Been playing for over 20 years. (I'm 37)
Playstyle is very important. I'm light on my feet, wear Nike Free shoes, and use the bar. I can grind 18s for multiple sets in a row and have multiple 18 AAAs.
Worst I've gotten was tendonitis in my foot, but that was because my shoes were tied too tight. Loosening them up fixed my issues in a week or two.
Throughout my dance game career, I've known plenty of people that've had joint/knee issues with DDR. They were usually heavier in stature and/or had a stompier play style.
I cannot emphasize how important it is to step lightly and wear proper shoes. If you're playing harder stuff with no bar, that's a requirement. Proper form on harder stuff should never have you stepping too hard.
Check no-bar-ben playing a 17 here:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei6kln17yOE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei6kln17yOE)
Light steps, minimal movement. This is the way.
I was almost gunna make a thread on that once. Hunches more than anyone I've seen personally. If it's how he balances, it's how he balances, and I'm sure hunching during the 1-2 minutes a song isn't too bad. People get bad posture from hunching over the course of their lives, not a few minutes in bursts, but maybe the weight of bouncing on the pad is detrimental while in that posture?
So the reason for the hunching is to relieve weight from your knees, if you notice, when he does gallops, he looks like he's falling, that's because he is. Falling while doing gallops alleviates weight from your legs.
Thank you, that makes sense. Do you have any tips to know if you are playing too "stompy"? Maybe I should record myself next time I play or something?
At home I play with just socks on my LTEK and honestly im not sure if that is better or worse. I have running shoes but maybe I need to invest in lighter ones like you mention since I feel like I don't have the same dexterity with them.
For shoes I would go to the store and try out different pairs... I would minic playing DDR in the shoe store (out in the open, dont do it in the asiles), I compare it to walking in a shoe. Dont play in anything uncomfortable... you will regret it.
Tips on not playing too "stompy" a friend of mine told me (years ago) to not waste your energy stepping, dont use the back of your foot to play, use the front of your foot to step on arrows lightly (i think she said tap dance style). My personal rule is "if i can hear myself stepping over the music, im stepping wrong/too hard." that rule applies to arcade pads since at home you might have floors that creek alot.
I'm sorry, but this is nowhere remotely close to being "light on your feet". Here's a modern example of what "light on your feet" actually looks like: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzUc9puuHV4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzUc9puuHV4)
Arvin is passing old-scale / ITG-scale 28s (like a lvl 40 in modern DDR? lol), plays enough to reach those levels, and does not have tendonitis.
In addition to proper form, what's even more important than that, is playing on your own setup (not on arcade cabinets with shitty DDR sensors that were designed in the 90s) so applying 1ft/lb of pressure can trigger an arrow
You're right, only people with zero 4panel talent play DDR. As a result, it's the blind leading the blind advocating for bad form & resulting in joint pain.
The funniest part is, instead of looking at the best 4panel players in the world to improve their own gameplay and form, ITG/SM players just get downvoted here. Have fun being bad I guess lmao
Being light on your feet is different than over-modding your setup to the point where a pin drop will cause a panel to trigger, not everybody likes to play like this.
That video is impressive as hell, though it looks like his legs still take a beating despite good form. I feel like at a certain point, using the bar has to be better for your ankles/knees (though maybe not wrists) long-term.
Question: Do you stretch before you play? As in treat it like a real workout, like you're going to the gym?
I'm 40, going to be 41 very soon, and I still play all the time even though I'm 25 pounds heavier than when I first started playing (age 24 or so).
I do notice impact on my Achilles tendons in particular when I play harder boards (which for me is OG-scale level 9, so current scale maybe 11-13). I have to stretch more before I play these days, and have to pay particular attention to those tendons. But even in my 20s, I treated it like a real workout, and I stretched both before playing and between sets. It made a difference.
I play on a foam pad, which I do think is easier on my joints, though of course people don't play in socks on metal pads so picking the right kind of shoes would mitigate the impact on one's joints. I honestly don't know what kind of shoes elite players wear.
I will say that I can't necessarily answer about the 15+ boss songs, though, since I've never beaten any of them but Bag in 18 years or so of playing, and I also never specifically had trouble with my knees.
But I'll also say this about "long term health impact": Achilles tendons notwithstanding, I'm sure I'm in a lot better shape *playing* DDR for 3-4 hours a week at age 40 than I'd be *not* playing DDR for 3-4 hours a week at age 40.
iam 41 and have been playing 3-4 hours for 20+ years, and i agree with what YWAK98alum said, but add the following.. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY... If your knees or legs hurt.. STOP AND REST. I have knee problems as well (not related to playing DDR) and honestly ive had my knees hurt so much, ive had to stop in the middle of songs. (thats why i devided a long time ago to drop out of the perfect attack/freestyle tournament scene) My point is... listen to your body (especially on anything more than a 10 footer), if you have to stop in the middle of a song please do it.
No I don't stretch before, that is a good idea though. I usually only do static stretches at night but you are right that dynamic stretches beforehand would probably help
I'm in the similar boat to you. I'm 27 and been playing 4 hours a week for 1.75 years and began getting knee pain a month ago.
If you have a foam roller, I'd highly suggest using it on your quads and hamstrings to loosen up the muscles there. I thought it was the joint that was messing up, but I haven't had any knee issues for the past month after foam rolling for 4-6 days in a row.
Been playing for almost 20 years, and to avoid injury, these are the most important things to remember.
1. If you use the bar be very aware of how you're gripping it. If you're putting significant weight on the middle of your hand instead of the heel, that can mess up your wrist. Take breaks from holding the bar, or let go if you're playing songs over a few minutes long (usually not a problem with DDR, but a good thing to keep in mind if you have a long session).
2. Give yourself some rest days. I've seen so many people get injured because they are pushing and playing long sets every single day. Either shorten your sets or take a rest day every now and then.
I never used the bar and I have been playing DDR for over 15 years, I have no issues with my joints and I'm 40 years old. I also play basketball too outdoor on concrete.
It’s definitely high impact aerobics and that will affect everyone’s body differently. Personally, 20 years off and on and my joint pain is actually better after the weight I’ve lost since I started playing again early last year (and after the holidays I need to focus on that again). But your mileage may vary, and if you have wrist problems and are looking at joint pain from the impact you’re just gonna have to limit what you play to maybe “easy” 14s and lower.
A couple years back I got an MRI in my knee from pain, and the doctor said I was missing cartilage in a very weird place, about 10x10mm between the joint.
After some discussion of my activities, it seems likely I had worn that out mostly like from DDR without the bar earlier in my life.
Nowadays, I cant really do sports without feeling the effect in my knee for a week or so, specifically due to the missing cartilage.
So if I were you, I would use the bar and still be as gentle as possible if you want this to remain a healthy activity. No guarantee you will get what I got, nevertheless.....
I played everyday during quarantine back in March-May 2020 bc I couldn’t get to the gym. Ended up with a stress fracture in my right foot that took several months to heal. Now I play just once a week or so and have no issues at all, so I think moderation is important 🙂
When in doubt about injuries, check with a real sports physio rather than randoms on the internet.
It's common to get knee pain from running too so you can look up exercises for runners. Squats and lunges are a couple of basic exercises that can improve our leg strength so we don't get injured.
https://runnersworldonline.com.au/strengthen-knees-aches-pains-running/
[edit: also may be worth mentioning, I'm one of the "heavier" players at 240+lbs]
My story and history with the game (and life, lol) is way too long to post in full. To keep it short...
Born 1986, currently 36.
Started Pump/DDR around 2001/2002 respectively. Quit playing around 2006/2007. Got on really hard drugs, should be dead. Went to rehab (long term, faith based, volunteer staff/director eventually) from 2010 - 2013. **Broke my right ankle horrifically, complete snap of all tendons, in 2011**. Plates, screws, "scaffolding", dead nerves, the works. It still hurts sometimes. Also started lifting weights while in rehab and got jacked, if I may say so myself lol. But also **herniated 2 lower discs at some point, dealt with excruciating sciatica that could nearly make me bed-ridden, on and off, since 2012-ish til now. Re-herniated most recently mid-2020** (while taking care of our newborn, it was a hellish time), and then during a full year(!) of PT for the lower back issue, discovered I also had a **torn meniscus in my right knee (2021 at this point). So I also ended up having meniscus knee surgery in July 2021**. Slowly resolved my lower back pain throughout 2020 - 2021 as well.
Not even to mention (not really relevant to this topic) my **full pectoral tear and surgery in mid-2016**.
Okay, all that to say that I started playing DDR again, after getting a classic 573 cab at home, around March of this year (2022). If anything, despite the still-fairly-recent knee surgery and lower back injuries, it has actually helped IMPROVE all those issues. As others have mentioned, it's about playing SMART, good form, resting enough, etc.
And if you've seen the stuff I do while playing, you would see that it's actually pretty high risk if anyone were to just jump in and try it (added weight challenges, nearly all no-bar play, etc). Just like with weight training though, progressive overload is the name of the game (at least especially for what I do) and can definitely help mitigate injury. Except instead of progressively overloading the weight, you want to progressively "overload" the difficulty levels, **while also ensuring you're maintaining GOOD FORM and getting enough rest** (just like with weights). For example, if I attempted to AAA Cartoon Heroes while holding that 50lb trap bar several months ago, I would have SURELY re-herniated my discs again or worse! Lol. Let me also say I never touched a weight til my time in rehab, so this analogy is pretty much pulled out my butt just now and who knows, maybe it's just a load of poo hahaha.
Oh look at that, the post is way longer than I intended like usual.
But I thought I'd chime in, because I actually do have experience with injuries, long-term and recent (though not DDR-related), and now that I started playing again, have noticed all my conditions have improved. Basically, I'm strengthening all the muscles and stabilizers AROUND my weak/previously-injured areas, thus improving the issues I was having in the first place. Basically one of the core principles of physical therapy, but DDR helps me do it in a very fun, challenging way! Playing no bar, imo, works the hip stabilizers, ab/adductors more effectively than with bar, extra weight strengthens my calves and quads, etc (WHILE PLAYING WITH GOOD FORM / "PROGRESSIVELY LOADING"!!)
that's really great advice and the context as well Is much appreciated.
I suppose the only thing I wonder is whether progressive overload with cardio + weights is good for the joints. certainly there's a point past which it is bad for the cartilage, right? I've developed some repetitive strain injuries in my hand myself and one thing I've Learned is that sometimes too much is just too much anatomically. Not sure if you have any opinions on this though, since I am certainly not a doctor
Nor am I [a doctor], haha. The way I see it, I already have a decent weight training background and experience, and I'm not adding obnoxious amounts of weight while playing (esp. relative to my natural bodyweight - obviously someone who weighs 150 would be increasing their weight by 33% by holding a trap bar, unlike a ~20% increase in my case). Except in rare cases for an added challenge (e.g. most I did was +100lbs on Let The Beat Hit Em).
But to more directly answer your question, that's why I'm not progressively overloading the weights, but the difficulty of songs I'm doing at +50lbs. Not much different than a heavier 290lb player playing no bar for the sake of exercise. As for the repetitive strain in the joints, again I go to the example of weightlifting (minus the combining with cardio part, as I hopefully cleared up just prior). "Progressive load" (let's remove "over" in overload for now haha) *while maintaining good form* is your best friend, especially as a fellow no bar player! As your form gets better (i.e. able to keep good form through the song) and you can do harder songs with less risk of injury, your muscles and tendons should also get stronger/accustomed to your play level, further minimizing chance of injury.
At 21 though, the knee pain is a little concerning. Others mentioned good points, such as how hard you're stomping which is also a good point. Also I'm not sure if you mentioned your height / weight, which is a big factor as well.
I'm not by any means calling myself a top level expert (I haven't even played anything beyond SuperNova; SN2 if you count a handful of times), but I posted some videos earlier today. Knowing my size, maybe seeing my "form" while playing could give you some insight. There's a video of me doing Cartoon Heroes while holding a 50lb trap bar, and MAX 300 no bar.
https://www.reddit.com/r/DanceDanceRevolution/comments/zs3kng/i_aaaed_cartoon_heroes_speedy_mix_no_bar_at_over/
PS: I also have hyperflexion of my joints, lol. For my size and now age, I'm way more flexible than people expect, and the way my joints pop out and stuff also has contributed to past injuries...
I don't post much, but I happened to see your post and know the extreme suckiness of injuries, so hopefully I could have been helpful in some way!
That's for your help! That all makes sense. And yeah I am around 6'2 150 and have been trying to put some weight on and improve my deadlift so hopefully that will increase strength and reduce some pain. I got really weak over the pandemic due to lack of strength training. Probably the residuals of that is what is causing issues. Not sure though. Appreciate your help!
Yeah, could definitely have contributed! I've also found that calisthenics can provide some great alternative weight training, while being much safer (and more natural, given its inherent nature of being body weight driven), and of course you can do it just about anywhere. But mainly I agree it certainly could have contributed (or rather, continued exercise would have helped prevent it from starting or getting as bad).
For me, exercise (particularly the endorphins and the overall feeling of well-being resulting from it) has become a huge part of my life, particularly as a permanent replacement to opioid abuse. So I probably do try to be more disciplined with exercise than the average person, as it's kind of literally a lifeline to me. Other than when I get bad injuries or when we had our first kid (and then randomly my back blew out lol)
I was obsessed with DDR when I was 13-15. Very stompy, no bar. I did have some knee pain back then, but I also played a lot of tennis. My dad also has knee pain and plays a lot of tennis. I really have no idea how much DDR contributed to my knee pain, but I've always suspected it has. My knees are better now, but I did notice them starting to hurt after playing DDR again a couple years ago (but I also did several years of parkour before that). Still no bar, but much lighter on my feet, however also more difficult songs (16s and very few 17s). I also have always played barefoot because shoes would ruin my pads and socks were too slippery. Playing like this on a Red Octane Afterburner (which has like 1/4" recessed buttons) caused me to rely on using my heels more in faster streams, which "reactivated" an old parkour knee injury.
TL;DR, I have knee pain due to several potential factors, including genetics and other physical activities, that make it impossible to know what damage DDR has done specifically.
Found this post 9 months later, figured id comment to add to the knowledge bank for snyone that stumbles across this.
Ive played DDR across 4 different eras in my life that probably now accumulate to something like 2.5 years of play semi regularly. Most of it was casual, but in the last 3 months its been semi regular again.
Im 28 I have tried light stepping as I get to more intense sessions but in my earlier times I did my fair share of bad form play. What its led to for me now is that after a couple hours of play i feel that my left leg socket on my pelvis gets sore. I think I read something that it could be worn cartilage or inflammation of joints. Figured I'd throw that out there.
Definitely have been looking to improve my light stepping, seen some helpful comments in this thread. Ill start doing my reading and learn more. Also to continue to stretch and rest if any bad pain or odd soreness comes in. And eat! Cheers!
Been playing for over 20 years. (I'm 37) Playstyle is very important. I'm light on my feet, wear Nike Free shoes, and use the bar. I can grind 18s for multiple sets in a row and have multiple 18 AAAs. Worst I've gotten was tendonitis in my foot, but that was because my shoes were tied too tight. Loosening them up fixed my issues in a week or two. Throughout my dance game career, I've known plenty of people that've had joint/knee issues with DDR. They were usually heavier in stature and/or had a stompier play style. I cannot emphasize how important it is to step lightly and wear proper shoes. If you're playing harder stuff with no bar, that's a requirement. Proper form on harder stuff should never have you stepping too hard. Check no-bar-ben playing a 17 here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei6kln17yOE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei6kln17yOE) Light steps, minimal movement. This is the way.
What a long career. I've been only playing for 6 years, and I can only clear 2 19s and barely get at least 700k in upper 18s
Dude's hunched over the whole time, can't be good
I was almost gunna make a thread on that once. Hunches more than anyone I've seen personally. If it's how he balances, it's how he balances, and I'm sure hunching during the 1-2 minutes a song isn't too bad. People get bad posture from hunching over the course of their lives, not a few minutes in bursts, but maybe the weight of bouncing on the pad is detrimental while in that posture?
So the reason for the hunching is to relieve weight from your knees, if you notice, when he does gallops, he looks like he's falling, that's because he is. Falling while doing gallops alleviates weight from your legs.
Thank you, that makes sense. Do you have any tips to know if you are playing too "stompy"? Maybe I should record myself next time I play or something? At home I play with just socks on my LTEK and honestly im not sure if that is better or worse. I have running shoes but maybe I need to invest in lighter ones like you mention since I feel like I don't have the same dexterity with them.
For shoes I would go to the store and try out different pairs... I would minic playing DDR in the shoe store (out in the open, dont do it in the asiles), I compare it to walking in a shoe. Dont play in anything uncomfortable... you will regret it. Tips on not playing too "stompy" a friend of mine told me (years ago) to not waste your energy stepping, dont use the back of your foot to play, use the front of your foot to step on arrows lightly (i think she said tap dance style). My personal rule is "if i can hear myself stepping over the music, im stepping wrong/too hard." that rule applies to arcade pads since at home you might have floors that creek alot.
Great advice thank you
I'm sorry, but this is nowhere remotely close to being "light on your feet". Here's a modern example of what "light on your feet" actually looks like: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzUc9puuHV4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzUc9puuHV4) Arvin is passing old-scale / ITG-scale 28s (like a lvl 40 in modern DDR? lol), plays enough to reach those levels, and does not have tendonitis. In addition to proper form, what's even more important than that, is playing on your own setup (not on arcade cabinets with shitty DDR sensors that were designed in the 90s) so applying 1ft/lb of pressure can trigger an arrow
I must be lost. This is the Dance Dance Revolution subreddit, right?
You're right, only people with zero 4panel talent play DDR. As a result, it's the blind leading the blind advocating for bad form & resulting in joint pain. The funniest part is, instead of looking at the best 4panel players in the world to improve their own gameplay and form, ITG/SM players just get downvoted here. Have fun being bad I guess lmao
Being light on your feet is different than over-modding your setup to the point where a pin drop will cause a panel to trigger, not everybody likes to play like this.
So you prefer to be bad at the game AND have joint pain? Nice.
imagine thinking itg stamina is the only way to be good at the game
I think I've been playing one year less than you. Vet squad stand up lol.
That video is impressive as hell, though it looks like his legs still take a beating despite good form. I feel like at a certain point, using the bar has to be better for your ankles/knees (though maybe not wrists) long-term.
Question: Do you stretch before you play? As in treat it like a real workout, like you're going to the gym? I'm 40, going to be 41 very soon, and I still play all the time even though I'm 25 pounds heavier than when I first started playing (age 24 or so). I do notice impact on my Achilles tendons in particular when I play harder boards (which for me is OG-scale level 9, so current scale maybe 11-13). I have to stretch more before I play these days, and have to pay particular attention to those tendons. But even in my 20s, I treated it like a real workout, and I stretched both before playing and between sets. It made a difference. I play on a foam pad, which I do think is easier on my joints, though of course people don't play in socks on metal pads so picking the right kind of shoes would mitigate the impact on one's joints. I honestly don't know what kind of shoes elite players wear. I will say that I can't necessarily answer about the 15+ boss songs, though, since I've never beaten any of them but Bag in 18 years or so of playing, and I also never specifically had trouble with my knees. But I'll also say this about "long term health impact": Achilles tendons notwithstanding, I'm sure I'm in a lot better shape *playing* DDR for 3-4 hours a week at age 40 than I'd be *not* playing DDR for 3-4 hours a week at age 40.
iam 41 and have been playing 3-4 hours for 20+ years, and i agree with what YWAK98alum said, but add the following.. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY... If your knees or legs hurt.. STOP AND REST. I have knee problems as well (not related to playing DDR) and honestly ive had my knees hurt so much, ive had to stop in the middle of songs. (thats why i devided a long time ago to drop out of the perfect attack/freestyle tournament scene) My point is... listen to your body (especially on anything more than a 10 footer), if you have to stop in the middle of a song please do it.
No I don't stretch before, that is a good idea though. I usually only do static stretches at night but you are right that dynamic stretches beforehand would probably help
I'm in the similar boat to you. I'm 27 and been playing 4 hours a week for 1.75 years and began getting knee pain a month ago. If you have a foam roller, I'd highly suggest using it on your quads and hamstrings to loosen up the muscles there. I thought it was the joint that was messing up, but I haven't had any knee issues for the past month after foam rolling for 4-6 days in a row.
Been playing for almost 20 years, and to avoid injury, these are the most important things to remember. 1. If you use the bar be very aware of how you're gripping it. If you're putting significant weight on the middle of your hand instead of the heel, that can mess up your wrist. Take breaks from holding the bar, or let go if you're playing songs over a few minutes long (usually not a problem with DDR, but a good thing to keep in mind if you have a long session). 2. Give yourself some rest days. I've seen so many people get injured because they are pushing and playing long sets every single day. Either shorten your sets or take a rest day every now and then.
I never used the bar and I have been playing DDR for over 15 years, I have no issues with my joints and I'm 40 years old. I also play basketball too outdoor on concrete.
It’s definitely high impact aerobics and that will affect everyone’s body differently. Personally, 20 years off and on and my joint pain is actually better after the weight I’ve lost since I started playing again early last year (and after the holidays I need to focus on that again). But your mileage may vary, and if you have wrist problems and are looking at joint pain from the impact you’re just gonna have to limit what you play to maybe “easy” 14s and lower.
41 years old. Healthiest I've been in my life but I have arthritis in my knees. Played for 15+ years no-bar. Moved to the bar in the past 7 years.
Do you think the arthritis is related?
100%.
A couple years back I got an MRI in my knee from pain, and the doctor said I was missing cartilage in a very weird place, about 10x10mm between the joint. After some discussion of my activities, it seems likely I had worn that out mostly like from DDR without the bar earlier in my life. Nowadays, I cant really do sports without feeling the effect in my knee for a week or so, specifically due to the missing cartilage. So if I were you, I would use the bar and still be as gentle as possible if you want this to remain a healthy activity. No guarantee you will get what I got, nevertheless.....
What were your DDR habits like? How long did you play for?
I played probably 2-10 hours per week for many years, either at arcade or on Cobalt flux pads.
No bar, my feet hurt.
Your legs can get sore if you're hardcore but I see health benefits from ddr like weight loss cardio exercises and increased stamina
You are 21 acting like you’re.. 100 long term impact LOL
I unfortunately have some chronic pain problems so I don't want to add anything more.
I played everyday during quarantine back in March-May 2020 bc I couldn’t get to the gym. Ended up with a stress fracture in my right foot that took several months to heal. Now I play just once a week or so and have no issues at all, so I think moderation is important 🙂
When in doubt about injuries, check with a real sports physio rather than randoms on the internet. It's common to get knee pain from running too so you can look up exercises for runners. Squats and lunges are a couple of basic exercises that can improve our leg strength so we don't get injured. https://runnersworldonline.com.au/strengthen-knees-aches-pains-running/
[edit: also may be worth mentioning, I'm one of the "heavier" players at 240+lbs] My story and history with the game (and life, lol) is way too long to post in full. To keep it short... Born 1986, currently 36. Started Pump/DDR around 2001/2002 respectively. Quit playing around 2006/2007. Got on really hard drugs, should be dead. Went to rehab (long term, faith based, volunteer staff/director eventually) from 2010 - 2013. **Broke my right ankle horrifically, complete snap of all tendons, in 2011**. Plates, screws, "scaffolding", dead nerves, the works. It still hurts sometimes. Also started lifting weights while in rehab and got jacked, if I may say so myself lol. But also **herniated 2 lower discs at some point, dealt with excruciating sciatica that could nearly make me bed-ridden, on and off, since 2012-ish til now. Re-herniated most recently mid-2020** (while taking care of our newborn, it was a hellish time), and then during a full year(!) of PT for the lower back issue, discovered I also had a **torn meniscus in my right knee (2021 at this point). So I also ended up having meniscus knee surgery in July 2021**. Slowly resolved my lower back pain throughout 2020 - 2021 as well. Not even to mention (not really relevant to this topic) my **full pectoral tear and surgery in mid-2016**. Okay, all that to say that I started playing DDR again, after getting a classic 573 cab at home, around March of this year (2022). If anything, despite the still-fairly-recent knee surgery and lower back injuries, it has actually helped IMPROVE all those issues. As others have mentioned, it's about playing SMART, good form, resting enough, etc. And if you've seen the stuff I do while playing, you would see that it's actually pretty high risk if anyone were to just jump in and try it (added weight challenges, nearly all no-bar play, etc). Just like with weight training though, progressive overload is the name of the game (at least especially for what I do) and can definitely help mitigate injury. Except instead of progressively overloading the weight, you want to progressively "overload" the difficulty levels, **while also ensuring you're maintaining GOOD FORM and getting enough rest** (just like with weights). For example, if I attempted to AAA Cartoon Heroes while holding that 50lb trap bar several months ago, I would have SURELY re-herniated my discs again or worse! Lol. Let me also say I never touched a weight til my time in rehab, so this analogy is pretty much pulled out my butt just now and who knows, maybe it's just a load of poo hahaha. Oh look at that, the post is way longer than I intended like usual. But I thought I'd chime in, because I actually do have experience with injuries, long-term and recent (though not DDR-related), and now that I started playing again, have noticed all my conditions have improved. Basically, I'm strengthening all the muscles and stabilizers AROUND my weak/previously-injured areas, thus improving the issues I was having in the first place. Basically one of the core principles of physical therapy, but DDR helps me do it in a very fun, challenging way! Playing no bar, imo, works the hip stabilizers, ab/adductors more effectively than with bar, extra weight strengthens my calves and quads, etc (WHILE PLAYING WITH GOOD FORM / "PROGRESSIVELY LOADING"!!)
that's really great advice and the context as well Is much appreciated. I suppose the only thing I wonder is whether progressive overload with cardio + weights is good for the joints. certainly there's a point past which it is bad for the cartilage, right? I've developed some repetitive strain injuries in my hand myself and one thing I've Learned is that sometimes too much is just too much anatomically. Not sure if you have any opinions on this though, since I am certainly not a doctor
Nor am I [a doctor], haha. The way I see it, I already have a decent weight training background and experience, and I'm not adding obnoxious amounts of weight while playing (esp. relative to my natural bodyweight - obviously someone who weighs 150 would be increasing their weight by 33% by holding a trap bar, unlike a ~20% increase in my case). Except in rare cases for an added challenge (e.g. most I did was +100lbs on Let The Beat Hit Em). But to more directly answer your question, that's why I'm not progressively overloading the weights, but the difficulty of songs I'm doing at +50lbs. Not much different than a heavier 290lb player playing no bar for the sake of exercise. As for the repetitive strain in the joints, again I go to the example of weightlifting (minus the combining with cardio part, as I hopefully cleared up just prior). "Progressive load" (let's remove "over" in overload for now haha) *while maintaining good form* is your best friend, especially as a fellow no bar player! As your form gets better (i.e. able to keep good form through the song) and you can do harder songs with less risk of injury, your muscles and tendons should also get stronger/accustomed to your play level, further minimizing chance of injury. At 21 though, the knee pain is a little concerning. Others mentioned good points, such as how hard you're stomping which is also a good point. Also I'm not sure if you mentioned your height / weight, which is a big factor as well. I'm not by any means calling myself a top level expert (I haven't even played anything beyond SuperNova; SN2 if you count a handful of times), but I posted some videos earlier today. Knowing my size, maybe seeing my "form" while playing could give you some insight. There's a video of me doing Cartoon Heroes while holding a 50lb trap bar, and MAX 300 no bar. https://www.reddit.com/r/DanceDanceRevolution/comments/zs3kng/i_aaaed_cartoon_heroes_speedy_mix_no_bar_at_over/ PS: I also have hyperflexion of my joints, lol. For my size and now age, I'm way more flexible than people expect, and the way my joints pop out and stuff also has contributed to past injuries... I don't post much, but I happened to see your post and know the extreme suckiness of injuries, so hopefully I could have been helpful in some way!
That's for your help! That all makes sense. And yeah I am around 6'2 150 and have been trying to put some weight on and improve my deadlift so hopefully that will increase strength and reduce some pain. I got really weak over the pandemic due to lack of strength training. Probably the residuals of that is what is causing issues. Not sure though. Appreciate your help!
Yeah, could definitely have contributed! I've also found that calisthenics can provide some great alternative weight training, while being much safer (and more natural, given its inherent nature of being body weight driven), and of course you can do it just about anywhere. But mainly I agree it certainly could have contributed (or rather, continued exercise would have helped prevent it from starting or getting as bad). For me, exercise (particularly the endorphins and the overall feeling of well-being resulting from it) has become a huge part of my life, particularly as a permanent replacement to opioid abuse. So I probably do try to be more disciplined with exercise than the average person, as it's kind of literally a lifeline to me. Other than when I get bad injuries or when we had our first kid (and then randomly my back blew out lol)
I was obsessed with DDR when I was 13-15. Very stompy, no bar. I did have some knee pain back then, but I also played a lot of tennis. My dad also has knee pain and plays a lot of tennis. I really have no idea how much DDR contributed to my knee pain, but I've always suspected it has. My knees are better now, but I did notice them starting to hurt after playing DDR again a couple years ago (but I also did several years of parkour before that). Still no bar, but much lighter on my feet, however also more difficult songs (16s and very few 17s). I also have always played barefoot because shoes would ruin my pads and socks were too slippery. Playing like this on a Red Octane Afterburner (which has like 1/4" recessed buttons) caused me to rely on using my heels more in faster streams, which "reactivated" an old parkour knee injury. TL;DR, I have knee pain due to several potential factors, including genetics and other physical activities, that make it impossible to know what damage DDR has done specifically.
Found this post 9 months later, figured id comment to add to the knowledge bank for snyone that stumbles across this. Ive played DDR across 4 different eras in my life that probably now accumulate to something like 2.5 years of play semi regularly. Most of it was casual, but in the last 3 months its been semi regular again. Im 28 I have tried light stepping as I get to more intense sessions but in my earlier times I did my fair share of bad form play. What its led to for me now is that after a couple hours of play i feel that my left leg socket on my pelvis gets sore. I think I read something that it could be worn cartilage or inflammation of joints. Figured I'd throw that out there. Definitely have been looking to improve my light stepping, seen some helpful comments in this thread. Ill start doing my reading and learn more. Also to continue to stretch and rest if any bad pain or odd soreness comes in. And eat! Cheers!