Implementing a Foot-screening Clinic for University Musical Theater Students: A Pilot Program

Abstract

Musical theater is a unique genre within the field of the performing arts. Research of injury epidemiology and treatment efficacy is growing in the field of dance, but little is published specific to the field of musical theater. One study has reported that injury rates in musical theater are high and that injuries occur often to the foot and ankle. Unfortunately, it appears that in many settings, particularly in university settings, musical theater performers may have little access to healthcare to prevent and treat injuries. A foot-screening and education pilot program was implemented in a university musical theater program to fulfill a curriculum requirement with the goals of: (1) giving the performers basic background knowledge on common injuries related to feet, (2) teaching the performers how to identify what type of arch and foot they have, (3) disseminating information on treatment strategies and injury prevention both during performance and in everyday life, and (4) providing an interprofessional education learning experience for the students involved. This article explains the implementation of this program, why programs like this are needed, and improvements that could be made in the future.