q&a with sports medicine doctor, megan meier

We are so pleased to have Dr. Megan Meier, a sports medicine doctor, answer some questions and offer advice about how to cope with injuries, food balance and nutrition!

With some dancers heading back into the studio as cities begin to open up, it is an exciting time! To be back with other dancers in a big studio has been something we all have been yearning for. We thought it would be a good reminder to highlight some key points from Dr. Meier as we begin the journey back to dancing. Please remember to be careful and safe while re-strengthening yourself in class. Things will most likely not be where they were pre-quarantine and that is okay and normal, so stay patient with yourself, be kind to your body, fueling it in proper ways and stay positive! Soon enough, your body will respond and get back to what we love doing the most!

Q:  How can I prevent injuries? 

A: There are 3 main recommendations I have for injury prevention: 

1.  Make sure your technique and alignment are as close to perfect as you can get.  Don't cheat movements for the aesthetic.  Even millimeters of misalignment can set you up for injury.  Good technique is designed to protect your body during the movement.  

2.  Don't do too much too fast.  Gradually increase activity while getting into training which often means starting some training on your own before the season starts.  This can be difficult with choreography but still very important.  

3.  Take care of yourself. Eat well. Eat enough, eat often and make good varied choices. Get lots of sleep.  Food gives you the tools to heal and recover and sleep is the time those tools are used to rebuild. 

Q: What is your advice for dancers who get injured?  

A: Listen to your body.  In most cases, the earlier you catch most illnesses and injuries, the faster you recover and the less severe they become.  Forget "no pain no gain."  Listen to your body.  

Q: What are some of the biggest struggles for dancers coming back from an injury/time off?  

A: Patience and confidence.  The process to get back takes time.  You have to factor in the time away from dancing plus the recovery from the injury which both cause setbacks.  Dancers innately want to push themselves hard and with injuries, it's more important to progress intentionally to avoid set backs.  Sometimes, full recovery can take months to years.  Staying active through your injury (such as with regular floor barre or other exercises that can maintain your "instrument") and staying involved with your company/studio can really help alleviate the expected struggles associated with injury both physically and mentally.  With an injury, always consider checking with a counselor if you're struggling.  Disappointment and grief are NORMAL with an injury, and it's important to work through that as well.  

Q: What kind of exercises do you recommend for the injured dancer?  

A: That would depend on the dancer and the specific injury.  In general, I think everyone can benefit from exercises that train hip abductors and core stability as well as exercises that target ankle stability and intrinsic foot strength.  

Q: What should your diet be like if you are injured?  

A: Same as when healthy!  We shouldn't wait to get hurt to give our body the tools it needs to recover.  Our bodies are constantly breaking down and building up and a constant flow of good nutrition is what we need to optimize this process all the time.  

Q: What are some anti-inflammatory foods you recommend? 

A: I like to say "If it's rich in color and grew from the earth, it's probably high in antioxidants."  Dark berries like blueberries, acai, and pomegranates are very high in antioxidants. Leafy greens, like spinach and kale are also great because they are high in fiber and rich in iron.  Turmeric is a good natural anti-inflammatory and green tea can be helpful (but watch the caffeine though since that can be dehydrating).  Fish and some nuts are protein sources that are less inflammatory than other proteins.  

Q: What types of food give you the most energy? 

A: It depends on what the need is for the activity at hand.  Elite athletes such as dancers who are very active, training throughout the day, will benefit from a good balance of carbohydrates (fruits, veggies, rice, pastas, breads) for immediate energy available to burn soon after intake and from fats and proteins which can take a bit longer to break down (almost like "energy for later" in the workout).  Fats have 9 calories per gram and have the most energy per gram where carbohydrates and proteins have 4 calories per gram.  ALL are important for energy. 

Q: What types of food help with muscle recovery/muscle building?

A: Proteins are very important for building muscle and muscle recovery. It’s also important to fuel after training to give your body the tools it needs immediately to start recovery.

Q: What foods are the best for getting in your vitamins?

A: A well balanced diet should give you everything you need in terms of vitamins.  Most people do well with fruit intake but struggle to get a variety of veggies in their diet, both which are great sources of many vitamins and nutrients.  A lot of dancers struggle with more calorie dense foods like meats and non-meat proteins since it might make them feel "heavier" when dancing.  These are important so they should be intentionally placed into the diet in tolerable portions throughout the day.  The one vitamin dancers often don't get enough of is vitamin D.  Many milk products are supplemented with D but we get most of our D from the sun. 

Q: What is the importance of diet when it comes to bone health? What is the Female Athlete Triad?  

A: This is a huge topic but the basic principle is that the energy in must equal the energy out.  If you are burning more than you are taking in, then your body will steal from somewhere else in your body to maintain essential organ function.  It starts with dropping hormone production often resulting in fatigue and loss of menstrual periods, can progress to broken bones (both due to lack of hormone support and lack of nutrients to rebuild bones), and ultimately organ failure.  It is SO important to keep that energy balance in check--as training increases, so must your diet.  

Q: What are your thoughts on dieting? Why can diets be bad? Long term effects? 

A: Diet is a lifestyle, not a fad.  We should always look at putting in a steady stream of nutrients to balance out the energy we are spending.  This is true for those who want to lose, gain or maintain weight.  There are decades of fad diets that turn out to be trash because they are looking to work by cheating the body of what it is trying to tell you it needs.  The tried and true thing that never goes out of style is the healthy, well balanced diet.  Dieting can be very dangerous in a dancer or other athlete--it needs to be more about "what do I need" and not "what can I not have."