Advice about Tendonitis

[Lema]

Just wondering if anyone can give me any info and advice on Tendonitis as dd had to go to minor injuries yesterday with pain on the back of her foot and we were told she had tendonitis and to rest it for 7 days, but that was as far as it went on the advice!! So I'm now off to google it but thought I'd ask on the forum to see if others have suffered and had any advice to offer, thank you ????

[Anna C]

I would advise seeing a Physio. If you can see a Dance Physio so much the better. Tendonitis can have many causes and some can be technique based - by using even slightly incorrect technique, strain can be taken up by other parts of the foot and ankle. A Dance Physio can examine a student's stance and technique in plies, tendus etc. Tendonitis can also be caused by "rolling in" (overpronation) as well.

 

Or it could have been more of a one-off, i.e. jumping on a poorly constructed floor, lots of pointework etc. Without seeing your dd, examining her and talking to you both, we aren't in a position to determine the cause - so while people can advise treatment for the symptom, we can't prevent it coming back.

 

In terms of what treatment to give, a Physio will possibly use Ultrasound to reduce inflammation. That can be very effective.

 

Wishing your dd a speedy recovery. :-)

[Lema]

That's great thank you Anna C, and in that case can anyone recommend a good dance physio in the midlands area?? Thanks.

[Circe]

Yes definitely get some physio advice, my dd have been plagued with recurrent ankle tendonitis that we probably should have responded to sooner. Also wish I had sorted out health insurance before she started to get the ankle pain as physio costs are stacking up! nHS referral would have taken weeks. I can suggest dance physio in the cambridge area if thats any use.

[Kate_N]

I had tendonitis, and saw a sports physio who also deals with dancers. I'm guessing I'm older than your DD (a lot older ) but I'd second the advice of rest, and physiotherapy.

 

My physio checked my gait, checked my flexibility and muscle tension throughout the whole leg and hip/pelvic girdle. and recommended some stretches, including the "Alfredson heel drops" - on a stable step (I use my stairs at home), with heels hanging over, dropping for 5 counts, up on 2 counts (I changed it to 5 and 3 as I count in 8s being a dancer!). 3 lots of ten heel drops, twice a day. As I got stronger, I was recommended to do them on one foot only.

 

But it's a STRONG exercise -- don't do it unless the physiotherapist recommends it.

 

My PT also checked that I wasn't rising up by gripping my toes. He said that a lot of dancers did that, and it contributed to the tightness in the insertion point of the Achilles tendon.

 

His homework to me at my final session was to dance without tension! The heel drops are tough, but that homework is far far harder!

[Kate_N]

In the midlands -- if you can get to Birmingham, you're spoilt for choice. I've seen the sports physios based at the University. They have two big practices.

[celb]

Your other options in the Midlands are the Jerwood Centre in Birmingham - physios for BRB or Sharon Morrison physios in Sutton Coldfield - Sharon was the Dancing on Ice physio & her company provides Elmhurst school physios.

[Lema]

Thank you everyone, I live close to Birmingham and Sutton so will have to look into the recommendations thank you all!!

[Vonrothbart]

Got to be very careful here, as has been suggested I would urge you to see a recognised physio. For instance the injury could be the sheath and not necessarily the tendon, soft tissue injuries can be a pain to get rid of, (excuse the pun) so correct diagnosis is very important.

[drdance]

Lema: Copied from www.nidms.co.uk

 

"

NHS dance injury service - Birmingham

This free NHS Dance Injury Clinic has to be accessed via your GP; so you need to make sure you are registered with one and then make an appointment with them to obtain a referral.

Explain to your GP that you are a professional or pre-professional dancer and that your injury requires timely, expert management if you want to avoid it seriously impacting your career. Dancers' injuries can be treated by specialists within the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham's (QEHB) Sports and Exercise Medicine Service, which is working in partnership with the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science, established by dance industry body Dance UK and partners. Explain that you’re worried about getting back to full dance fitness post injury and would really like to see a dance specialist for their opinion on the best course of treatment.

Your GP can make a referral using the NHS Choose and Book system using this information:

Consultant Physiotherapist in Sport & Exercise Medicine - QEHB

7304729

Non-Surgical Musculoskeletal, Soft Tissue Injury, Sports Injury, Sports Med

OR

Address referral letters to:

Dr Kim Gregory or Emma Batchelor, SEMS (Sports and Exercise Medicine Service), Therapy Services South Suite, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2WB

If you would like to ensure your referral has arrived please contact QEH on 0121 371 3493

If you have any problems regarding referral please contact NIDMS Manager on 020 7713 0730 or manager@nidms.co.uk

[taximom]

I would strongly recommend taking advantage of the free NHS Dance injury clinic as dr dance has posted about. The Jerwood centre is absolutely amazing but not free. Hope all goes well.

 

Heather

Aka Taximom

[Lema]

Wow thank you very much Dr Dance!! Very glad I asked on here now ????

[Lema]

Just a quick update after seeing dd's doctor today and explaining about the clinic you recommended dr dance and was told that he won't do a referral as it would just get rejected anyway as they would say use a local physio first, so we have a referral to a local physio and will have to see how that goes, must admit I am slightly disappointed that this facility is so close by yet still not accessible to us but on the bright side at least dd will be seeing a physio ???? thanks again for everyone's help!!

[Janice]

My DD has used the NHS dance clinic before and what your doctor has told you is wrong. That said it did take a bit of persuading for DD's doctor to refer her, I think maybe because he did not know about the clinic. If you go on the nidams website there is a number to call if you have trouble with the referral.

I can wholeheartedly recommend these dance clinics the doctors did a fantastic job in looking after DD and she saw a doctor a physio and podiatrist all in the same appointment.

[spooky]

A while ago now but I also had problems trying to get gp to refer dd to the London dance injury clinic ( we are in the south east). We were told it was not on the list of hospitals that they had a contract arrangement with. Didn't pursue it as managed to get seen privately on dad's work insurance but definitely seemed to be a lack of understanding. Hopefully your local physio will know something about dance or even pass you on to a colleague who does. A nurse in A&E told us about a local physio who turned out to have worked at White Lodge in the past! She was so understanding when she told dd she wouldn't be able to dance for a while, she explained what exercises she could do to keep the rest of her body toned and told her to enjoy having time to just socialise with friends and do some of the things she would normally miss because of dancing - a sure sign she really understood!

[aussie ballet mum]

Lema.

Can you update us on how things are now?

 

Just interested.

[Lema]

Still waiting for the appointment from the physio so will update you all once that comes through, although dd's foot is feeling much better from resting it for the last 10 days or so, thank you. And I think I will mention the clinic to the physio when we go and see if they can refer us if need be ????

[suzysue]

 

 

In terms of what treatment to give, a Physio will possibly use Ultrasound to reduce inflammation. That can be very effective.

 

Wishing your dd a speedy recovery. :-)

 

I definitely don't dance but ultrasound treatment really helped my achilles tendonitis (had 3 sessions, no change after 2, massive improvement after 3).