Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for the Performing Arts in Southlake, TX

Athletes aren't the only ones who suffer from soreness and injuries; adults, teens, and kids alike who are involved in the performing arts can experience a wide range of issues that require treatment. The majority of musicians will notice a degree of tension and strain in their hands, forearms, or wrists at some point in their lives, while dancers can face inhibited movements or trauma all throughout the body. Actors and singers may also need osteopathic attention to address facial restrictions. To ensure that you are able to succeed in your art healthily and effectively, Integrative Pain and Wellness Center is pleased to perform osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). At our office in Southlake, TX and serving the surrounding areas of Midland and Odessa, TX,  Dr. Barker and Dr. Gray aim to get to the root of your issue and resolve it with manual, holistic techniques.

Dr. Melanie Gray is a dance specialist physician in the DFW area and can be found in the Doctors for Dancers practitioner database. She is a former professional ballet dancer, who is now passionate about translating her personal career expertise to dancers through her medical practice. She can provide dancers with comprehensive health or injury assessments, preventative healthcare, and access to a wide range of injury-treatment modalities. She is a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) and Performing Arts Medical Association (PAMA) and is also an Arts Ambassador through The Arts Community Alliance (TACA) of Dallas.

Muscle and joint tension is a common issue faced by nearly all performing artists, whether it's in the hands, forearms, wrists, neck, back, or face. In fact, some of the most frequently occurring conditions that develop in musicians include tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and bursitis. These can be especially prevalent in people who play the piano and string instruments. Anyone dealing with physical discomfort can benefit from OMT since it is noninvasive, nonsurgical approach to target the source of your pain and eliminate or reduce it. During a consultation, Dr. Barker or Dr. Gray will ask questions about your pain and create a customized treatment program to address your unique needs.

After a consultation with Dr. Barker or Dr. Gray, we will create your personalized treatment plan to address your pain, tension, and strain. There are many techniques that can be incorporated into an osteopathic manipulative treatment plan for performing arts medicine (PAM). The approach we use will highly depend on your unique situation. At Integrative Pain and Wellness Center, we will identify the source of the pain and utilize manual methods to relieve your discomfort. Once these tender points have been assessed, we can implement a number of strain/counter strain techniques to ease and alleviate these areas.

Dr. Gray's dancer-specific offerings include:

• Performer wellness and injury prevention
• Injury diagnosis and comprehensive management
• Pointe clearance for young dancers
• Equipment evaluation and modification
• Choreography and technique counseling
• Practice and return-to-stage recommendations
• Targeted osteopathic manipulative treatments
• In-office musculoskeletal ultrasound and injections
• Referrals to specialists or other dancer-specific healthcare professionals

Performing artists experience more tension and strain than most people realize. The physical toll that accompanies playing instruments, dancing, singing, and stage acting can be immense, and if their health is not taken care of, performing artists may suffer from debilitating conditions. To stay on top of your physical shape and ensure that you're able to exceed in your job or hobbies, get in touch with our office in Southlake, TX. At Integrative Pain and Wellness Center, Dr. Barker and Dr. Gray create personalized treatment plans tailored to your unique circumstances.