Health Advocacy and Recovering from Surgery: an Interview with Brown Ballerina Ambassador Sophia Cooper
Although not always recognized as such, dance is an extreme sport and can lead to extreme injuries. Dancers often have a high tolerance for pain and soreness, especially since they are always active and on their feet. What happens, though, when the pain becomes too much to bear? What happens when your pain is dismissed by doctors? Or leads you to make a decision that might change the course of your dance career?
Sophia Cooper, an 18-year-old dancer from Lexington, KY, has unfortunately faced all of these challenges. In the interview below, she shares her journey of being dismissed by doctors, recovering from major surgery, and lessons other dancers can learn from her experience.
Related: Brown Ballerina Ambassador Sophia Cooper Reflects on a Meaningful Dancer-Teacher Bond
Pain, Suffering, and Dismissal
The severity of Sophia’s issues began in the spring of 2019 when she suffered from a divulging fracture of her hip. After 3 months, she thought she had recovered, only to learn there were more issues on the horizon. “About a year later I started noticing some more problems, this time in my knee,” she said. “My right leg was bowing significantly more than the left side.”
Although she went to the doctor and had physical therapy, she was told that her new ailment was simply a pulled hamstring. Certain that this wasn’t the case, Sophia sought the opinions of various doctors in her hometown. “I was repeatedly told it was just something I would have to deal with,” she said.
At a young age, Sophia was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which negatively impacts collagen growth and healing. For Sophia, loose and dislocated joints are common. After being consistently told there was nothing major going on, Sophia decided maybe her consistent pain was a result of the EDS. “We just kind of put things on hold and I dealt with the pain,” she said.
Photo: an x-ray image of Sophia’s hip post-surgery; provided by Sophia Cooper
The Last Straw
During the pandemic, Sophia noticed a slight loss in mobility. “I, at first, was like okay it’s just that we’re in the pandemic. I’m not in the studio quite as much. I have limited space. I can’t stretch as much - all that stuff. But then, it was just not getting better even once we did start going back in the studio. Things were getting really bad.”
This was the last straw, and after being told by teams of doctors that nothing major was wrong, Sophia and her mom were dedicated to meet with the top hip specialist in their hometown. After having a few x-rays done, Sophia was promptly diagnosed with a torn labrum in both hips as a result of hip dysplasia, which is when a hip socket doesn't fully cover the ball portion of the upper thighbone, allowing for the hip joint to become partially or completely dislocated.
Making a Life Defining Decision
The doctor gave Sohpia two options for moving forward. She could’ve chosen to continue dancing for 5-10 more years at the risk of experiencing major pain, rapid loss of mobility, and likely needing total hip replacements by 30. The other option was to immediately schedule a major surgical procedure, a periacetabular osteotomy, which requires months of recovery and can only be done to one hip at a time.
Sophia, in her Junior year of high school, knew that whatever decision she made would have a huge impact on her dance career. “I knew that I would not be able to audition for schools. I would probably have to take a gap year, which is something I really didn’t and still don’t want to do,” she said. “But, I also recognized that this surgery was really really important to do now, and if I didn’t do it now I would regret it later.”
Sophia had the surgery done on her right hip in July 2021 at the Boston Children’s Hospital. Fortunately, her healing process moved faster than expected. “By 8 weeks, I was walking without any help and I had no restrictions besides running and jumping. So I was dancing and doing all that I could without running and jumping.”
Photo: Sophia in the hospital after her surgery; provided by Sophia Cooper
Takeaways for Dancers
Now that Sophia is familiar with the surgery and healing process, she’s in a much better space and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. One question persists: what would have happened if she would’ve listened to the first several doctors who told her nothing was wrong? How long would she have suffered, and what would have become of her dance career and quality of life?
“I think a lot of dancers have experienced having their injuries pushed off by sports med doctors because it’s not necessarily always considered a sport,” she said. “And being young, too - a young female in a doctor’s appointment, is not always perceived well. You just don't quite get taken seriously.”
It is for this reason that Sophia encourages dancers to relentlessly advocate for themselves and their health. Don’t accept pain when you know something’s wrong with your body. Perform extensive research to find a credible doctor who can help you. For example, Sophia’s doctor specializes in this specific surgery for dancers, and is familiar with the healing requirements of her connective tissue disorder.
Sophia also tapped into online communities to gather wisdom and reassurance from other dancers and patients. Lastly, she recommends maintaining a close relationship with your family pediatrician, who can help advocate for your needs.
“Definitely don’t give up. I think that’s the hardest thing. You might struggle there for a little bit to find the right answers and get through it, but once you do, I think that all of it’s worth it in the end,” Sophia said. “Getting back to dance is the most important thing in a dancer's mind. So as long as you can reach that goal in a healthy and safe way, I think that’s the most important thing.”
Photo: Sophia Cooper; shot by Joe Lyman
Sophia’s next surgery is scheduled for Nov. 30th, and she should be able to return to dancing by March or April of 2022. “Of course, I’m nervous because you always want to be back where you were, which is an unrealistic hope after such major surgeries and such a long time off, but I’m definitely excited,” she said.
Sophia has already completed early auditions for a few schools and has received some early acceptance letters just in case she decides not to take her gap year. You can follow Sophia’s healing and dance journey on Instagram.