Tips for preventing neck pain in Ballroom

[DanceMentor]

It is rare to encounter a lady ballroom or standard competitor who hasn't experiences neck or back pain some time in their dance career, and I think it would be good if we could talk about some helpful hints on helping our ladies shape in a way that brings about a great dance position, yet does not cause them pain.

I'll start, but I hope others will help me with this very important topic.
1) Think of stretching up, but never back
2) To increase distance between the heads, both dancers must shape their left shoulder forward.
3) If you want to stretch one side, the opposite side must lower.

[Kitty]

guys feel neck pain too?

I thought it was a girls' problem.

[tsb]

we get it from dancing with women who are a pain in the neck.

[Larinda McRaven]

:uplaugh:

I work with Steve and Cheryl Adcock on a pretty regualr basis to help maintain the health of my neck. They are very well known massage therapists on the competition circut and Steve has a celebrity clientle as well. I actually live in a constant state of being on the verge of whiplash... for many years now. If it weren't for the excercises that that I do I would be in serious trouble.

I think that standard dancing has the horrible ability to wreck a neck, the position is really extreme and stretched... for someone that has not built up the muscles appropriately over time to support it. And once you learn the position of the head is really not that far out and left, instead it is the bottom of the neck, shoulders, and ribcage that do the majority of work, everything is feels better and healthier.

Latin, Rhythm, Smooth add the extra insult to injury with the sharp snapping motions and wacked out body positions and exaggerated lines. But at least those neck shapes are evenly distributed on both sides as opposed to continually working just the left side, which pulls your spine out of alignment eventually... leading to further problems.

But mainly I think the way to avoid injury is to learn positions slowly and build up the stamina and strength to hold them as well as having a good set of excercises that always stretch both sides equally and build up the muscles that support your neck and head.

[Katarzyna]

:uplaugh:

I work with Steve and Cheryl Adcock on a pretty regualr basis to help maintain the health of my neck. They are very well known massage therapists on the competition circut and Steve has a celebrity clientle as well. I actually live in a constant state of being on the verge of whiplash...

I've been in so much pain for the last couple of days, that today I actually got a massage. Not a great one, it was in my manicure place, but it made me feel a lot better. :)

What sort of exercises do you do Larinda?

[Sagitta]

:uplaugh:

I work with Steve and Cheryl Adcock on a pretty regualr basis to help maintain the health of my neck. They are very well known massage therapists on the competition circut and Steve has a celebrity clientle as well. I actually live in a constant state of being on the verge of whiplash...

I've been in so much pain for the last couple of days, that today I actually got a massage. Not a great one, it was in my manicure place, but it made me feel a lot better. :)

What sort of exercises do you do Larinda?

I'l second that. I'm intersted too. :)

[Twilight_Elena]

I'll third that. Something tells me it might save me lots of pain in a couple of years. Do tell, Larinda!

Twilight Elena

[JupitersStorm]

I forth it (?) can you forth things? Theres one guy in my class that is soo siff that i am in total pain the rest of class, i would definately like a way as to not feel any more neck pain.--- or even reduce it just a smidge

[Larinda McRaven]

I am not able to probably say things with the correct terminology...
I will get Steve or Cheryl Adcock to come here and describe some stuff for you, and say it correctly!

[Purr]

Thank you! :D

[Katarzyna]

Thank you Larinda!

I could use some help ! :D

[JupitersStorm]

Merci Beaucoup!