Dance and Performing Arts Physiotherapy in Singapore
Some dance injuries build gradually under repeated load, others follow a single moment. At the Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation (CARe), our AHPC-registered physiotherapists assess dancers and performers with their training demands in mind, and aim to keep you moving where it is safe to do so rather than simply telling you to stop.
Dance and performing arts physiotherapy at CARe
Dancing asks things of the body that most sports do not: extreme range at the hip and ankle, load carried through a pointed foot, and the same phrases repeated for hours in the weeks before a show. Some injuries here build gradually under repeated load, others follow a single moment. At the Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation (CARe), dance and performing arts physiotherapy is led by Amelia Stanley, Principal Physiotherapist, whose specialist area is working with dancers, as part of our wider physiotherapy service. Care is conservative: we do not perform surgery, injections or imaging.
How we approach dance injuries
An assessment that takes your dance form seriously
The first session covers what you dance, how many hours a week, what surfaces and shoes, where you are in the rehearsal or exam cycle, and what has changed recently. Your rehearsal and performance calendar helps shape the plan, though it never makes a warning sign safer to ignore. Your physiotherapist will then assess the area itself alongside how you move as a whole.
Load management rather than blanket rest
Some injuries need a period of genuine rest, and your physiotherapist will say so plainly when that is the case. Where modified activity is clinically appropriate, the plan is specific about it: which classes to keep, what to adjust, what to leave out for now, and how to build back up, rather than leaving you to guess.
Manual therapy and pain relief where it helps
Hands-on treatment and, where appropriate, selected physical agent modalities may be used to settle symptoms. These support the plan rather than being the plan, because what changes the outcome is usually the strength and load work alongside them.
Strength and conditioning built for dancers
Dance rewards control at end of range, single-leg strength, and calf and foot capacity that survives repetition. Your programme is built around the demands you actually face, progressed as you adapt rather than on a fixed schedule.
Getting back to class, rehearsal and stage
Return is staged and individualised: back to class, then full rehearsal, then performance, guided by your symptoms and how you respond as dance load increases rather than by the calendar. Bone injuries and other significant conditions may need medical clearance before impact work resumes.
What dance physiotherapy can help with
Dancers and performers come to us with:
- Ankle and foot pain, including problems that show up in releve or on pointe
- Hip pain, pinching at end of range, or a snapping sensation
- Knee pain that worsens with jumping or landing
- Lower back pain linked to extension work or repetitive rehearsal
- Overuse pain that builds across a rehearsal period rather than starting suddenly
- Returning to full training after an injury or a long break
Some injuries need a doctor first. If you cannot put weight on the limb, if the joint gave way with rapid swelling, if there is an obvious deformity, or if pain came on suddenly during a jump or landing and has not settled, please seek medical assessment before starting rehabilitation. Your physiotherapist will also say so if what they find suggests a specialist review, for example persistent bone pain that is worse on weight-bearing.
What to expect at your appointment
Bring the shoes you dance in, including pointe shoes if you use them, and clothing you can move and be assessed in. If you have letters or scans, bring those too. Your physiotherapist will explain what the findings suggest and, where rehabilitation is appropriate, agree a plan covering what to keep doing, what to adjust and what to work on between sessions. If further medical assessment is indicated, they will say so.
Your programme between sessions
Most of the progress happens outside the clinic, so your programme is written to fit around class and rehearsal rather than competing with them. It is reviewed and progressed at each visit based on how you are responding and where you are in your performance calendar.
Our clinic locations
CARe @ Camden: 1 Orchard Boulevard, #11-05 Camden Medical Centre, Singapore 248649. Phone / WhatsApp: +65 8040 6409
CARe @ Parkway: 1 Marine Parade Central, #07-07 Parkway Centre, Singapore 449408. Phone / WhatsApp: +65 8040 6409
CARe @ Novena: 101 Irrawaddy Road, #17-10 Royal Square Medical Centre, Singapore 329565. Phone / WhatsApp: +65 8040 6409
Not sure whether your symptoms need assessment?
Book an assessment at any of our three clinics. Contact us and we will arrange a suitable time.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to stop dancing while I am being treated?
It depends on the injury. Some need a genuine period of rest, and a suspected bone injury, a significant acute injury or any neurological symptoms are not things to dance through. Where modified activity is safe, your physiotherapist will set out which movements to adjust and for how long.
Do I need a referral?
No, you can book an assessment with CARe directly. If a doctor or specialist has already seen you, bring any letters or scans so your physiotherapist has the full picture from the first session.
Who will I see?
Amelia Stanley, our Principal Physiotherapist, leads dance and performing arts physiotherapy at CARe and works with dancers as her specialist area. She is part of a clinic team of AHPC-registered physiotherapists and occupational therapists.