Injuries, Injuries

Bad news y'all - got my first semi-serious injury since coming back to ballet. Of course it would be with only a week until intensive.

So I'm rehabbing! A lot of which involves some quality time with a yoga mat and theraband followed by ice pack love.

This is not how I saw this week going.
I knew something might be wrong as early as last Tuesday when I noticed I was avoiding fully standing over my right foot. In class on Thursday I was much tighter than usual. I'm gifted with a lot of natural flexibility and it's highly unusual for me to have any problems getting limber and warm for class.

We got to barre and I'm a little uncomfortable but nothing bad.

We did some promenades at the barre and I'm fighting for stability on my right leg. Fine, we just started working on these, it could be normal.

We get to the first center combination and I'm really starting to feel it when I need to use my right as my standing leg.

We get to the second center combination with developpes. These involve standing on one leg while the other folds up and out and down without ever getting set down.

This. Hurts. But it's so pretty!

Now the pain is stabbing and I just can't do it. I fade to the back of the class and try stretching it out a bit. Sometimes the tendons can get tight and they just need a chance to calm down.

I try to rejoin the class and the pain roars back.

 I check in with the instructor, get an ice pack, and spent the rest of center studying and stretching in the back.
Even when injured it's still worth while to be in class - listening and watching like mad. I try to see it as an opportunity to observe with more intensity how the other students approach the steps, but not being able to join in stings. A lot.

I pop up to do the final port de bra from the back, but I can't even complete the final curtsy.

Thankfully, I had a doctor appointment set up for the next day anyway, so I was able to be seen ASAP.
It doesn't look like a scary sprain (yea!) but I definitely have some inflammation going on in that ankle and we'll need to do an x-ray to make sure I'm clear for going up on pointe.

Here's the plan of attack: I have to wear an ankle brace anytime I'm walking around, icing and ibuprofen regularly. I have ankle rehab exercises I'm supposed to do every  evening to keep up strength. I'm supposed to take this week off from class so I can give it the best chance to heal and bring the inflammation down.

However, I can't completely not dance this week if I want to have a prayer of getting through the intensive next week. I'll be doing a lot of work at home. I'm leaning on my favorite ballet Youtuber, Kathryn Morgan, for workout videos focusing on improving turnout (which has everything to do with leg strength and very little to do with your actual feet.)
Pilates and stretching are on the agenda too.

I'm trying to see this as an opportunity to focus on building up core strength since I've been focusing on leg strength for many months. Finding those glimmers of sunshine!

One glimmer of sunshine was getting to take my son to pick up his first ballet school uniform! John will be starting pre-ballet, at the same studio I dance with, this September. He's super pumped.

And here's My Sunday Best with my stylin' ankle brace!