Ravinia 2025 Issue 6

Looking Forward: Performing Arts Medicine Takes Center Stage Dr. Reese herself grew up in the arts, as both a pianist and a dancer. She experienced a dance injury during a tech rehearsal and, when she went to the emergency room, she was told by a physician she would never dance again. “I remember thinking, ‘I have to dance.’ Not just because the show was in two days, but also because it is my passion and a big part of who I am,” she said. “This sat in the back of my mind, and I was determined to prove the phy- sician wrong.” The show went on … and Dr. Re- ese continued to study various types of dance and perform throughout her medical training. She proceeded to study sports medicine and completed her medical residency at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, where she discovered the field of performing arts medicine. “I realized I could be the person to tell a patient that they can keep danc- ing,” she said. Since becoming the medical director of the performing arts medicine pro- gram at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab more than a decade ago, Dr. Reese has seen significant evolution in the field. Foremost, performing arts medi- cine is now part of the conversation at the national level in physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine, demonstrating an improved understand- ing that performing artists are “artist ath- letes” who require a similar approach to injury prevention and treatment to stay in the game—or in this case, in their art. Additionally, more theaters are rec- ognizing the benefits of having on-call medical services to offer performers ac- cess to skilled medical professionals for routine care, just as an athlete can access a training room and trainers. For a specific example, Dr. Reese notes that advancements in ultrasound technology are having a significant impact on musculoskeletal medicine overall, including the use of portable ultrasound devices for immediate, so- phisticated point-of-care diagnostics for performing artists. “I can watch a guitarist strum a guitar or ask a dancer to hold a position while I perform the ultrasound, and I can identify an immediate diagnosis as it relates to the source and cause of their pain,” said Dr. Reese. “This helps us understand whether an artist can push themselves to perform or not, and helps inform long-term treatment plans.” The Soul Moves First One of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s mot- toes is “The Soul Moves First,” an idea that recognizes that the spirit needs to move before the body can—and that physical health and emotion- al and psychological well-being are interconnected. “All too often, artists are told, ‘Rest. Take time off.’ This isn’t realistic, and does not acknowledge their mental health, passion, drive, and love for their art form,” said Dr. Reese. “That’s why our whole concept is focused on keeping performers performing.” “We’re really grateful for Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and artists treated over the years have been grateful as well,” said Soderstrom. “The on-call medical care is incredibly important to our success and to maintaining a place that both artists and our audience want to come to.” RAVINIA.ORG  • RAVINIAMAGAZINE 21 DANSCHWALM/HDR