Health Risks for Ballerinas
June 4, 2009 by Cherie Burbach
Filed under Women's Health
If you’ve ever watched a ballet, you know that the ballerinas are in awesome shape. The things they do while on stage are really quite amazing. But there are times when the professional can bring out eating disorders, so the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee is studying them for the betterment of all female athletes.
They found that “young female professional dancers face the same health risks as young female athletes when they don’t eat enough to offset the energy they spend, and stop menstruating as a consequence.” These types of athletes can experience “cardiovascular and bone density deficits of much older, postmenopausal women” as a result.
This doesn’t surprise me at all. While ballerinas are graceful, they are also athletic. I hope studies like this continue, so women in the fields of professional dance or athletics can find a balance between their career and good health.
Image: sxc.hu.
