Physical Therapy for Dancers

A black and white photo of a tree branch with pointe shoes tied it in, hanging down.

Owned and operated by Katy Jumper, DPT, Prima PT is a preventative dance medicine physical therapy provider in Madison, AL who strives to provide high level dance specific education, exercise programming, and continually expanding care to dancers in this community.

Dance physical therapy is specialized care, understanding the unique biomechanical demands of dance to prevent injury and improve performance. It requires a deep understanding of how dance technique and human biomechanics result in the specific movements that define dance as art. Both how it is that they work well and what happens when they don’t. With Prima PT, you or your dancer will experience a thoughtful invested listening ear, questions and language that make sense to the dancer, and collaborative goal setting and programming with strong educational components. Prima PT comes with a proactive mindset with preventative strategies ready for your dance family.

Dance performance is physically unlike any other sport. Dance healthcare should be unique too. Consider Prima PT for yourself or your dancer!

I Corinthians 10:31

“Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God”

Colossians 3:23

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord”.

Proverbs 16:3

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do and He will establish your plans.”

In both knowing and believing these commands to be true, whatever work Prima PT does in the Madison dance community, it will be done heartily for God’s glory.

A person wearing dark pants and tap shoes taking a step away, with a blurred background of trees.

“I’m so excited for what this means for our community and for dancers. You are a gift to us!”

— Erin, a local dance instructor

A row of women's shoes on a concrete surface in an outdoor setting with a wooden fence and greenery in the background.

“The workshops have really been an answer to prayer!”

— a local dance mom

“I enjoyed learning about all of the sciencey PT terms! You did a very good job explaining all of it.”

— a Turn Out Clinic attendee and local dancer

Close-up of three painted objects with purple, white, and lavender colors on grass, with trees and greenery in the blurry background.

“I enjoyed the exercises that helped make me more aware of my movements in ballet. My favorite part was how Katy asked us how we felt about an exercise and was very attentive.”

— a Turn Out Clinic attendee and local dancer

FAQ

  • It is Prima PT’s goal to reach dancers of all styles, ages, and backrounds before they are injured. When the area of concern is difficulty mastering a skill, an “ick” when working on a specific goal, or just wanting to set your body up for dance success, Prima PT is a perfect choice.

  • Insurance is not accepted for education or preventative services through Prima PT. However, insurance also does not typically cover preventative or skill advancement services. If a reimbursable diagnosis code is identified during evaluation, then a “Superbill” can be provided which is eligible to be independently submitted to your insurance provider for reimbursement. Email for a more detailed explanation.

  • Prima PT strives to maintain affordable and accessible services to all dancers in our community. Pricing will be transparent with individual prices listed on all service pages. In addition to the base physical therapy service cost, you may owe a studio rental fee per appointment or have the option to purchase the exercise equipment necessary to your prescribed programming. No hidden fees. Email for any additional questions.

  • No referral from a medical doctor needed to attend workshops or receive evaluation and personalized programming with Prima PT.

  • Prima PT functions as a part of your dance studio sharing physical space on site. Ask if Prima PT has a relationship with your home studio yet! And if not, Prima would love to begin that conversation.

  • Prima PT is a dance specific provider but may also be able to provide preventative education and programming for dance adjacent conditions such as hypermobility. Contact Prima PT for more information.

  • While hands on assessment and education in person are ideal, there are some topics and goals that virtual care could be well suited for. Contact Prima PT to see if virtual content could be a good fit.

  • Prima PT is designed as a preventative physical therapy option and does not treat acute injuries such as new ankle sprains or pulled muscles. Prima PT also does not care for post operative patients who require space, equipment, and modalities for best care that are not available in the dance studio setting. However, Prima PT does have trusted physical therapist recommendations in Madison to care for your dance needs. Just ask!