In the orchard of dancing, as pole dancers, we are a basket of bruised apples.
Bruises and pole dancing pair like wine and cheese. Fellow pole dancer Eilish McGough wrote a brilliant blog post about mastering a difficult move (well done, darling!) and showcased a MONSTER bruise after her victory. This is an all-too-common reality for pole dancers of all levels.
Bruises are collections of crushed blood vessels under the skin. They’re also called contusions, which is not to be mistaken or “confusions,” which I felt frequently while reading a bunch of science-y articles to research this blog post. They occur after a hard impact and can take anywhere from a few days, to a few WEEKS to heal.
Many pole dancers have patented bruises as “pole kisses,” because they’re usually light and resemble *ahem* a certain love mark. In my expert opinion, pole kisses is too generous of a term. To me, they make our limbs look like bananas ready for the trash.
While there is no magic pill or Wiccan ritual that will eliminate the pain entirely, there are ways to treat the symptoms of bruises so your training schedule isn’t interrupted.
disclaimer
I’m not a doctor. I don’t even play one on TV. All of the advice below derives from professional medical services and other pole dancers. If you’re experiencing serious discomfort or pain, go talk to a REAL doctor and make sure you’re cleared to train.
how to handle pole dance bruises
train your bad side
This isn’t the most helpful tip, but it isn’t useless. Destroying your skin on the side you don’t normally train on will even out the practice, and also give the tender spots a brief reprieve. It might create bruises on both sides, but the more you toughen your skin, the less pain you’ll feel in the long run.
ice, ice baby
Bruises love ice. It cools the skin and helps the blood constrict and heal faster. Icing as soon as possible after sustaining a bruise will chase it away.
stop (in the name of love)
If bruises and marks are severe, it means the muscles underneath have probably taken a beating as well. It is encouraged, and healthy, to take a couple of days off of the pole to let your skin heal. Rest days will not erase your progress.
Don’t take too much time off, if it can be helped. While the skin needs to heal and toughen over time, taking a long break in between training will allow soft, unbroken skin to develop in the “utility spots” such as the backs of the knees and the inner thighs.
USE your products
Aloe vera isn’t just for sunburns. This miracle goo is a cooling agent that helps reduce inflammation, speed up healing time for exterior wounds, and simply provide relief for bruises. Plus, most of the time, it smells wonderful.
Products with circulation stimulators, such as arnica gel are also useful home remedies. If all else fails, soak in an Epsom salt bath and reach otherworldly levels of relaxation.
Try sticky gear
Some dancers just bruise easily, in and out of pole dancing. To minimize this further, pole apparel companies are engineering leggings and shorts that cover the body for an extra layer of protection, but still, provide the grip that bare skin does.
One company that features the best leggings, shorts, and bodysuits is Super Fly Honey World, which takes dancers’ personal styles into consideration and created a diverse product line.
(psst: they also wrote a great post about handling pole dancing bruises. Check them out and buy all of the things.)
Other popular brands, such as Creatures of XIX, have a branch of sticky pole wear for longtime fans.
Condition from the floor
Working on a new trick in the air doesn’t always yield the best results. Working the muscles from the floor will not only get your body in shape to perform the trick but targeting the areas needed will minimize bruising in unnecessary spots.
Some people are “balls to the wall” type of dancers that only practice in the air. Therefore, training from the ground might seem ludicrous.
For help on strength and conditioning, or simply learning how to be a better human in a body, check out The Pole PT’s book. I’m not even sponsored to say this, but I use this book to stretch and get myself ready for all of the hard shit.
eat your vegetables
Food is medicine. In this case, loading up on those green veggies that everybody hates could fortify you with the nutrients that will keep bruises to a minimum.
Vitamins that will help with bruises are:
Vitamin C
If you hate oranges, have no fear. Leafy greens, potatoes, cherries, peppers, and stone fruits are all high in vitamin C.
Vitamin K
Can’t escape those leafy greens, can we?
Kale, spinach, and chard are all rich in vitamin K. Meats also have a lot of vitamin K, especially organ meats. If conventional chicken and beef are your jam, those are excellent choices for vitamin K.
If all else fails, buy these vitamins in creams or salves to send a supercharged dose of nutrients directly to where the bruises live. It’s like steroids, but the good kind!
Keep going
When the above methods don’t work, sometimes the only way to get rid of the pain is to push through it. At the end of the day, the only way to toughen up the ol’ hide is to beat the skin into submission.
want to learn how to get more amazing pole dancing bruises?
The Poletrotters community is an international collective of pole dancers, strippers, teachers, and artists of all makes. Read the blog for stories, tips, and inspiration to dance your heart out!
