Performance Ready: A Physio’s Guide for Theatre-Going Audiences

Theatre audience enjoying a live performance

By Chris Minto, Senior Physiotherapist

People who are socially engaged, who love going out and attending the theatre with friends, live longer and live better. It’s important to see and feel art, from musical theatre through to strolling through your local gallery. This benefits your wellbeing in so many ways (Mehegan et al., 2020), blending the physical, emotional and cognitive sides of yourself.

Performance Medicine cares about our theatre-going audiences. It’s your applause and enjoyment that makes the wheels turn in the performing arts. There’s nothing like a trip to the theatre, so we want to make sure you’re in tip-top shape to attend as many performances as possible, both indoors and outdoors. In this blog, our musculoskeletal physiotherapy team explores some of the physical requirements of attending the theatre and how physio can help.

Getting to, and taking, your seat

There are lots of free outdoor events throughout summer, which often require a stroll down or up a slope and lugging around your own seating or picnic rug. The unstable surface and physical challenge of carrying an over-full esky can knock anyone off their feet, and you haven’t even got to your seat yet!

Even if you attend indoor performances, mingling in the foyer and side-stepping down your aisle can challenge your balance too. As good as our theatres are at making themselves accessible, there can still be:

  • Stairs and uneven flooring
  • Dim lighting that makes footing harder to judge
  • Narrow aisles and tight turns to reach your seat

Add these together and the challenge is amplified. Physiotherapists are experts at helping people maintain and improve their balance, which often involves strengthening muscles and practising balance exercises in the safety of the clinic.

Staying there

Believe it or not, keeping still until the first intermission can be a challenge for many people, often due to stiffness or pain.

Although theatre seats are generally supportive and comfortable, sitting can increase pressure and discomfort for some. Don’t worry though! Visit your physio before you visit the theatre to gather some helpful tips on how to make sitting more comfortable for you, especially if you’re managing low back pain or neck pain.

All the best for enjoying the huge menu of fun being served up to us this long summer. We hope this blog has given you a few ideas about how to look after yourself while enjoying various performances. Get that ticket in your cart! Ready to feel your best before the curtain rises? Book an appointment with our team in Melbourne or Sydney.

References:

Mehegan, L., and Rainville, G. (2020). AARP Music and Brain Health Survey. Washington, DC: AARP Research, June 2020. https://doi.org/10.26419/res.00387.001

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Chris Minto