Performing Arts Medicine Hosts Wellness Symposium for the Youth Dancer

Mercy Health - Cincinnati, which provides advanced, quality, compassionate care in your neighborhood through its care network, announces that Mercy Health Performing Arts Medicine is hosting the Wellness Symposium for the Youth Dancer from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Saturday, August 12.

The symposium, which is open to male and female dancers ages 8-18, their parents and instructors, takes place at Mercy Health Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Five Mile, located at 7575 Five Mile Road, Suite B, Cincinnati, OH 45230 (inside the Wellington Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine building). Cost is $10 per person or $15 for parent and dancer. Mercy Health encourages parent attendance with youth dancer. Proceeds benefit ArtsWave.

Ohio recently passed Senate Bill 252, known as “Lindsay’s Law,” which requires that Ohio high school students, youth athletes, their parents and coaches are informed and educated on the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest. Lindsay Love Davis, the symposium’s keynote speaker, inspired the law that bears her name and will discuss her experiences. She is a national heart health advocate and former Miss Ohio who suffers from a heart condition and has dedicated her career to raising awareness of this potentially fatal condition.

The symposium includes two interactive breakout sessions as well as informative discussions on nutrition, mental strategies to help overcome obstacles and how to prevent and recover from common dance injuries. Attendees will also hear about techniques that can immediately impact their daily routines as dancers, including information on injury prevention and strengthening.

Agenda, speakers and topics follow below:

8:30–8:50 a.m.
How to fuel your body for maximum performance, Ray Anne Best, MS, RD, LD, CDE, registered and licensed dietitian and certified diabetes educator

8:50–9:10 a.m.
What is anxiety and how do I treat it?, Erica Nicolaus, LISW-S, behavioral health consultant

9:10–9:30 a.m.
Knee pain in the ballerina: special considerations and prevention, Amelia Wiggins, DO, orthopaedics & sports medicine specialist

9:30–9:45 a.m. – Break

9:45–11:15 a.m.
Interactive breakout sessions (two rotating sessions, 45 minutes each):

Importance of injury screening, Kelly Jo Trimble, head athletic trainer with Cincinnati Ballet

The dancer’s hip, Jacqui Haas, athletic trainer and supervisor of Performing Arts Medicine

11:15 a.m.–Noon

Keynote speaker Lindsay Davis. Davis, a former Miss Ohio, was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at age 17. She is an advocate who helped in the passage of SB252, known as “Lindsay’s Law,” in the Ohio state legislature with Sen. Cliff Hite. Lindsay’s Law requires all coaches and teachers to undergo education on the symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. She is currently working to get other states to pass similar legislation in addition to a law that requires CPR training as a high school graduation requirement. Davis is a guest writer for USA Today Sports and Sports Illustrated in addition to serving as associate editor of Open Heart BMJ, the online cardiology edition of the British Medical Journal.

mCore, which provides heart screenings to student athletes at Mercy Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine partner schools, is the keynote address sponsor.

Reserve your spot today! Go to mercy.com, click News & Events, click Events and search Wellness Symposium for the Youth Dancer.