Thread: Belly Dance and Back Pain

Some people find that belly dancing helps ease and prevent back pain. (I do.)

Other people find that belly dancing creates or aggravates existing back pain. (In my experience, this is usually either because the dancer has a pre-existing condition such as an old injury or because teachers don't correct posture problems.)

Do YOU fit into either category?

For me, belly dancing has kept my abs and back muscles in balance. It has encouraged my spine to remain supple and mobile. It has provided gentle stretching to relax tight muscles. As many of you know, I was in a car accident at age 17 that, combined with scoliosis, has given me a lifetime of back issues. My back is happiest when I dance regularly, and it is feistiest when I take time off from dancing.

What's YOUR experience?

I'm glad you posted this Shira!!!

I've also been in several car accidents, and have several spinal deformities.

Dancing seemed to help, my lower back felt 'looser', and more relaxed.

But lately I have been in so much pain, I haven't been able to do anything.
It even hurts to walk.
(I must have slept wrong, when I stayed at my Mom's)
I'm going to try heat, then some gentle moves.

Mayas seemed to really help!!!

Hmmm. Certain things really aggravate my back-I had a small tear in a muscle in my lower back which led to intense muscle spasms, and though I have healed I feel like my back may never be the same. Backbends obviously, my problem is that I tend to be slightly swaybacked-I was taught to keep the correct posture, but that is just the contour of my spine. However, I think a lot of it has to do with strenghtening my back and ab muscles, i.e. I wouldn't be sore have pain if I stretched more/did more strengthening exercises for those areas. I notice I have the least amount of pain when I am on a regular weightlifting schedule (which makes sense). Hard to keep it up with a full time job, but it works for me.

I don't really find that dance eases pain, except for when I do extended stretching or incorporate a lot of yoga positions.

I have some lumbar disc issues. Before I started belly dancing, I had been in some level of pain every day for over four years, with movement limiting pain about 25% of the time. Belly dancing turned it off like a switch, with most days being pain free, and very few incidences of limiting pain. :). I attribute a lot of it to finally being introduced to my lower abs. This is one of the reasons I have thrown myself into belly dancing as hard as I have: When I started belly dancing, the universe dropped me a few of these not so subtle hints that I may be on a good path.

i felt really flexible and strong when i was surfing daily which encouraged me to use my arms a lot more when dancing..paddling and veil work went hand in hand as far as strength:)

been dyeing stuff too much lately and my back is sore so the pain makes me careful when i do want to dance (just around here not at shows right now..i'm in dance rehab lol)

I started bellydancing in hopes of decreasing deep hip pain and it worked like a charm. Even now, if I go too long without dancing my hip will get a lttle sore. A friend of mine started having low back pain while dancing before she realized that she was slipping out of posture.

When I started taking BD lessons, it helped my lower back pain tremendously. I was walking around very swaybacked, and strengthening my psoas and other core muscles, along with consciously working on a neutral pelvis, corrected it almost completely.

Through my dance journey, I continued to feel fantastic up until I started teaching over 5 classes per week. Once I started teaching more than that, in addition to my own performances, classes and rehearsals, my back started bothering me again. This time, both my lower and upper back were feeling jacked up, along with a host of other places. It got so unless I was asleep, I was never without some degree of pain. It's a natural result of putting that much wear and tear on a late 30's body. I started getting massage therapy monthly about a year ago, and it's helped tremendously.

When I first started dancing, it KILLED my lower back. I used to have to go home and take hot baths, or curl up in a ball and stretch my back for hours. Laying flat was torture.

Then I realized that was because my teacher was emphasizing BAD posture (like, pushing your butt OUT!!). As soon as I learned that the correct posture was actually tucked under, and that you should engage your lower abs to tuck your pelvis and straighten your spine, my back problems went away.

I still get the occasional sore back from too much dancing, but nothing like it used to be. I think if it hurts - you are doing it wrong!

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

I think if it hurts - you are doing it wrong!

Agree 100%!!

I had terrible problems for years and years with my upper back, related to old whiplash injuries. The pain was almost constant and unbearable, and I was about to submit to a bunch of chiropractic work and physical therapy that my doc recommended. (a huge commitment on my part, since I don't have insurance and would have had to pay for it all out of pocket).

But at that same time, I took up dance and I've almost never had a problem since! Combination of dance posture and all the arm work strengthened the muscles that support my spine and bellydance cured me. Hallelujah!

I had a lower back injury that hurt on and off for years before I started dancing. Not only has BD helped with that but with my arthritis as well. There are days and times that both hurt so bad that dancing does not help, but actually makes it worse but I have had fewer pain and spasming episodes since I started dancing.

I had a work injury in Y2K, just weeks after I started BD. My chiropractor went NUTS when he saw me do things like Camels and Maias - "Keep on doing that!" he said.

About the only problem I have with my back these days is that it will get a bit sore when I forget to stay tucked - either walking or dancing, but especially doing Maias untucked will make it hurt. I'm a bit swaybacked also.

I have been in three car accidents that left me with cervical strain to the point now where it's not going to go away. Doing snake arms and slow shoulder shimmies has helped more than any therapy or any painkillers. So bellydancing has helped me physically too.

Three stories:
Mine: I had constant back pain from an auto accident when I was 21; if I dance regularly, my back is FINE.
Mom: Broke her hip at 50 and had lingering pain; started belly dancing at 60, taking it slowly; now, at nearly 71, she credits belly dance with keeping her limber.
Student "J": has had severe, ongoing lumbar pain for TWENTY YEARS; started my class in June; has noticed dramatic improvement in her level of pain (not pain free yet, but making progress is a good thing). Years of physical therapy haven't helped as much as belly dance.
Needless to say, I'm a big believer in belly dance as a help to a healthy back, when taught and practiced with a PELVIS IN NEUTRAL, which I emphasize during every class.

was taught bad posture for three years --> barely being able to walk/months of PT

learned correct posture---> back pain (due to scoliosis) gets better the more I dance

I to found it very useful to BD for my back. I rarely do anything at all like a backbend though. I think they might be OK if done with rigorous attention to posture BUT unless you really train yourself to do them correctly, the temptatino is to bend without getting into right posture for the bend. I don't like backbends enough to drill them.

for the most part it helps

when I hurt my lower back, full undulations tweaked it a little, but the rest was fine.

I have recurring lower back pain. If I am in a lot of pain (like, it even hurts to walk around), I don't go to class. But if I am just in a little pain (stiffness), I go to class because it helps loosen me up. However, I am very careful not to do arching movements, and I frequently hang my torso forward to stretch out my back during class.

Originally Posted by tigerb

I am very careful not to do arching movements, and I frequently hang my torso forward to stretch out my back during class.

If you have lower back pain, here's a stretch that MIGHT do you more good than just hanging the torso forward:

• Stand with one foot slightly in front of the other.
• Place your hands on your knees.
• Tuck your tail between your legs like a dog being scolded.

It feels very different from a forward fold, creates much more of a stretching feeling in the lower back. I lead my students in doing this stretch after drilling them in moves such as figure 8's that engage the lower back a lot.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

If you have lower back pain, here's a stretch that MIGHT do you more good than just hanging the torso forward:

• Stand with one foot slightly in front of the other.
• Place your hands on your knees.
• Tuck your tail between your legs like a dog being scolded.

It feels very different from a forward fold, creates much more of a stretching feeling in the lower back. I lead my students in doing this stretch after drilling them in moves such as figure 8's that engage the lower back a lot.

Worth a shot! thanks!

For people who have chronic back pain issues, I suggest doing the following:

• Build strength in your abs, to balanced your back muscles. Try to use your abs more to drive your belly dance moves. Practice, practice doing belly rolls. If this doesn't suffice, do the dreaded crunches.
• Do stretches that target your glutes. A good one is to lie flat on your back and pull one knee up to your chest and hold it there a while. Feel the stretch in your glute. Repeat same thing on other site. Then pull both knees to your chest at once. Repeat each of these variations a few times.
• Do stretches that target your hip flexors (ilio-psoas). There are lunge variations that are good for this.
• Do stretches that target your hamstrings. My favorite is to lie flat on my back, feet up on a wall, legs straight, with my butt as close to the wall as my hamstrings will tolerate. Then, just hang out in this position for a while. Listen to music. Breathe. Watch television. Have a conversation.
• Do stretches that target your lower back (such as the one I described above that involves "tucking your tail between your legs")

Back pain CAN be caused by tightness in glutes, hamstrings, ilio-psoas, and lower back. Hence, the stretches I described above.

I should also point out that sometimes back pain can be a sign of a serious illness. A friend of mine had chronic back pain when in her 40's, with no prior history of back trouble. By the time it was diagnosed, she was in Stage 4 of lung cancer and died 3 years later. My stepfather also had lower back pain for years, and after much run-around with the medical community got a diagnosis of bladder cancer - he died 5 months later.

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

Then I realized that was because my teacher was emphasizing BAD posture (like, pushing your butt OUT!!). As soon as I learned that the correct posture was actually tucked under, and that you should engage your lower abs to tuck your pelvis and straighten your spine, my back problems went away.

EXCELLENT! I find i have had lower back issues for some time. I also find that when I dance "properly" it feels great. I advised my troop instructor of my back pain very early on. She is awesome and every once in a bit will yell out "TUCK YOUR BUTT IN" to the group - but it's really directed to me ..g.:

I threw my back out as a baby-beginner, attempting a few too many Rachel Brice style backbends and other scary stuff. Ouch! Been traumatized about floorwork and backbends since then.

But as Daniela says, ever since I started practicing belly dance the safe way, I hardly ever have back pain - even after strenuous workshops and gigs.

By and large, I think belly dance is great for strengthening the core and the lower back. But as with any workout, you can hurt yourself if your form isn't correct.

As an aside (or thread hijack) I have to say that yoga compliments bellydance or the other way around. They are almost like fraternal twins - they are like two forms of healthy physical exercise that descend from the same parents. I know they don't come from the same parts of the world but they are more like yin and yang.

This dance has helped my back so much. As many of you know, I too have scoliosis. Dancing always makes my back feel better. I really think that i'd be much worse off if I didn't find this dance.

Originally Posted by rakgirl

This dance has helped my back so much. As many of you know, I too have scoliosis. Dancing always makes my back feel better. I really think that i'd be much worse off if I didn't find this dance.

Never knew that about you. Based on the way you dance so wonderful, you look like you have no troubles at all like that.

Belly dance is great for the back; however, for those prone to back pain, I don't think it is enough. I do yoga, crunches and pilates as well, myself.

It's made a HUGE difference in my posture, which must have some effect in preventing back pain.

I know most women experience bad back pain during pregnancy. I have had 0, with the exception of the time I was trying to follow along with a prenatal workout video that had you sticking your butt out (actually I think they were trying to demonstrating going from out to in, but since I'm usually in neutral pelvis, the "going out" part was new to my body and ouch.)


I also do yoga though and I think that it works alongside with bellydance in straightening out posture issues.

Originally Posted by khalima

I have some lumbar disc issues. Before I started belly dancing, I had been in some level of pain every day for over four years, with movement limiting pain about 25% of the time. Belly dancing turned it off like a switch, with most days being pain free, and very few incidences of limiting pain. :). I attribute a lot of it to finally being introduced to my lower abs. This is one of the reasons I have thrown myself into belly dancing as hard as I have: When I started belly dancing, the universe dropped me a few of these not so subtle hints that I may be on a good path.

Echo, echo, same here.

I had always had "gymnasts back" so when I first started dancing, I exacerbated the condition with extreme back bends and undulations that involved lower back extensions.

It was actually the SS Format that made me more aware of my lower abs, and by removing lower back extensions during undulations, my lower back pain went away.

I can and still do backbends but not nearly to the depth that I used to. Regardless, I engage my glutes when I do so and maintain an ever so slight tension in the lower abs at all times (like pilates' "hollow body") to keep my back from extending.

So, improper posture in belly dance exacerbated a lower back condition, but proper posture (that worked for my body, I know Hadia's method emphasizes different posturing that works for others and is purported to be safer) in belly dance helped remedy it.

If I am having mild back pain, I go to dance to help loosen it up. But if it's severe, there are too many things in class that aggravate it. For example, undulations. Lengthy shimmy drills. A lot of holding my arms up over my head. Drills with lots of twisting motions.

I have pretty good dance posture and my teacher corrects me if I am doing something wrong. But my back pain comes from my hamstrings, my glutes, and my psoas muscles. If they are too tight, my back hurts like crazy, and if I don't carefully keep them loose before dance class, I can be breathless with pain by the time I get home afterward.

Originally Posted by Fotia

Never knew that about you. Based on the way you dance so wonderful, you look like you have no troubles at all like that.

Thank you Fotia. My spine is actually fused (the top half doesn't move at all.) I attribute by back health to Dance.