The UK’s second NHS specialist dance injury clinic is to be established at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
The National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science made the announcement following a donation of GBP10,000 (€12,000) from Harlequin Floors, a provider of sprung floors for performing arts companies.
In partnership with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Jerwood Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Dance Injuries, the new centre will provide free, specialist support to treat and rehabilitate injured dancers.
The first clinic of this kind opened in London at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital in 2012, which was funded by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, Harlequin Floors, and hundreds of individual donations.
Despite only being open for a year, the dance injury centre has already treated over 200 dancers and has gained wide acclaim from both dancers and arts organisations.
Dr Leon Creaney, consultant in sport and exercise medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, said: ‘This model of care has worked extremely well in London and we plan to replicate this in Birmingham so the region’s dancers can receive a bespoke service. The clinic offers a multi-disciplinary approach utilising a Sports Physician and Sports Physiotherapist to offer experienced care for dancers.’
The National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science is a partnership between leading dance companies and health care providers, brought together by Dance UK.
Photo: Mark Rasmussen from Harlequin Floors presents donation towards the new dance injury clinic to Erin Sanchez, Dance UK’s Healthier Dancer Programme manager; courtesy of Dance UK.
