Shin Splints in Bhangra Dancers
If I were to pick the one complaint I’ve heard most throughout my experience as a dancer, captain, coach, and physical therapist, it’s this: “My shins are hurting.” Often, this discomfort stems from a condition known as shin splints. Shin splints—or medial tibial stress syndrome—is an inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue surrounding the tibia (shin bone).
Let me be clear: shin splints does not mean your shins are literally splintering. However, this condition can be very painful and may hinder your ability to dance, train, or compete at your best.
Why Do I Have Shin Splints?
Shin splints are most commonly caused by overuse. This overuse often occurs when there’s an increase in the frequency, duration, or intensity of training.
In the bhangra context, for example, shin splints often appear when dancers transition from a restful summer break straight into audition videos or competition prep. This sudden increase in practice intensity—often several hours per day, several times per week—can overload the shins.
Additionally, some dancers remain pain-free throughout most of the season, only to experience shin splints during preparation for their final competition. Why? Several factors can contribute to this:
Increased Training Intensity: Many dancers push harder as they approach the last competitions of the season, leading to overuse.
Fatigue Build-Up: After months of consistent dancing, muscles recover less effectively, transferring more stress to the bones.
Stomping Mechanics: Dancers often equate harder stomps with stronger dancing. This increased force amplifies the impact on the tibias.
Training Surfaces: Many teams lack access to proper sprung dance floors, instead training in classrooms, ballrooms, or even parking garages. Hard surfaces like concrete rebound impact forces directly into the shins, exacerbating stress.
What Can I Do to Fix This?
First and foremost, consult a doctor or physical therapist to rule out other potential diagnoses. Once cleared, the best initial remedy is rest. Reducing impact allows the inflammation to subside, giving your shins time to heal.
But what if you’re mid-season and can’t afford to stop training?
Here are three recommendations:
1. Modify Your Ground Contact
Learning to reduce the force of your ground contact can make a significant difference. For example, during bhangra stomps (or dhamaka, stepdowns, etc.), try practicing with less noise. This will naturally decrease the force traveling through your legs.
If you’re curious about the science: reducing peak force involves increasing the time over which the force is distributed. By softening your impact, you can reduce stress on your shins while maintaining intensity.
2. Wear Supportive Shoes During Practice
While you should never perform on stage in shoes, wearing the right footwear during practice—especially on hard surfaces—can help. Shoes add padding, redistributing impact forces and reducing strain on your shins.
Here are some options to consider:
Barefoot Shoes: Provide light padding while allowing natural foot movement, strengthening your feet for barefoot stage performances.
Motion-Control Shoes: Brands like Hoka, Brooks, and Asics offer excellent padding and protection but may limit natural foot mechanics.
Basketball/Tennis Shoes: Strike a balance between padding and foot mechanics, with added ankle stability.
Avoid non-sport street shoes or non-motion-control running shoes, as they may increase the risk of other injuries like rolled ankles.
3. Strengthen Your Calves
Building strength and endurance in your calves increases their ability to absorb impact. For runners, this often involves training the anterior tibialis, which helps decelerate the foot’s movement.
In bhangra, however, dancers typically land on the balls of their feet, meaning the calf muscles must absorb the impact. Regularly strengthening your calves can improve your tolerance to high-impact stomping.
Prevention is Key
Even if you don’t currently have shin splints, taking these steps can help reduce your risk. Focus on controlled ground contact, wear appropriate footwear during training, and incorporate calf-strengthening exercises into your routine.
By taking care of your body, you’ll not only dance stronger, but also avoid unnecessary setbacks during the season.
References
Alaia M. Shin Splints - OrthoInfo - AAOS. Aaos.org. Published 2019. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/shin-splints/
Russell JA. Preventing dance injuries: current perspectives. Open Access J Sports Med. 2013;4:199-210. Published 2013 Sep 30. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S36529