Dallas Cowboys using ballet bars to prevent injuries

The Dallas Cowboys struggled with injuries during the 2013 season and before the 2014 season has even started they’re already dealing with injuries again. Middle linebacker Sean Lee is expected to be out for the entire 2014 season with a torn ACL.

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In order to prevent these injuries, the Cowboys are unveiling an unusual way to prevent additional issues, a ballet bar.

“We’ve put a big emphasis on addressing, as an organization, some of the injuries that we’ve had,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “Just an emphasis on stretching, giving our players the opportunity, whether it’s with ballet bars or V-sits or back systems, whatever things we use, we try to help them get into routines that can help them be flexible and avoid some of the injuries we’ve had. It’s always been an emphasis for us. We have to look at ourselves and what we’re doing to help our players stay as healthy as possible.”

My hockey coach always stressed flexibility and with the muscle injuries the Cowboys suffered that seems like an issue. Garrett doesn’t  say that the Cowboys will necessarily be doing ballet, but using the bars. That might simply mean for balance while stretching while standing.

It is an unconventional means for preventing injuries sure, but with this injury bug ripping the Cowboys apart they could be desperate for anything to slow down the trend. The Cowboys had 12 players suffer hamstring injuries last season.

“Typically, we’ve done kind of the old team stretch, and we’re experimenting with dynamic warm-up stuff that I’ve done in my past, other coaches have done in the past,” Garrett said. “You try to be innovative, you try to evolve, you get feedback from the players, you get feedback from the coaches.

“We just try to help our players get themselves more ready to practice and hopefully stay healthier over time.”