Strictly First Aid Tips

The sparkle of Strictly Come Dancing has once again returned to our screens along with an array of shimmies and side steps.

Every move may have been perfected on the opening night, however, behind the scenes has proven to be a bit more chaotic with several injuries already reported.

With foot injuries, aches and pains being the most common as a result of training sessions, Charlotte Hawkins also suffered a painful neck injury ahead of the first show. Such injuries can be treated using PRICE therapy for two to three days. It is important to take care when treating dance injuries in order to control the inflammation and pain immediately, leading to a more swift recovery.

PRICE stands for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and will be used in conjunction with painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen for treating any minor strains and sprains the stars may experience whilst training.

If you take part in any activities such as dance, knowledge of PRICE therapy will be beneficial. However sometimes injuries and instances can occur unexpectedly when we are completing our everyday tasks. Our Strictly First Aid Tips will ensure you are prepared and equipped if an unexpected first aid incident were to arise.

Improvise

Sometimes in life we have to improvise the same way dancers may have to on Strictly. For example.  if you find yourself needing a first aid kit, but there is not one available, everyday items you would find at home may help in acting as your props.

Although when it comes to dealing with accidents and looking after our physical health, improvising is the last thing most people want to be doing. A first aid kit and someone who knows how to use the equipment it contains would be ideal for all circumstances that require treatment, but sadly that’s not always possible. Accidents can happen at any time or place whether or not the appropriate resources needed to respond are available.

Props

 The show would not be the same without the use of props. Although tables and chairs are not made for dancing on, which is where improvising comes in. We show you how you can improvise with what is available for treating minor injuries:

1. A chair can also be used to provide improvised first aid treatment for incidents such as nose bleeds, by sitting and leaning slightly forward whilst pinching the nostrils and breathing through the mouth. A chair can also assist you with common injuries that require limbs to be elevated in order to reduce the blood flow to the injured area, helping to decrease pain, swelling and inflammation.
2. Feather boas add to the glitz of Strictly Come Dancing. When it comes to controlling a bleeding wound, it is important to apply pressure in order to reduce blood loss as quickly as possible. Bandages are ideal for this, however, if there is no first aid kit available, you will have to work with what you have got! This may mean using your finest feather boa or any available resource such as a towel or cloth that will help to control the bleeding.
3. Steam is often added to create special effects, changing the atmosphere on stage. Steam can also be used to treat coughs and colds although you should be careful to not burn yourself when inhaling steam. To do this, maintain a safe distance of 30cm from the bowl of boiling water, covering your head with a towel and breathing through your nose for up to two minutes.
4. In the event of a collapse, a defibrillator should always be requested. Last week our sister company defibshop covered how EastEnders highlighted the importance of defibs following Kush’s cardiac arrest. Last Saturday we saw Davood Ghadami who plays Kush, shine in a different light.

So there you have it, you can now improvise for first aid treatment in the same way the stars may be required to do when dancing.

First Aid Footwork

First Aid knowledge is essential for everyone regardless of what activities are participated in. We hope the stars take extra care when rehearsing for the duration of the show to avoid any further injuries from occurring.

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