People say that it is never too late to learn a new skill. You can start whenever you want. But when it comes to acrobatic sports, there may be some exemptions. You can begin as early as possible when learning something that needs your best health.
Breakdancing or breaking is an acrobatic sport that must be ideally learned at an early age. Your body should be at its greatest state to perform challenging movements. It is such a powerful sport that needs unsurmountable strength and endurance.
If you lack flexibility and stamina, b-boying might expose you to some injuries. It is a physically demanding activity doing repetitive movements for an extended time.
Even the younger ones are not excluded from experiencing body fatigue and exhaustion.
It is stressful on your physical state without enough built and flexibility.
Breakers admitted that they had been exposed to physical injuries due to b-boying. There is an increased level of risk, particularly when executing difficult stunts. If you go beyond your body capacity, you are more exposed to severe injuries.
Therefore, it is ideal to learn breakdancing at the early stages of your life. It would be best if you start b-boying today when you are still in your prime. It allows you to execute complex moves without the risk of getting severe injuries. You can heal faster if you begin breaking early.
Is it too late to start breakdancing?
Breakdancing is more than just a dance. It is an acrobatic sport that has its medical implications. It is ideal to start b-boying at an early age where your body can affect more strenuous activity. Starting this acrobatic too late in life may lead to more severe health injuries.
Some breakers already complained about experiencing pain in the lower back. They also have difficulty bending over. Even professional break dancers are not exempted from such injuries. There is the ‘breakdance back syndrome’ which you will encounter later in life.
There are some common injuries associated with break. The risk of getting these injuries is higher when you start learning the sport too late in life. Here are the most notable injuries you might get in breakdancing:
- Knee
- Lower back
- Shoulder
- Arms, Wrist & Hands
- Ankle sprains
- Achilles tendonitis
- Trigger toe
- Snapping hip
Some of the most musculoskeletal injuries you can get are knee injuries. There is a risk of knee soft tissue injuries and traumatic injuries in breakdancing. It can happen when you run, jump, and stunt, where most of the activities are absorbed by your legs. The force put on your legs doing this movement may cause your tissues to tear or bones to fracture.
Knee injuries are the most common among professional breakdancers who executed challenging stunts. These injuries are attributed to the friction made between the legs and the ground. Some of the standard moves that can cause these injuries are footwork, freezes, and power moves.
Breakdancing moves usually use the lower back. The human back, which has a curvature structure, typically also received pressure from breakdancing. Most b-boying moves force the back to go against the curvature, giving an added pressure to the body.
Most of the time, due to the nature of the moves involved in breakdancing, the back is often sacrificed. Movements like freezes, power moves, and other stunts bring pressure to the back.
Overhead lifts and falling often injure the shoulders, as well. Even during practice, shoulders receive extreme weight that is too much for the body to take. The rigorous routine combined with long hours of practice expose breakers to injuries. Movements like freeze that balance the bodyweight on the shoulders pose a higher risk. You can also hurt your neck and upper body muscles when executing the routine.
Also, other common injuries in breakdancing involve the arms, wrist, and hands. The speed, difficulty, and demands of the routine may harm your elbows, hands, and wrists. The weight and pressure put on these body parts are sometimes too much for the breakers to handle. There are instances that dancers lose their balance that can shift the weight to the arms and wrists.
An ankle sprain is a traumatic injury you can experience in breakdancing. Most breakers would be able to feel this kind of pain even at a very young age. It is caused by the movement or action that forces the ankle beyond its capacity or range of motion. Most breakdancing moves overstretch the ankle tearing the ligaments and ankle tissues.
If you feel inflammation of the tendon, you are experiencing Achilles tendonitis. It is only shared among breakdancers, but to most dancers in general, as well. If you use the improper technique when executing a move, you might get Achilles tendonitis.
Trigger toe happens when you fall out of balance and overstretch your toe. It causes inflammation to your toes and may tear or damage some of your foot muscles.
If you hear a disturbing sound from your front hip, you might be developing a snapping hip injury. The annoying sound is an indication that your hip is experiencing a physical problem. If this is not resolved correctly, it can lead to more severe injury. It can weaken your hip, and the level of pain is higher.
Spine injuries are more associated among amateurs, while knee injuries for professionals. The rate of getting these injuries will be higher for people who are not in their best health.
It would be helpful if you took note that back injuries are common even among younger ones who breakdance. Before engaging in such challenging activity, it is necessary to seek medical advice. Healthcare professionals can provide you the proper care and education, too.
Does breakdancing hurt?
Of course, breakdancing hurt. Without preparation, practice, and coordination, you may see yourself getting injured and hurt. Some of the causes of injuries in b-boying are over practice, improper posture, not warming up, etc.
- Fatigue or overwork
- Not enough warm-up
- Not listening to the body
- Improper posture
- Lack of postural control
- Imbalances in strength or flexibility
- Poor technique
- Poor fitness
- Hazardous environment
- Lack of experience
When you engage in breakdancing, you will be subject to high demands of routine and practice. There are times that you might not have enough energy to sustain the activity. It causes exhaustion and fatigue resulting in movement not executed right. Low energy means that your body does not have enough strength to carry the movement or routine. It leads to more discomfort to your muscles and muscular injury. The bone, ligaments, and tendons might receive intense force, which they cannot accommodate.
Warming up is very crucial in every intense physical workout. It prepares your body for the high pressure and demands of a particular activity. Insufficient warm-up may cause some severe injuries when practicing or dancing. Your body is not prepared enough to do the work. It is essential to do a thorough warm-up first before subjecting yourself to rigorous activity.
The body has its own way of showing you its natural state. It will show you signs that it needs rest and healing.
Ignoring the early warning signs of your body can harm you in the process.
The body may worsen if you continuously abuse it. Discomfort in your wrists tells that your body cannot receive pressure on the arms and hands. Once you strained the areas, the wrist will continuously get hurt, and the level of pain increases. Also, back pain should not be ignored. The pain coming from the lower back up to the neck should be taken seriously. It means that you have to rest in doing movements the involve your lower back.
Bad posture is another defining factor why breakers are experiencing so much pain. Improper postures mean that you are not executing the movement right. In the process, most parts of your body are subject to intense pain and pressure. Poor posture means that your muscles are tightening and receiving too much pressure. With the nature of breakdancing involving the repetition of movements, muscles are constantly stressed. To avoid this, it is essential to know the movement and always practice good posture. It will help reduce the force being received by your body, as well.
Postural control means that your body is coordinated to make a specific body position. It is an essential factor in breakdancing that can help you prevent serious injuries. It will also keep your body in balance, giving you the optimal delivery of the movements. When your body is well-coordinated and balanced, you have a lesser incidence of injury.
Flexibility and strength are the most critical factors why breakers execute movements well. Your routine will highly depend on how much strength and flexibility your body can exert. If you do not have enough strength and flexibility, your body will not do the movements right. It will stretch out and strain your body leading to a severe injury.
The technique is crucial when executing your moves seamlessly. If you have not developed a technique in b-boying, there is a huge possibility of getting hurt. Technique means knowing how much force is needed when executing a movement. If you bring your foot down to the floor with too much force, your foot will get injured in the process. It would help if you controlled the force and energy you use when doing a routine or movement.
If you are not physically fit and healthy when breakdancing, injuries will follow. Proper fitness means your muscles are strong and can accommodate strenuous activities. If you have weak muscles, your body might not adjust to the activities you experience. Gradual progression in movement is vital to allow your muscles to adjust accordingly.
A pleasant and safe environment is essential in breakdancing. An uneven or slippery dance floor will cause you injuries in the process. It will make you unbalanced and prevent you from executing the movement correctly. It is crucial to scan your environment first before practicing and doing the routine.
Of course, experience is critical in preventing severe injuries from dancing. Most beginners are prone to injuries due to a lack of mastery in the movements. Practice and enough knowledge about the steps are crucial to reducing the risk of getting hurt. It is critical to follow the guidance of your coach when starting in breaking.
Breakdancing is an enjoyable and exciting acrobatic sport. But it still presents corresponding health concerns. The movements involve in b-boying may stretch out your body parts beyond their limits. It is crucial to consult health professionals before engaging in such moves.
Younger ones are more flexible enough and in a positive state of health. They can heal faster compared to those breakers who started late. The bones and muscles among young ones are more versatile and durable. For older ones, the rate of getting injuries mentioned above is higher. You should know your limits and capacity to avoid severe health problems.