Dear Katie: What If My Weight Loss Led to a Stress Fracture?

In our Dear Katie series, Miami City Ballet soloist Kathryn Morgan answers your pressing dance questions. Have something you want to ask Katie? Email
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Dear Katie,

I’ve worked hard to lose weight over the past few months, and I’m finally happy with my body. I’ve gotten several compliments from my dance teachers, and my lines look beautiful. But recently I developed a stress fracture in my foot, and my doctor says it’s probably because of my weight loss. What should I do?

Amber

Dear Amber,

I’m glad you’re feeling good about your body. But no matter how much you weigh, if you’re getting stress fractures, something is out of balance.

The most important thing is to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs. Ask your doctor or a nutritionist if supplements, particularly calcium, might be helpful. And make sure you’re thinking of food as fuel. It’s easy to fall into disordered eating habits when trying to lose weight, so assess your relationship with food in an honest way.

But assess your technique, too. Dancing with poor alignment, neglecting your plié in jumps, and forgetting to take care of your body after class are all mistakes that can cause, or worsen, stress fractures. See a physical therapist for exercises to strengthen the muscles in and around your feet, in particular.

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