Interesting information from my dancer friend's physical therapist

[fishchimes]

I know I've been posting a lot about this stuff lately, but I thought this was really interesting and wanted to post it.

My friend does modern dance and was having difficulty with a move that required her to lift both legs while lying on the floor. She is about my height; 5'7". She sees a physical therapist for a back problem, and somehow the move came up. The therapist told her outright that tall girls should not attempt moves that require lifting the legs in that way because it puts stress on the back, and that it made her angry when instructors had tall athletes do these moves because the physics is different for these athletes. She wasn't just talking about girls with my friend's back problem, but all tall girls. (I'm not sure what she considers to be tall though).

I'm wondering if applies to leg lifts (not to mention kips) hanging from a bar, because I'm pretty okay with those, but anything on my elbows or lying on the floor is hard. I never thought they could be bad for me though. If leg throws and v ups and such are in fact detrimental to tall people, should the instructor replace these exercises with sit ups and other exercises that lift the upper body instead of the lower?

 

[gymdog]

...no...I think something was lost in translation. I'm a little put off by the current trend of acting like people can't do anything. People are fairly physical capable when the right preparations are in place. Obviously if something hurts, then you shouldn't just keep doing it. But just not doing leg lifts when you have no problems whatsoever? Nope. Seems fine to me.

Also, only doing sit ups and never lifting your lower body won't allow you to develop all-over strength. In fact it could cause problems to have muscular imbalances by overworking some body parts and underworking others, especially doing gymnastics when you are using your whole body and may end up "compensating" and stressing some part of your body unnecessarily.

 

[BlairBob]

Grow stronger or well, suck.

 

[fishchimes]

"Also, only doing sit ups and never lifting your lower body won't allow you to develop all-over strength."

What about only lifting your lower body and never doing sit ups?

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I have to disagree as well. My DD is now undergoing physical therapy for her back and actually one of the moves her PT has her doing IS lying on her back, engaging all of her core muscles, pressing her back flat to the floor, raising her legs to 90 degrees and then slowly lowering them to about 45 degrees off the floor. She has her repeat that 10 times and then gives her a Pilates hoop to press with her legs at the same time she does the lifts and presses.... God bless her... I know I could NOT do that!!!

 

[fishchimes]

It might be okay if you are lying flat on your back. Also it might be different for people who have long torsos instead of long legs and vice versa.

 

[gymdog]

It might be okay if you are lying flat on your back. Also it might be different for people who have long torsos instead of long legs and vice versa.

I think you're probably fine.

 

[CoachGoofy]

As long as your are doing things correctly, you should be fine. There are ways to do pike ups in an injurious manner, but just doing them isn't one of them.

As a taller girl, you're going to need more core strength than the tinies to do gym. and NOT hurt yourself.

 

[fishchimes]

My friend's mom told me she talked to the PT again about this. Her opinion remains the same, although I think it may have been implied that exercises could be done safely with some modifications. I don't know what these would be.