Pre-professional Dancers Research Articles

Lower Limb Motion Contributions To The Turnout During A Bipedal Jump In Pre-professional Ballet Dancers

Lower Limb Motion Contributions To The Turnout During A Bipedal Jump In Pre-professional Ballet Dancers

Hip Range of Motion and Strength in Young Pre-Professionals Ballet Dancers Versus Non-Dancers.

Introduction: Lower-extremity external rotation, commonly known as turnout, is a fundamental skill in dance. Limited data exist regarding joint range of motion and strength in pre-professional young dancers and non-dancers. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in hip range of motion and hip strength between pre-professional ballet dancers and non-dancers. Additionally, the study assessed the variations between the left and right sides within each group. Methods: This observational study assessed 60 pre-professional ballet dancers and 31 non-dancers with an average age of 11.91 ± 1.49. Evaluation included passive hip rotation, tibial torsion, total passive turnout measured with digital goniometers, and total active turnout (both static and dynamic) through standing on paper and rotational discs. Hip rotation strength was measured using a force sensor device. Statistical analyses encompassed student t-tests, Pearson's correlations, and ANCOVA with age and body weight as covariates, applying the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Results: Ballet dancers exhibited greater passive hip external rotation and lower passive hip internal rotation compared to non-dancers. They also demonstrated superior total active turnout (static and dynamic). After adjusting for age and weight, dancers demonstrated significantly higher hip external rotation strength than non-dancers. Hip internal rotation strength did not differ significantly between the groups. Ballet dancers displayed inherent asymmetry, with the left side showing greater tibial torsion and standing active turnout, while the right side exhibited greater hip external rotation during dynamic active turnout. Non-dancers did not show significant side differences. Conclusions: Young pre-professional ballet dancers exhibited significant hip rotation differences compared to non-dancers, including notable right-left asymmetry. These findings should be considered when planning training, aiming to optimize musculoskeletal attributes and promote balanced hip rotation. Recognizing these asymmetries and addressing muscular imbalances is vital for injury prevention and performance enhancement.

Quality of Life Measures in Young Pre-Professional Dancers Compared to Non-Athletes and Non-Dancer Athletes.

Aim: To investigate quality of life (QoL) measures in a cohort of young female dancers. Methods: Cross-sectional survey study design was utilized to study dancers 8 to 17 years enrolled in two elite dance schools in the Boston area. The main outcome measure was the Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL 4.0) questionnaire, a validated QoL survey for children, with established normative values for comparison. Demographics and questions pertaining to training regimens and injury/illness history were also included. Sub-groups (8-11 years, 12-14 years, and 15-17 years) were created to analyze outcomes by age. Results: One hundred and forty emails were delivered, 72 were completed and included in the final data analysis (51.4%). The median scores for physical, psychosocial, emotional, social, and school PedsQL sub-scales were 87.5, 90.0, 80.0, 100.0, and 92.5, respectively. The median score of the total PedsQL scores was 88.8. No difference in QoL outcomes by age group was found (physical: P = .328; psychosocial: P = .918; emotional: P = .673; social: P = .573; school: P = 0.962; total: P = 0.766). 52.5% of the participants responded that they regularly perform in shows. Median hours/week of dance rehearsal was 10 hours (mean ± standard deviation: 10.3 ± 4.9; 95% CI: 9.0, 11.6; IQR: 7.0, 13.5; range: 2.0, 20.0) and 68.9% reported they practice and rehearse throughout the entire calendar year as opposed to solely during the school year; most dancers reported participating in dance 11 months (median value) per year (mean ± standard deviation: 10.7 ± 0.8; 95% CI: 10.5, 11.0; IQR: 10.0, 11.0; range: 9.0, 12.0). Conclusion: QoL measures for young female dancers were higher relative to existing data for the general population and lower compared to other sports participation. These results will support the social, emotional, and physical health of young dancers.

Understanding musculoskeletal disorders in dancers: The role of lumbopelvic muscles and movement competency

ObjectiveTo investigate whether transversus abdominis activation (TrA), hip strength, and movement competency are associated with the incidence of musculoskeletal disorder episodes (MDEs) in dancers when controlling for confounding variables. The secondary objectives were to determine if there were differences between professional and preprofessional dancers for the aforementioned factors, as well as to determine if there were differences in TrA activation and hip strength between the dominant and non-dominant sides. DesignProspective cohort study. Methods118 dancers were recruited. The independent variables were collected at the beginning of the dance season: 1) TrA activation, 2) hip strength, and 3) movement competency. To assess the development of MDEs, a weekly electronic diary was used over a 38-week period. MDEs were compiled for each dancer's whole body and subdivided into total musculoskeletal disorder episodes (all body parts) and lower quadrant musculoskeletal disorder episodes (lower limb and lower back). ResultsLower TrA, as well as higher hip abductor and external rotator strength, were associated with a lower incidence of MDEs. TrA activation (β = 0.260, p = 0.023) and hip external rotator strength (β = −0.537, p = 0.002) could significantly explain 25.4% of the variance of total MDEs, as well as 20.9% of the variance of lower quadrant musculoskeletal disorder episodes (β = 0.272, p = 0.016; β = −0.459, p = 0.011). No significant associations were found between movement competency and MDEs. ConclusionsHigher hip strength could be a protective factor for MDEs among dancers. Further studies are needed to better understand the involvement of the transversus abdominis in MDEs.

The Efficacy of Physical Fitness Training on Dance Injury: A Systematic Review.

Greater levels of physical fitness have been linked to improved dance performance and decreased injury incidence. The aim was to review the efficacy of physical fitness training on dance injury. The electronic databases CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure were used to search peer-reviewed published articles in English or Chinese. Studies were scored using Strength of the Evidence for a Conclusion and a risk bias checklist. 10 studies met the inclusion criteria from an initial 2450 publications. These studies offered physical fitness training for professional (n = 3) and pre-professional dancers (n = 7), participant sample size ranged between 5 to 62, ages from 11 to 27 years, and most participants were females. Assessment scores were classified as Fair (n = 1), Limited (n = 7), and Expert Opinion Only (n = 2) and risk of bias scores ranged from 22.7-68.2 %. After physical fitness training, 80 % of studies reported significant benefits in injury rate, the time between injuries, pain intensity, pain severity, missed dance activities and injury count. This review suggests that physical fitness training could have a beneficial effect on injury incidence in dance. The evidence is limited by the current study methodologies.

Perspectives of Ballet Dancers on Causes of Their Injuries and Implementation of Injury Preventive Measures by Ballet Teachers and Masters.

Ballet dancers have a high injury risk. We aimed to gain insight into the causes for acute and overuse injuries in ballet dancers and the level of implementation of injury prevention by ballet teachers/masters, as perceived by dancers. An international cross-sectional online-survey was based on the Fit-to-Dance Questionnaire and literature. Adult amateur, pre-professional, and professional ballet dancers reported the perceived causes of their injuries sustained in the previous 2 years. Multiple answers per injury were possible. Also, dancers rated the level of implementation of measures to prevent injury by their ballet teachers and ballet masters based on 21 items using a 5-point Likert scale. Causes were analyzed per-injury as well as per-dancer. 188 ballet ensembles and 51 dance organizations were contacted, from which 192 ballet dancers (mean age 27 ±7.8 yrs, 83% females) responded. 119 dancers (62%) reported 203 acute and 164 (85%) reported 469 overuse injuries. Fatigue was the most frequently perceived cause for acute injuries in the per-injury (n=89, 43.8%) and per-dancer analysis (n=63, 32.8%). For overuse injuries, pressure from the teacher/master was most frequently perceived as cause in the per-injury analysis (n=240, 51.2%), specifically in pre-/professional dancers (n=233, 61.3%). In the per-dancer analysis, fatigue/overtraining scored highest for overuse injuries (n=107; 55.7%). Other causes were previous/repetitive injuries (acute-per-injury 26.1%, acute-per-dancer 22.4%; overuse-per-injury 46.3%, overuse-per-dancer 53.1%) or erroneous dance technique (acute-per-injury 24.6%, acute-per-dancer 21.9%; overuse-per-injury 47.8%, overuse-per-dancer 45.3%). With regard to perceived level of implementation of injury preventive measures by ballet teachers/masters to prevent musculoskeletal injuries, 2 items received high ratings, 12 moderate ratings and 6 low ratings. Fatigue and pressure accounted for the majority of perceived causes for injuries. Perceived support by ballet teachers/masters regarding injury prevention was moderate to low. Future research should focus on the awareness, attitudes, and the important role of ballet teachers/masters for injury prevention in dancers.

Body checking and avoidance among dancers

Dancers are at heightened risk for eating disorders (EDs) and have job and training demands that obscure ED assessment and likely impede treatment. Two behavioral manifestations of ED psychopathology that may present uniquely in a dance environment are body checking and body avoidance. The current study sought to provide a foundational understanding of the phenomenology of body checking and avoidance among dancers by assessing the reliability (i.e., internal consistency) of existing body checking and avoidance measures and the relationships, or convergent validity, between measures of body checking and avoidance and measures of related constructs. Eighty professional and pre-professional (i.e., conservatory level) dancers (78.8 % female) from seven dance genres completed self-report measures of body checking and avoidance, ED pathology, clinical perfectionism, depression, and anxiety. Across the dancer sample, body checking and avoidance measures demonstrated adequate internal consistency. More frequent body checking and body avoidance was strongly related to higher levels of ED pathology. There were moderate to strong correlations between body checking and body avoidance and clinical perfectionism, depression, and anxiety such that higher body checking and body avoidance was related to higher clinical perfectionism, depression, and anxiety. Exploratory analyses found no significant differences between ballet dancers and dancers of other dance genres; professional dancers scored in the normative range on measures of body checking and body avoidance. Dancers' qualitative descriptions of body checking and avoidance revealed behaviors not included in existing questionnaires, such as unique mirror use behaviors, technology-assisted body checking, and the checking and avoidance of body parts relevant to the dance-specific body ideal. Results support the inclusion of body checking and avoidance interventions in ED treatments for dancers (particularly pre-professional dancers) and emphasize the need for dancer-specific ED assessment methods.

A study of the validity of Spanish version of the Self-Estimated Functional Inability because of pain (SEFIP) in pre-professional dancers

ABSTRACT The aim of this research was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Self-Estimated Functional Inability due to Pain Questionnaire (SEFIP) in Dance Conservatory students. For this purpose, the Self-Estimated Functional Inability Because Of Pain (SEFIP) instrument was used, translated into Spanish, validated by experts and administered to a total of 451 students from the Professional and Superior Dance Conservatories of Andalusia (418 females = 92.7%; 33 males = 7.3%) aged 10 and 48 years (M = 18.66; SD = 5.296). The structure of the instrument was then analysed using confirmatory procedures. The Spanish version of the instrument was named Cuestionario de Incapacidad Funcional Autoestimada debido al Dolor. The results show that the model that presents correct fits in the confirmatory analysis is the one-factor model. The model fit data were very good: χ2/gl = 3.37, p = .000; CFI = .94; NFI = .95; GFI = .91; RMSEA = .07 (90% CI = .603; .821). The results support the validity and reliability of this instrument in this population to be used to prevent injuries in dancers.

Differences in bone mineral density and associated factors in dancers and other female athletes.

Dancers are susceptible to relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), specifically low bone mineral density (BMD). Little is known about how dancers' BMD compares to other athletic populations. The objective of this study was to examine the association between participant characteristics and total body areal BMD (aBMD) among female pre-professional dancers compared to other female athletes. Two hundred sixty-nine females (132 pre-professional dancers (17.6 (3.2) years) and 137 sport participants (22.8 (2.6) years) were included in this study. aBMD (g/cm2) was estimated using dual X-ray absorptiometry. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between height-adjusted z-scores of total body aBMD (aBMD-Z) and age (years), body mass index (BMI) (z-score), supplement intake, history of stress fracture, irregular menses, MRI/bone scan, 1-year injury history, oral contraceptives, and activity (dance/sport). Total body aBMD and aBMD-Z were lower in dancers than athletes (dancers: aBMD=1.03g/cm2 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.05); aBMD-Z = -0.28 (-0.43, -0.12) (p<0.001); athletes: aBMD=1.14g/cm2 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.16); aBMD-Z=0.41 (0.25, 0.57) (p<0.001)). aBMD-Z increased with age (β = 0.054, 95% CI: 0.017, 0.092; p=0.004) and BMI (β = 0.221, 95% CI: 0.006, 0.415; p=0.043). Activity type modified the relationship between BMI and aBMD-Z (β = 0.323, 95% CI: 0.025, 0.621; p<0.033) with a stronger positive association in dancers, compared to other female athletes. Dancers had lower total body aBMD and aBMD-Z than other female athletes. aBMD-Z increases with age in female pre-professional dancers and other female athletes. A stronger association exists between aBMD-Z and BMI in dancers than athletes. Future studies should consider changes in aBMD-Z during adolescence and associations with increased risk of bone injury.

Cueing Dancers to "Externally Rotate From the Hips" Improves Potentially Injurious Ankle Joint Angles and Contact Forces During a Demipointe Ballet Position.

Introduction: The demipointe dance position puts the ankle at high risk of overuse injury and posteromedial ankle pain due to increased ankle valgus forces. Previous work has shown that creating lower limb external rotation intrinsic to demipointe with hip external rotation reduces foot pronation that causes ankle valgus stress. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to examine long axis rotation kinematics of the hip, knee, and ankle as well as the ankle joint contact forces in demipointe to better understand the biomechanical impact(s) of the specific cue to increase hip external rotation in this position. Methods: Three-dimensional motion capture and force plate data were collected from 23 contemporary or ballet pre-professional dancers (age: 19.94 ± 1.34 years) who each performed 3 dancer-selected (DS) demipointe positions and 3 demipointes with the cue to "externally rotate from the hips." Results: The cue to increase hip external rotation resulted in significantly increased hip external rotation angle [DS: 37.5; 9.42° (median; interquartile range), Cued: 39.9; 10.8°, P < .0001)] and significantly reduced ankle eversion angle (DS: 8.13; 11.4°, Cued: 7.77; 10.3°, P = .023). However, total turnout angle was also significantly decreased (DS: 75.8; 7.91°, Cued: 75.4; 7.73°, P < .0001), which is undesirable for proper esthetic performance of demipointe. Total ankle joint force remained unchanged, but ankle eversion force was significantly reduced (DS: 15.3; 4.18 %bodyweight (BW), Cued: 14.7; 4.99 %BW, P < .0001) with use of the cue. Discussion/Conclusion: Utilization of a cue to increase hip external rotation was successful in increasing hip contribution to turnout angle and reducing injurious ankle eversion force. Further coaching using this cue may allow dancers to produce these advantageous mechanics while maintaining turnout angle.

Biomechanical Comparison of Pediatric Female Ballet Dancers With and Without Pain

BACKGROUND: Across all genres of dance, studies have reported musculoskeletal injury in 20-84% of dancers with 95% reporting a history of musculoskeletal pain. Compared to other dance styles, ballet dancers specifically are most affected by musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study is to compare movement patterns and muscle activity in pediatric female pre-professional dancers with and without self- reported pain, using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System pediatric numeric rating scale. We hypothesize dancers reporting pain will exhibit compensatory strategies, such as asymmetrical movement patterns and muscle activity, across a series of ballet movements. METHODS: A total of 55 female ballet dancers who train en pointe were seen for testing (age 14.4±1.9 years), with 34 dancers (62%) self-reported pain in the 7 days preceding testing. Biomechanical testing, performed in pointe shoes, included performance of static (5 classical ballet positions) and dynamic ballet movements (développé, arabesqué and grand jeté) while instrumented with surface electromyography (EMG) to capture muscle activity and inertial measurement (IMU) dual sensors on the trunk and lower extremities to capture movement patterns. The experimental setup allowed for measurement of trunk and lower extremity muscle activity, as well as trunk, hip, knee, and ankle joint angles in the sagittal, coronal, and transverse planes. Student’s t-test was used to compare the pain and no pain groups across all variables with statistical significance set to α=0.05. RESULTS: Movement patterns and EMG differences were seen between groups. During first and third positions, the right (non-barre sided) leg demonstrated less external knee rotation in the pain group (p≤0.05). In fifth position, the left (barre-sided) leg exhibited increased ankle flexion (p=0.048), reduced hip abduction (p=0.027), and reduced knee adduction (p=0.026) in the pain group. The pain group exhibited decreased trunk flexion/extension range-of-motion during the grand jeté (p=0.004), and increased trunk rotation range-of-motion when performing the arabesqué en pointe (p=0.034). Rectus femoris activation was reduced for the pain group on the left leg in fifth position (p&lt;0.03). The up leg in the pain group during the développé (flat) showed increased hamstring activation (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Ballet dancers with pain exhibited differences in movement patterns while performing certain ballet movements, notably during fifth position, grand jeté, and arabesqué (en pointe). Additionally, dancers with pain exhibited reduced rectus femoris activation in fifth position and increased hamstring activation on the working leg during the développé (flat). Future work should investigate how movement patterns and muscle activation in ballet dancers vary by location and severity of reported pain.

Passion and performance anxiety: How it affects the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders in dancers

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the association between the incidence of musculoskeletal disorder episodes (MDEs) and obsessive and harmonious passion as well as performance anxiety throughout a dance season, which lasted 38 weeks. DesignProspective cohort study. MethodsA total of 118 professional and preprofessional dancers were recruited and assessed at baseline, while 88 completed the follow-up. Their levels of passion and performance anxiety were assessed at the beginning of a dance season using the Passion Scale and the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory, respectively. To monitor the incidence of MDEs throughout a dance season, dancers were asked to complete a weekly electronic diary. ResultsA higher level of obsessive passion was associated with a higher incidence of MDEs causing an interruption of dance activities (β = 0.264, p = 0.022). Harmonious passion and performance anxiety were not associated with MDEs throughout the season. ConclusionsFindings of this study support the role of obsessive passion in the development of MDEs in dancers.

An Exploration of Low Back Beliefs of Male Pre-Professional and Professional Dancers.

Globally, male dancers are affected by low back pain (LBP) up to 2.5 times more than female dancers. While female dancers' beliefs around LBP and dance-specific low back movements exist, no research has explored male dancers' beliefs. This study aimed to (1) examine the low back beliefs of Australian male professional and pre-professional dancers, and (2) determine if beliefs toward common low back movements and lifting differed when current LBP or history of disabling LBP (DLBP) were considered. 40 male dancers (mean age [SD] 26.9 years [7.9]) from a range of dance backgrounds (all participating in ballet) were recruited to complete a cross-sectional survey comprising a beliefs questionnaire considering dance-specific movement and lifting tasks, the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) and the Athletic Fear Avoidance Questionnaire (AFAQ). Primary analysis included initial descriptives, a repeated measures ANOVA for movement-specific beliefs and visual thematic analysis for written responses within the belief's questionnaire. Secondary subgroup analysis included independent T-tests for those with/without current LBP and those with/without a history of DLBP. Fourteen dancers reported current LBP and 30 reported a history of DLBP. Dancers held generally negative beliefs toward the low back (Back-PAQ mean 123.1 ± 9.7) with neither subgroup demonstrating significant between-group difference (P < .05). Dance-specific flexion movements were seen as safer than extension movements (P < .05), and more extended-spine lifting was seen as safer than more flexed-spine lifting (P < .05). Dancers experiencing current LBP held less positive beliefs surrounding some dance-specific movements. Dancers hold negative general beliefs toward the low back irrespective of current or historical DLBP, however their beliefs surrounding dance-specific movements were relatively positive. Dancers' beliefs surrounding some movements were affected by the presence of current LBP, in particular an arabesque and a fish dive.

Perspectives and Experiences of Dance-Related Injuries: A Qualitative Survey of Adolescent Pre-Professional Ballet Dancers in Australia.

Objective: To explore perspectives and experiences of adolescent ballet dancers in Australia in relation to dance-related injuries and their impact, injury risk factors, prevention, and treatment. Design: Adolescent ballet dancers aged from 12 to 19 years in Australia were invited to participate in an online qualitative survey. Methods: Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed thematically using grounded theory while quantitative information was summarized with descriptive statistics and triangulated with qualitative data. Results: Nineteen adolescent dancers reported experiencing pain and multiple injuries but hiding or ignoring injuries due to fear. Dancers recognized the significant physical and psycho-social impact of dance-related injuries on themselves and others. Several risks and injury prevention strategies were identified by dancers. Dancers perceived that treatments were not always informed or effective. Conclusion: Findings suggest that adolescent ballet dancers experience multiple dance-related injuries but require support to disclose injuries, participate in injury prevention, and access treatment. Health professionals may improve quality of care by increasing their understanding of ballet and providing specific management advice. Dance teachers may benefit from further education to support their students. Clinical trials are required to confirm or negate the validity of proposed injury risks and the effectiveness of injury prevention strategies and treatments.

Jumping Asymmetries and Risk of Injuries in Preprofessional Ballet

Background: Preprofessional ballet dancers are exposed to the risk of injuries, primarily in the lower extremities, with most injuries occurring during jumping and landing activities. Interlimb asymmetry during jumping and landing activities has been associated with the injury risk in adolescent athletes, but this has not been examined in dancers. Purpose: To investigate associations between interlimb asymmetry during a double-leg countermovement jump (DL-CMJ) and single-leg jump (SLJ) and the injury risk in adolescent preprofessional ballet dancers. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Adolescent preprofessional ballet dancers (N = 255) performed 3 DL-CMJs and 3 SLJs on force plates during annual screening. Absolute and directional (separate values for left and right limb dominance) asymmetries in a set of kinetic variables during a DL-CMJ and in jump height during an SLJ were calculated. Each variable was characterized as having “high” or “normal” asymmetry according to the percentage of asymmetry (greater than or less than or equal to, respectively, the mean ± 0.5 SD) based on the present sample. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs were calculated based on the injury incidence in the subsequent academic year. Results: Of the 242 dancers that satisfied the inclusion criteria, 128 injuries were observed in the subsequent academic year. In the whole sample, 3 absolute, 7 left limb–dominant, and 1 right limb–dominant kinetic asymmetry in the eccentric, concentric, and landing phases of the DL-CMJ as well as left limb–dominant jump height asymmetry in the SLJ were associated with a significant (P < .001) increase in the injury risk (RR, 1.28-1.69 [95% CI, 1.02-2.37]). Separating by sex, asymmetries in the eccentric and landing phase of the DL-CMJ were not significant in boys, while in girls, RRs for asymmetries in the eccentric and landing phase of the DL-CMJ increased, and SLJ jump height asymmetry was not significant. Conclusion: Higher asymmetries in certain kinetic variables during the DL-CMJ and in jump height during the SLJ were associated with an elevated risk of injuries in elite preprofessional ballet dancers with some sex-specific differences. Associations were mainly identified for high left limb–dominant asymmetry in the takeoff phase, suggesting that the injury risk may be specific to a relative right limb deficit.

Investigating pre-professional dancer health status and preventative health knowledge.

Dance is a highly demanding physical pursuit coupled with pressure to conform to aesthetic ideals. Assessment of health status and preventative health knowledge of pre-professional dancers may help inform educational strategies promoting dancers' health and career longevity. The aim of this research was to establish a baseline understanding of dance students at a single pre-professional institution based on metrics focused on current health, nutrition, lifestyle, and wellbeing while also gauging knowledge of longer-term health implications. Adopting a cross-sectional study design, the Dance-Specific Energy Availability Questionnaire was tailored for Australian participants and administered online. The response rate was 59.5% (69/116 eligible students) and the survey was completed in full by 63 students. Mean BMI was 20 kg/m2, although among females, 47% had a BMI < 20 (range 16 to 25 kg/m2), and at their lowest reported weight BMI was 14 to 25 kg/m2. Over a third had either experienced (31%) or were currently experiencing (3.4%) secondary amenorrhea (period absence ≥ 3 consecutive months). Most dancers did not exclude food groups, however, 24% had been advised to exclude particular foods in the past, mostly by dance teachers. A large percentage used nutritional supplements (68%) with 60% supplementing with iron and more than half (53%) taking two or more supplements. Only 25% had ever utilised a qualified dietitian, although 16% reported a history of eating disorders and 25% reported vegetarian or vegan eating patterns. REDs risk scores ranged from -16 to +16 points with negative scores indicating LEA and higher risk of REDs. The mean score for males was 5.2 (SD = 3.9) and 2.1 (SD = 5.9) for females, with 33.3% producing a negative score. Results provide insight to health knowledge and particular issues pertinent for dancers and highlights the need for specific education strategies to promote a preventative health focus for those entering a pre-professional programme. This study also highlights the need for improved awareness of LEA and REDs among all practitioners working with dancers along with cultural and structural changes within the broader dance community to help protect and promote the wellbeing of dancers.

Injury incidence and severity in Chinese pre-professional dancers: A prospective weekly monitoring survey

ObjectivesTo determine dance injury incidence and severity in full-time Chinese pre-professional dancers. Study designProspective weekly online monitoring survey. MethodsRespondents were asked to record all dance-injury incidences between September 2020 and July 2021 using a remote weekly self-report injury monitoring tool. An inclusive definition of injury was used in this study to record all injuries, even if they didn't cause a cessation of training. Data were excluded if respondents completed <90 % of the survey period and had over 3 consecutive weeks of missing data. Results450 individuals from 11 different schools were included in the analyses. A total of 1157 injuries were reported over a 30-week academic year. Injury prevalence was 64.9 % and injury incidence was 5.51 injuries per 1000 h. Forty-eight percent of the injuries were minor severity and 41 % were of moderate severity, and the main injury sites were knees (0.89/1000 h), lower back (0.80/1000 h), feet (0.58/1000 h) and groin (0.56/1000 h). Female dancers reported significantly higher injury prevalence and injury incidence, and higher rates of moderate to severe injuries than males. The university group reported higher injury incidence than the adolescent group (p < 0.05), whereas the latter reported higher rates of moderate to severe injuries than the former (p < 0.001). ConclusionsThe injury incidence found in this study (5.1 injuries/1000 h) is higher than most previous sets of data. Female dancers are at a higher risk of injury and reported higher levels of injury severity than male dancers, especially for the female adolescent group.

Is the Symmetry of Classical Ballet Positions Perfect?

It is expected that in classical ballet dancers would be able to execute all the techniques symmetrically from the right as well as from the left side of the body. This study aimed to evaluate the symmetry of kinematic parameters of hip joints, knee joints, and foot progression angle of the left and right lower extremities (LE) in five classical ballet positions, as well as the symmetry of active and passive turnout and range of passive hip external rotation. The experimental testing involved 12 female pre-professional ballet dancers. Three measurements of range of motion, made using a standard goniometer, were carried out to characterize the study group. Kinematic data of left and right LE in the five classical ballet positions were recorded using a motion capture system. The comparisons revealed significantly lower (p < 0.01) hip external rotation values by 9.8% (1st position), 5.4% (2nd position), and 8.5-11.8% (3rd position) for the right LE than the left LE. Moreover for 3rd, 4th and 5th positions, there was significantly higher (p < 0.05) hip external rotation values by 7.0%-27.2% in the back LE than the front LE. In 4th position there was asymmetry in foot progression angle with significantly lower values (p < 0.01) by 5.3% in the front LE (left) than the back LE (right). In case of goniometric measurements, the results showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) passive hip external rotation values by 10.8% for the right LE than the left LE. The perfect ballet symmetry pursued by dancers is not in fact so ideal. The most astonishing result was the existence of statistically significant differences in hip external rotation in the case of the 1st and 2nd positions.

Lower extremity characteristics and postural alignment in young pre-professional dancers

ABSTRACT Lower extremities (LE) play a fundamental role in ballet technique, yet they are not often assessed as thoroughly as other areas of the body in the youngest pre-professional dancers. The aim of this study was to assess the functional and structural characteristics in the LE of first-grade dance conservatory students to a more thorough extent. This study included a manual assessment of LE length in supine and sitting positions, measuring passive hip internal rotation (PHIR) and external rotation (PHER), comparing PHIR/PHER between both sides, functional assessment and visual inspection of rear and forefoot, classification of joint mobility, and inspection of postural alignment. Seventy-eight young dance students (9.5 ± 2.5 years, 91% female) were evaluated. Over 60% presented LE length discrepancy in both supine and sitting positions. Asymmetry of PHIR and PHER was detected. Signs of increased pronation were observed in 62.8% of cases, and 24.4% presented indications of postural asymmetry and/or scoliosis. Including the tests performed in this study in dance screenings may help in detecting functional characteristics of LE earlier. These in turn might affect the performance of young students; but if detected early, they can be assisted with correction or treatment.

Aerobic and Anaerobic Fitness Levels of Pre-Professional Contemporary Dancers: An Exploration of 2 Dance-Specific Field Tests.

The primary aim of this study was to present descriptive heart rate (HR), heart rate recovery (HRR) and RPE data for the DAFT and HIDT within one sample of contemporary dance students. The second aim was to explore if objective (HR) and subjective (RPE) data were correlated between tests. 40 (11 males, 29 females) university dance students with a mean age of 18.8 ± 1.8 years performed the DAFT and HIDT on 2 separate occasions within 1 week. Measurements were HR after 4 minutes in all stages of the DAFT, the percentage of age-predicted maximal HR (%HRmax) of all stages of the DAFT and at the end of the HIDT, and peak HR (HRpeak) at the end of both tests. Subjective ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and HR recovery after 1 minute of rest (HRR) were determined after the tests. HRpeak of the DAFT and HIDT were 188.1 ± 11.0 and 185.3 ± 7.3 beats·min-1, respectively. There were high positive correlations between HRpeak of the HIDT and stages 3 to 5 of the DAFT (r = 0.716-0.740, all P-values < .01). HRR (r = .678, P < .01) and %HRmax (r = .746, P < .01) showed moderate to high correlations between the DAFT and HIDT. The anaerobic training zone was reached in stages 4 and 5 of the DAFT and at the end of the HIDT. The subjective RPE scores did not significantly correlate between DAFT and HIDT, neither with objective HR data. Although the DAFT and HIDT differ in intensity and work-to-rest ratio, there were high correlations between HR and HRR data of both tests and both tests reached intensities above the anaerobic threshold (%HRmax > 85%).