Belly Dancing Injury-Free

There will always be risks associated with all forms of exercise. How likely those risks are to manifest will depend a lot on how you approach the activity and whether or not you follow the recommendations of the experts, like proper form, etc.

There are, of course, risks of injury associated with belly dance, but there are ways to prevent them from happening.

First Thing to Consider

If something you’re doing is hurting, stop. There are many reasons why it may be hurting. For example, you may need to warm up more and stretch before trying out that move, or you may need to perfect your technique first, with the help of your teacher. It could also be due to your body’s natural anatomy or due to a past injury that may be bothering you. To avoid a severe injury, stop as soon as it starts bothering you.

Keep a Good Posture

Bad posture is not just a concern because of how it can affect you aesthetically. It can also lead to injury. No rounded shoulders, or slumped stances, or buttocks pushed to the back —which can exaggerate the lower back arch. When you’re dancing, your basic posture should be as follows:

• Feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed forward —unless you have a medical reason not to
• Knees in a neutral position. Avoid keeping your knees bent for too long
• Rotate your pelvis forward so that it aligns with the rest of your body, and the pubic bone points directly down to the ground
• Chest out, as if you had a string going through the center of your body, lifting you straight up
• Shoulders back

Be Careful with Your Neck

Hair tosses look fun and flirty in belly dance choreographies; however, they are to be performed with care as they can compromise the neck. Before you try this move, you should build the strength in your neck that is needed to support a hair toss. Some of the most common exercises include doing head circles, moving your head forward and back, side to side (trying to touch your shoulders with your ears), and sliding your head left and right. Always with your back straight!

Avoid Floor Work if You Have Knee Problems

Although floorwork looks cool, it’s not something everyone should do. If you have knee problems, you should stay away from it so that they do not get worse. For example, knee walks can cause you to hit your knees against the floor. Wearing knee pads is recommended to cushion your knees.

Say Yes to Shoes

Belly dance is performed mainly barefoot. However, it can also be done in sandals, and it will still look great. Especially when dancing outdoors or on unfamiliar stages. Dancing barefoot can make you vulnerable to injuries caused by stepping on beads or even bits of broken glass, wooden floors that release splinters on your feet, or stone or concrete surfaces, which could burn your feet. Floors may also be contaminated with viruses or fungus, leading to a wide variety of foot health conditions.

 

On your next dance class, talk to your dance instructor to learn more about what you can do to prevent belly dance injuries.