The Performing Artist Athletes Program at Boston Children’s Hospital provides comprehensive care for athletes of all ages and at all levels — from the Boston Ballet and U.S. Figure Skating to local programs.
Each year, we treat hundreds of performing artists, from children to teens, to adults. Our patients are:
As part of the Sports Medicine Division at Boston Children’s Hospital, we have the expertise and resources to support these athletes’ physical, psychological, and social-emotional well-being.
In this episode of Boston Children’s Parentcast, Dr. Ellen Geminiani, a sports medicine physician at Boston Children’s and Team USA physician for U.S. Figure Skating, explores the physically demanding world of performing artist athletes.
Performing artists dedicate themselves to hours of practice every week. And while they are just as prone to injury as any high-performance athlete, their injuries are often unique to their disciplines. With this understanding, we tailor care to the specific physical and mental demands of the performing arts.
If your child is a performing artist athlete, they’ll be treated by a team with the skills and training necessary to help them succeed. With a sports medicine doctor overseeing their care, your child may see:
From diagnosis through treatment, rehab, and returning to the stage (or ice or beam) — our team of specialists work together to see performing artist athletes through each phase of their care.
Figure skating is a stunning combination of athleticism and grace. But as the sport becomes more demanding, the number of injuries has risen.
We are a team of sports medicine specialists, many of whom have backgrounds as performing artists ourselves. Some of us are team physicians for Boston Ballet and U.S. Figure Skating. We know what it takes to remain active in demanding athletic pursuits and how to help performing artists reach their goals.
Our patients also have access to the extensive resources of the Sports Medicine Division. This includes:
Prevention is often the best way to avoid unplanned time off from practice and performance. Our experts have put together a series of injury-prevention guides to help performing artist athletes remain active.
In addition to promoting the health and well-being of our patients, we also conduct ongoing research that helps establish standards and guidelines for performing arts medicine around the country.
The source of hip pain is different in dancers than other athletes, but how? Dynamic hip ultrasound sheds light on this question.
