It looks like 2012 is going to be good. I have been trying to get a “Team” together for a while, we already have Courtney Veaszey our Mental Health Specialist, Natalie Guarnachelli our Nutritionist and I had spoken about having a physical therapist come on board,FINALLY I pinned and Sheyi down and we shot some segments! So I am introducing what will be called PT TIPS (Physical Therapy Tips not to be confused with the English tea PG Tips!)
Because my background is as a dancer, and the genesis of the blog sprung from both my personal experiences in the field, and seeing some of those same issues patterned in my students (as far as body image, and weight) the health, of my body however was always in relationship to the dance. To me (in my youth) Health simply meant being able to dance and dance pain free, period. Now that I am accumulating years….I see and feel how important it is to take care of your body inside and out, and for dancers physical therapy is a life line. I wanted to introduce the idea of, and clarify what physical therapy is to both dancers and non-dancers because it is a useful tool to getting and maintaining health. Most of us think that we use physical therapy if was are injured, however I was shocked to learn from Sheyi that ALL people should have a physical therapist- it’s not just about when your injured!it is also about prevention. I especially wanted to get the information about maintenance out there to young dancers is so vital, first because the work (contemporary) can be so extreme these days and hyper mobility is almost a prerequisite that the bodies of today seem to be more susceptible to injury. Maybe it’s me but it seems that kids these days break more easily, sometimes my classroom looks like a hospital ER with all the students sitting out for this or that, thus learning to take care of your instrument before an injury, during and after one is incredibly important. Also it can extend you career, people are dancing longer because we know more about the body, the sports medicine is better, as is the technology. SO! I finally pinned Sheyi down and we talked about a number of topics that I will be bringing to you every 3 weeks or so. Please We both would love to answer your questions so write in!!! Our first topic was simple and seemingly obvious but proved not as obvious as you might think.
WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A PHYSICAL THERAPIST?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SHEYI!
Sheyi Ojofeitimi, DPT
Dr. Ojofeitimi is owner of Divine Physical Therapy, a NY based practice that uses a whole body approach to identify the biomechanical, neuromuscular, and/or motor control dysfunctions that are the cause of musculoskeletal pain. The practice offers on-site physical therapy services to performing arts organizations and private clients.
Dr. Ojofeitimi has spent the past 10 years serving in different capacities to several organizations. At Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus, she served as senior research associate at the Analysis of Dance and Movement (ADAM) Center, an on- campus biomechanics laboratory. There she was part of a team of physical therapists, biomechanists, computer scientists, and engineers who conducted biomechanical and epidemiologic research to aide in the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal injury in dancers. She also served as Coordinator for Project QUEST (Quality Undergraduate Expanded Science Training), a federal grant funded program designed to directly address the shortage of minorities in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields by providing the a comprehensive range of services to support and strengthen the academic skills and educational experiences of minority students. During this same period she and her physical therapy colleagues provided screenings, injury prevention workshops, injury triage clinics, rehabilitation and injury case management services to Cedar Lake Contemporary Dance Company, and the Alvin Ailey Organization (including AAADT, Ailey II, students and staff of The Ailey School). She serves as the tour physical therapist for AAADT.