Before joining Duke University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, I was a ballet dancer for regional dance companies along the East Coast. In several companies, we had the good fortune of having physical therapists provide care when needed most.
Often, dancers have little to no benefits, and someone offering any form of healthcare is welcomed with open arms. Sometimes, the physical therapists knew what we were required to do as performers—sometimes, they didn’t. Honestly, the fact someone spent their time caring for us was the most important thing. From helping us with acute injuries to managing chronic conditions, I believe the support and education the physical therapists offered kept us on our toes and prolonged our dancing careers. That has inspired me, and I hope to pass that care on to the next generation of performers when I become a physical therapist.
Bridging the Arts and Physical Therapy
Duke DPT supports students with performing arts interests through opportunities like an elective Performing Arts Advanced Practice Course (APC) and student-led events.
Taking the Performing Arts APC taught me about performing artists’ unique needs, from evaluations to treatments. Hands-on skills like pterygoid and hyoid releases for singers and Pilates for all performers were also introduced. I enjoyed learning about musicians and seeing how I could use my background in dance and apply it to body mechanics for musicians, even though much of the playing techniques were new to me.
Our program’s Orthopedics Academy and Performing Arts Club has hosted several events, including hip-hop dance lunch breaks, a workshop for manual and taping techniques for dancers, a discussion on pelvic health for performing artists, and a journal club about performing arts and vestibular and spatial systems. These events have provided learning opportunities for students and exposed them to opportunities in the field.
Insights from a Performing Arts Panel
Recently, I sat in on Duke DPT’s Orthopedic Student Academy’s Performing Arts Zoom Panel. It was well attended, with rich, flowing conversations for over an hour. A group of six DPTs from across the country formed a panel to discuss all things performing arts. Panelists’ backgrounds were in dance, figure skating, and athletic training. There were Board-Certified Orthopaedic and Sports Clinical Specialists with experience working with adolescents, adults, musicians, Broadway tours, major American ballet companies, touring and owning their practices, and current and past Performing Arts Physical Therapy Fellows. Their lived experiences and the education they brought to all those interested in Zooming-in were awesome!
Conversations jumped into topics like how evaluations change when working with performing artists and what backstage triage is like. Spoiler alert: It depends on the time and what’s happening. For example, is this a quick manipulation before a dancer jumps back on stage, or is it an evaluation during a rehearsal day when more time can be spent and education provided for longer-term care?
When discussing the pros and cons of touring with a show, it was clear there can be many. From the excitement of traveling and getting to know performers and helping them through the rigors of touring to sleeping on a bus and leaving the comforts of home behind, there is much to consider before taking on a contract to travel with a touring company.
A question about how to market yourself as a performing arts therapist came up, and the answers were both helpful and practical. Panelists suggested investing time and energy with those in the performing arts. This is an underserved population, and word spreads fast if you are good, especially if you can ‘speak the language.’ For example, they suggested focusing on community outreach with events like injury prevention to make yourself known as someone who understands and treats performing artists. Other tips for marketing yourself are following through with thank you notes and reaching out to those you may want to work with.
One panelist explained that if you want to work with more performing artists, you must do the work and ensure you complete the whole circle. Talk to your manager or clinic director. Then, do community outreach to build interest and connections. Finally, talk to schedulers to ensure that performing artists are on your schedule when referrals come in.
For those considering working with this unique population, panelists recommended joining organizations encouraging these interests. Organizations like the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) and the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) connect and support providers working with performing artists. PAMA has an Essentials of Performing Arts Medicine Certificate Course that students and licensed physical therapists alike can become certified and get a head start in the performing arts field. I first learned about this certification in the Performing Arts APC and decided to take the self-guided course when I had time to become certified. PAMA’s certification allowed me to explore how to provide care for musicians, singers, dancers, and actors even after learning key concepts in the Performing Arts APC.
I appreciated Duke DPT’s Orthopedic Student Academy and all the panelists for creating an evening sharing their experiences, knowledge, and joy in the performing arts field with interested physical therapy students.
Applying Lessons to Clinical Settings
Discussion points from this panel, the classroom, and PAMA’s certificate course have overlapped and played out in practice in my Terminal Clinical Education, where I have seen firsthand how performing artists’ needs may look different than others.
For example, dancers, cheerleaders, and gymnasts require more range of movement than typical individuals participating in daily activities. Therefore, a hip that gets 90 degrees of flexion isn’t as good as it may be for someone else. These performers need to rehab to greater mobility and strength extremes to be able to do what they are required to do. Providing education on safe workload and healthy play-to-rest ratios may also be essential to ensure performing artists are not only on their way to optimal rehab potential but also continuing a path to healthy, long-lasting careers as performers.
All these experiences and opportunities to work with performers were punctuated by a single comment from one of the panelists at the end of their session: “Celebrate your passion.” If working with performing artists is a passion for you, CELEBRATE IT! Seek opportunities and know it’s possible to work with performers and create your place doing what you love. Be excited—the journey is yours.