Physiotherapy Matters at Paw Patrol
August 23, 2017
As physiotherapists we are sometimes called in to treat people outside of the clinic environment. I physio for local rugby teams weekly but on Friday 18th August I was asked to pay a visit to the cast of the hit show Paw Patrol at Newcastle Metro Radio Arena. The cast were all professional dancers and performers and have been training for many years.
Performers and dancers put their bodies through a huge amount of stress when on the road, both physically and mentally. These particular performers were completing three shows a day which lasted for an hour and a half. This was on top of rehearsals and traveling the length of the country. If put into context this is like playing four football matches a day with minimal resting time. This busy schedule puts incredible stresses on the body as the performers are completing the same movement patterns day after day. Without periods of rest the performers bodies will develop strains and injury’s, therefore it’s crucial they receive the right treatment and care.
The Paw Patrol performers value input from healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists. They appreciate the hands on treatment that they receive and understand the importance or their health and wellbeing. The physiotherapy treatment they receive can vary from a massage to an in-depth assessment of chronic injuries they’ve developed due to the nature of their job, the high intensity work schedule and the short rest and recovery time.
As a visiting physiotherapist you only have a short time with each performer which can be challenging if the performer has multiple co-morbidities, therefore your clinical decision making skills are vitally important in making sure each performer is given the best treatment they can to maximise their recovery and benefit their bodies.
Your treatment can be the difference to the actors performing to the best of their abilities throughout the tour or missing some shows due to injury. Some methods as simple as a massage or taping with techniques such as Kinesio taping can be the difference between a great and potentially pain free performance, to the person being able to not perform at all.
This type of treatment is very demanding for a physiotherapist due to the large number of performers who need to be attended to. Despite this, it is also very rewarding as you are enabling the performers to accomplish their roles, which in some cases is the first time these actors have been on the big stage.
All of the dancers were extremely grateful of the advice and treatment they received and they were all sent away with personalised treatment plans to take onto the next city around their UK tour.
Richard Dodd
Senior Physiotherapist