‘Do not drink and drive’ is the sound and common advice often given by people. However, this should be extended to dancing as well, say experts. Sign boards saying ‘Do not drink and dance’ are not in fashion yet. Drinking and hitting the dance floor at a party, family function or social gathering can lead to falls and injuries since your usual control over your muscles, movement and faculties won’t be at their optimum levels. The repercussions are serious, much beyond the embarrassment you would face when the dance video surfaces in a few friendly WhatsApp groups the next day.
How drinking affects movement
Drinking, needless to say, has many short-term and long-term health implications.
“Excessive drinking can cause imbalance, disinhibition and slurring of speech,” says Dr Safal Shetty, consultant, neurology, Manipal Hospitals, Goa. “Chronic intake of alcohol can cause memory impairment, imbalance while walking and confusion.”
Drinking affects even sedate walking. Dancing is a much more complex movement that involves multiple muscle groups. In every activity, there are two types of muscles at work– one in aid of the activity and the other against it. So, when we are dancing or perform any movement for that matter, both sets of muscles act in tandem, controlling the steps. It’s a coordinated action of multiple flexors and extensors. When you are drunk, the complex neuromuscular coordination facilitating the movements goes for a toss.
Alcohol does not directly act on our nerves or muscles; it does the numbing act via the cerebellum (part of the brain that coordinates motion). Drinking reduces the reaction time, thereby affecting our neuro-motor functions.
“When you’re drunk, alcohol acts on the cerebellum functioning due to which the coordination of movement becomes difficult,” says Dr Sakshi Shrivastava, general physician at Apollo Clinic, Bengaluru. “If a wrong or strain-causing step is done, the body may not realise that it has happened, making people more prone to falls.”
Drinking and dancing can cause injuries
Falling is a common accident that can happen when you’re dancing drunk, making the legs, ankles and knees prone to injury.
“Due to imbalance, the person has a tendency to fall, possibly leading to fracture of the long bones, traumatic brain injuries, head injury, etc.,” adds Dr Shetty.
Dr Shrivastava recalls an instance when her 23-year-old US-based sister suffered an injury while drinking and dancing.
“She went to a Bollywood night, and the crowd was crazy. She and her friends were drunk and were trying out bhangra steps,” says Dr Shrivastava.
Bhangra involves intense jumping and gyrating movements on one leg while the other leg is locked with the leg of a partner or flexed in the air.
“The coordination between her and her friend was not good and while doing the step, her friend kicked my sister’s left knee without realising, tearing her anterior cruciate ligament,” adds Dr Shrivastava.
Surgery was required to treat the injury. Dr Shrivastava believes that the injury would not have occurred had her movement and reaction time not been hampered by alcohol.
“Alcohol messed with everything. She had pain, but they could not give her painkillers or anesthesia as she was under the influence of alcohol,” adds Dr Shrivastava.
If you plan to hit the dance floor, try keeping the alcohol intake to a minimal. It is important to drink slowly, pacing the intake over a few hours while taking in food, water or juice in between to avoid dehydration.
Alcohol isn’t a remedy for social anxiety
Alcohol being a disinhibiting agent, many people use it as an icebreaker of sorts, drinking to interact freely and dance as well. For most, drinking is a way to let go of apprehensions and have fun.
However, there are ways of training the mind to realise alcohol consumption is not needed to have fun. If a person has social anxiety, it’s important to train the mind to get better at speaking in public under normal setting rather than after a drinking session at a pub.
“Drinking responsibly in correct amount along with the frequency is important. It is always better to be responsible rather than having to undergo unnecessary surgeries and medical procedures,” adds Dr Shrivastava.
Takeaways
- While drinking and dancing seems fun, excess alcohol consumption makes our movement sluggish, leading to falls and injuries.
- People with social anxiety or poor social skills tend to drink in order to interact or dance at parties or functions. It is important to train the mind to get better at speaking in public without the influence of alcohol.
- Alcohol should be consumed in moderation. Drinking slowly while consuming adequate food and fluids can help to prevent injuries while dancing.
