You can listen to the full episode at ESPN West Palm Tonight. 

For dancers, summer means sweat. Even if you’re not performing outdoors directly in the sunshine and heat, you still might end up soaking your leotard by the end of the day.

Our bodies are mostly made up of fluid, so when we sweat out significantly more than we replace, that can impact everything from our muscles to our brain, our heart, and even our gut. “As we get out of balance, everything is affected,” said Dr. Davenport.

In severe situations, dehydration can sometimes make people start sweating profusely or stop sweating at all. “That’s something that we see more commonly in extreme outdoor athletes,” Dr. Davenport shared. “But if you take dancers who are not used to training in the heat and put them in a festival all day long in the sun, it could happen.”

Even if things don’t get that intense, just a little fatigue from minor dehydration could potentially lead to injury, Dr. Davenport warns. Dehydration also raises the risk of heat illnesses like heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Read the full article at pointemagazine.com.

Kathleen L. Davenport, MD, sports medicine physiatrist at HSS, shares how dancers can stay cool, safe, & performance ready when performing outdoors. 

Read the full article at dance-teacher.com. 

Dr. Davenport said the activity has physical and psychological benefits for people of all ages. “I have patients ranging in age from young children to 90-year-old adults who enjoy dancing,” said Dr. Davenport.

“I like to say that dancing checks a lot of boxes. In social dancing, you interact with different people and can make new friends, which has multiple psychological benefits,” Dr. Davenport explained. “On the physical side, you need good balance, you need core strength, you need strength in your lower and upper extremities if you’re doing partner work. Dancing can also be an excellent cardio workout," said Dr. Davenport. 

Physical therapists often say, “motion is lotion,” which refers to movement that provides natural lubrication needed for healthy joints. This is especially important for older adults. “Bringing movement to the body can address joint stiffness from arthritis and improve quality of life,” explained McAdam.

“Regular exercise such as dancing is essential for successful aging in terms of maintaining heart health, muscle strength, and bone health,” McAdam added. 

This article appeared in the September 2023 print edition and online at digitaledition.pub. 

"I have patients ranging in age from young children to 90-year-old adults who enjoy Latin and other styles of dancing," said Dr. Davenport.

"Dancing checks a lot of boxes. In social dancing, you interact with different people and can make new friends, which has multiple psychological benefits," Davenport explained. "On the physical side, you need good balance, you need core strength, you need strength in your lower and upper extremities if you're doing partner work. Dancing can also be an excellent cardio workout."

For those who love it, dancing can just feel good, Dr. Davenport said. "When you do something enjoyable, particularly physical exercise, endorphins are released, which are our 'happy' hormones," she explained. "By releasing these hormones, our body encourages us to keep engaging in these activities."

Read the full article at consumer.healthday.com. 

“When we talk about the cause of back pain, it often can be age dependent. For example, someone over 60, one of the most common causes is arthritis of the spine. But obviously, my 14 year old dancer, that is not going to be the most common cause. In our younger dancers and athletes, we can get things like fractures of the spine and stress fractures. In the middle age group around the 30s and 40s, a lot of times disc mediated pain like disc herniation can be a common cause. One size does not fit all when it comes to treatment or diagnosis of back pain,” said Dr. Davenport. 

“If you start to develop back pain, do not panic or put yourself on bedrest. We know from a lot of scientific literature that that does a disservice. What you want to do is slow, gentle, gradual movements," Dr. Davenport said. 

“When it comes to preventing back pain, be nice to your back. Core strengthening exercises like Pilates or physical therapy exercises can be helpful. It's great if you're not familiar with core strengthening to work with a trainer or physical therapist or Pilates instructor to make sure you are using the right muscles,” suggested Dr. Davenport. 

This segment aired on June 2, 2023. 

According to Dr. Davenport, “The body is sending certain hormones to essentially prepare the uterus to have a baby, and then the ovulation happens, and then if that egg is not fertilized, then the body is then getting rid of everything that was made there to support any kind of pregnancy.”

She added that through hormones change throughout cycle phases, as a result, affects the body as it prepares to have a period or for pregnancy. This “can also affect our exercise and other things in our body since our hormones are not just localized to the uterus, or to the ovaries, or eggs,” she noted.

Dr. Davenport explained the little research that’s out there has been inconclusive because each menstruator’s cycle is different, and they’re releasing different levels of hormones.

Dr. Davenport advised listening to one’s body and responding to its needs, as the data suggests.

Read the full article at Wellandgood.com.

Dr. Davenport explained, “Many health conditions can be mitigated or prevented with attention to fitness, diet, stress and sleep. It really can be optimizing the most basic elements that make the latest difference in our health.”

She continued, “Many people have changed their training during COVID-19 and are just now returning to some of their former activities."

Dr. Davenport noted the importance of easing back into a dance or a sport after a break. She explained, “Even if you have kept physically fit, it can be a high-risk time for the body to transition back to the full volume of a sport or dance style that had been previously performed. It’s essential for my dancers, performing artists and patients of all activities to ramp up gradually to their former level of exercise.”

 Dr. Davenport recommended 20 minutes of exercise per day, balancing cardio (running, elliptical, biking, swimming), core strengthening (Pilates), balance (yoga) and weights.

“In terms of stress reduction, I recommend meditation and prioritizing sleep as an important element of health,” she added.

 This article appeared in the Winter 2022 print issue.

On equestrian, Dr. Davenport said, “Any mistake can be extremely dangerous for both the rider and the horse. These athletes are pushing themselves to their limit together, with often new courses to navigate, and in a high stakes environment.”

Read the full article at Insider.com.

Dr. Davenport explained the importance of periodization for elite athletes and recommended having a healthy mix of hard days and rest days to avoid overuse injuries and peak at the right time during the Olympics. “We see a lot of overuse injuries, and as a fan, you might not hear about those. In the heat of the moment and extra adrenaline sometimes the overuse chronic injuries can become an acute problem when they need their body the most,” she said.

She also talked about how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed training for elite athletes, especially those in team sports. “Athletes have had to be extremely creative to keep up their training regimen to keep us in a way to be strong as an athlete but safe from a pandemic,” she added.

Dr. Davenport advised younger athletes with Olympic dreams to get the right team around them to reach their goals. She said, “It’s important to listen to your body and focus on periodization, listen to your coaches about correct technique but also assemble a team. By team, not just other players, but those around you make you a better athlete. This can be your health care team and those encouraging you and pushing you and giving positive feedback.”

The segment aired on July 23, 2021.

Dr. Davenport explained that gymnastics demands physical, technical and mental strength. “There is a high level of risk with the elements, and gymnasts are required to master balance, strength, flexibility, and endurance of both upper and lower extremities in order to achieve Olympic-level greatness.”

She added that gymnasts need “an extreme level of focus” to perform dangerous stunts — even after a crushing fall.

Dr. Greditzer, a former professional water polo player, said that swimming requires toughness and mental strength, since “sensory deprivation sport.”

Read the full article at Insider.com.

Dr. Davenport noted, “We’re [physiatrists] a very important part of the sports medicine team. A lot of people look at us as the non-surgical specialist of an orthopedic or musculoskeletal condition. Just like an orthopedic surgeon we evaluate and diagnosis tendon issues, bones, joints, sprains, strains all of those things. But instead of doing surgery we focus on the non-surgical options to treat those conditions. Our specialty is huge on teams. Taking a condition, making the right diagnosis, putting together the right team with the patient at the center of the team and getting our athletes back on the field.”

“When we’re working with our high school and college athletes who are trying to level up and really optimize their function and their sports goals, we really want to look at their movement patterns and make sure they’re as clean and optimized as possible,” said Dr. Davenport. “We can’t prevent all injuries and that’s why we have the capabilities to get our athletes with an acute injury in quickly, take care of them and get them back as quickly as possible." She added, "There are some things we can do to optimize function and there are some injuries we can prevent. I focus on the three Ts – training, technique and tiredness.”

This segment aired on May 3, 2021.

Dr. Davenport suggested taking frequent standing breaks (ideally every 20 minutes); setting up a workstation to support your posture; alternating how you type on your phone to decrease overuse of the hands and wrist; and exercise breaks to stretch the shoulders, neck and strengthening exercises to support your posture.

Dr. Davenport advised against ignoring pain in the core (muscles needed to strengthen and support one above); leaning toward the computer or phone (which increases stress on the neck shoulders and back); and ignoring small areas of pain that don’t go away.

This article appeared in the print edition on January 24, 2021.

As COVID-19 is transmitted through our breathing, the increased breathing during exercise may increase the risk of infection. Dr. Davenport advised to wear a mask when around others (during both indoor and outdoor exercise classes and gyms), and through the entirety of the workout. She also suggested having multiple masks on hand, as it may get wet and offer less protection while you perspire.

Dr. Davenport counseled to avoid exercise in a mask if it is dangerous to your health and to speak with a physician first. To prevent fatigue and overexertion, it is important to work up to your previous exercise routine while wearing a mask. Dr. Davenport advised against pushing through a workout if you start to feel unwell (e.g., dizziness, anxiousness, difficulty concentrating, etc.), and to find a safe space away from people to remove your mask.

This feature appeared in the print edition on December 6, 2020.

To listen to episodes featuring Dr. Davenport, visit Thedancedocs.com.

Dr. Davenport cited telehealth is useful for dancers who have busy schedules and can’t show up to doctors appointments during typical office hours, and for dancers who travel or tour. Being able to chat on-the-go allows them to see the same doctor consistently. “If you get started with a treatment plan, and then you have to go see a new doctor in a different state every month—or a different country, even—that is a very disjointed health-care plan," she explained. "Telemedicine can help that continuity of care."

However, before trying telehealth, if an injury is not straight forward, Dr. Davenport recommended seeing a doctor in person. “There can be an increased risk of missing something if I’m not there in person to actually be able to lay my hands on someone,” she said. She also advised to check with your insurance company on coverage and to choose the relationship that will make you feel most comfortable (virtual or in-person), as you know yourself best.

Read the full article at Dancemagazine.com.

Dr. Davenport explained without good mobility, your muscles will be tight, but you can also have imbalances in the body and be more prone to injury. “If one area of the body has less mobility, another area may try to compensate, and this could result in injury,” she noted. 

Key components such as stretching, should be done daily to achieve optimal health. Dr. Davenport cited stretching via active flexibility exercises can improve and maintain the body’s mobility. 

Read the full article at Wellandgood.com.

According to Dr. Davenport, exercises such as a chin tuck, will not only strengthen the neck muscles but also relieve pressure. “This is when you sit or stand with your best posture and you move your chin backward and downward, sort of like you're trying to give yourself a double chin. This elongates the back of your neck and takes pressure off of painful structures,” noted Dr. Davenport. “I also recommend stretching the front of the chest as we are often reaching or bending forward to look at our screens,” she advised. To start, stand in the corner of a room and face the corner. “Then bring your arms out the side with your elbows bent and bring them up to shoulder height on the walls. Gently press toward the corner so you are stretching the front of your chest,” she explained.

Read the full article at Health.usnews.com.

Kathleen L. Davenport, MD, director of physiatry at HSS Florida, explains that even things as minor as how a foot fits in a pointe shoe might not be familiar to physicians without dance knowledge. “That can be everything in terms of how that dancer got injured.”

According to Dr. Davenport, if there are no dance medicine specialists available, the next best provider would be a sports medicine specialist as there is overlap in diagnoses between dancers and runners.

Dr. Davenport recommends being your own advocate and not being afraid to get a second opinion especially if you feel that your doctor may not understand rehabilitation needed for dancers.

Read the full article at DanceMagazine.com.

HSS is eager to bring its medical services to the growing, aging and affluent Florida community. Last year, 3,000 Florida residents traveled for care to HSS in New York. "We want to deliver care closer to where people live and work,” said Mr. Shapiro. HSS also hopes to be a destination center for all sports medicine needs in the Southeast U.S., including professional athletes as well as teenage athletes, cited Justin Oppenheimer, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at HSS.

David W. Altchek, MD, sports medicine surgeon at HSS, will serve as the Medical Director of HSS Florida. Joining him is HSS orthopedic trauma surgeon, Nicholas Sama, MD, as associate medical director for inpatient services; sports medicine surgeon Ryan W. Simovitch, MD, as associate medical director for ambulatory services; hand an upper extremity surgeon, Michelle G. Carlson, MD; sports medicine surgeon, James B. Carr II, MD; physiatrist Kathleen L. Davenport, MD; and hip and knee surgeon, John L. Wang, MD.

Read the article at Palmbeachpost.com. This article also appeared in the February 2 print edition. 

Additional coverage:

• Healio.com
• Beckersasc.com
• Beckersasc.com
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• Beckersasc.com 

The article cites that over 500 guests gathered earlier this year at a symposium to hear HSS physicians talk about orthopedic conditions. It also notes that today's retirees now expect to be able to continue their active lifestyle which provides HSS physicians with an opportunity to keep them moving and out of pain. One of the new physicians who will be joining HSS Florida is Kathleen Davenport, MD, a physiatrist who trained at HSS, who also has a specialty in treating professional dancers. Additionally, Nicholas Sama, MD, who also completed his training at HSS, is joining HSS Florida with an affiliate office in Wellington. 

Justin Oppenheimer, senior vice president and Chief Strategy Officer at HSS, explains that HSS hopes to be a destination center for all sports medicine needs in the Southeast U.S. ranging from teenage athletes to professionals. 

Read the full article at PalmBeachPost.com. This also appeared in the Sunday, December 15, 2019 print edition.