Dancers all over the world are familiar with the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) that can occur if you return to class after not dancing for a while or used your body in new ways or for new repertoire. DOMS can then occur from 24 to 48 hours later, meaning you wake up feeling sore as a result of minute tears in the muscle fibre. The body can feel stiff and achey from the overuse.
When dancers are sore it is very tempting to stretch through the pain, usually because you have to get up and carry on the next day! However, this may not be the best way to remedy soreness, depending on its degree. Static stretching is detrimental to improving soreness, and will cause more damage to the muscle tissue. More dynamic stretches will improve the soreness and will warm up the body while working through the stretch and bringing blood flow to the area. The nutrients in the blood will help repair tissues.
It is important to carry out a longer warm up when you are sore, including dynamic stretching and a few simple exercises. If the soreness is moderate it is important to avoid extreme movements, and even icing the muscle if it is causing discomfort.
Dancers who are constantly working on different movement are bound to get sore, however working through light soreness can be a good thing. The body reacts to being sore and becomes stronger through the challenges to the body. However, it is important to pay attention to the level of soreness, such as if it continues for over 48 hours as the muscle may genuinely be injured. If the dancer starts to experience any sharp pains, they should seek the help of a health professional.