Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 2/11/2011

Question
Hi, I am a fifteen year old student coming out of Ballet Lubbock. The artistic director there is Yvonne Racz Key. I am writing because I have a chronic illness that renders me unable to dance from time to time. I was beginning yoga to help me regain my strength and flexibility, however I was hit with a spell of this condition so I had to put yoga and ballet on pause. I am currently a homebound student, due to my compromised immune system. I was wondering if you could helo me think of a regimen of ankle strengthening exercises that are easy yet affective. My auto-immune disorder caused me to develop post-strep arthritis in my knees, ankles and shoulders, however my shoulders are the only things acting up at the time. Pointe work is out, and so is prolonged exercises due to my lack of stamina caused by the auto-immune attack. I also was wondering if you knew of any rehabilitation programs in the US or UK meant for injured dancers. Also, I need diet recommendation that supports bone health if you can give me any tips. Would it possibly hurt my bones and joints if I took private lessons in the basics and worked my way up? Or would physical therapy be the best path?
Thank you for reading,
Jane M

Answer
Hi Jane. Firstly, some exercises for the feet and ankles:
http://balletshoesandpointeshoes.blogspot.com/2008/10/use-of-theraband-for-balle...

Strengthening the sole of the foot is important, as the increased control and strength relieves the lower leg/ankle muscles from over working.

I don't normally recommend a specific brand of nutritional supplements, but in your case I will. The Standard Process brand of supplements are made from certified organic whole foods. They have supplements that have a name plus the suffix "PMG". These PMG supplements are designed to decrease any auto immune activity in the body. For example, this link,

http://www.standardprocess.com/display/StandardProcessCatalog.spi?ID=120  goes to a page listing their bone support products, one of which is a "PMG" bone supplement.

These are only sold through a licensed health care practitioner such as a chiropractor, naturopath, acupuncturist or homeopath. The Standard Process site will help you find someone in your area. Their supplements are inexpensive compared to many other supplements or drugs.

To add to bone health you must ingest VitK2, which is found in cruciferous green vegetables. A Standard Process version is Cruciferous Complete. And many of the "green powder" supplements include the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, Brussel Sprouts).

Vit D also factors in bone density - D3 supplements are good if you don't get sunshine.

Arthritis is an inflammatory condition. Inflammation is decreased by eating or supplementing omega 3 oils. This would mean something like Flaxseed Oil or Hemp Oil for the short chain, and purified fish oil for the long chain. Avoiding sugars and commercial red meat decreases inflammation. Grass fed beef however is higher in omega 3 oils. Whey protein made from grass fed cows' milk is a wonderful source of muscle building protein.

I don't know what to say about you taking the basics vs physical therapy. If you could get through a ballet beginner class, I believe it would be more strengthening than physical therapy. As long as you know your limits.

http://antiinflammatoryomegas.blogspot.com/2011/01/stop-bone-loss.html  is a blog post that explains bone density and the required nutrients. I am not a doctor, so I quote from Dr. Sears sometimes to explain things.

I suggest you do an internet search on iodine and its function in the immune system. Most people have no idea how our immune system depends on it. When I was a young adult it was quite common for MD's to recommend iodine supplementation. Not much anymore.

https://www.drbrownstein.com/bookstore_OvercomingA.php  This Doctor is a leading expert on iodine and the immune system. (His book might be cheaper on amazon.com, I find many are.)

I am not sure about rehabilitation programs for injured dancers, since you don't have a specific injury.

I hope I covered everything! All the best to you. Healthcare is always improving and I encourage you to search and question everything related to your condition. Medical doctors often lag behind. Well I stuck my neck out there didn't I?

Oh well.

My sincere wishes for your recovery, Dianne.