The role of prediagnostic data in injury epidemiology in preprofessional dancers

Abstract

Introduction preprofessional dance training starts at very early ages, on a highly demanding environment placing students at significant risk for injury. Injury management and prevention are a matter of concern. Given the constant interchangeability of risk factors, identifying injury patterns may prove to be equally as important. Data looking back from the time of injury through context‐specific approaches are missing. Objectives To identify activity‐related injury patterns based on prediagnostic data. Methods Prospective, non‐randomized, observational study, over a 3 years period on a full‐time preprofessional dance school featuring both gender students aged 9‐21 years old. Non‐parametric statistics were used. Results A total of 625 dance injury records from 209 students, n = 68 males and n = 141 females, were analyzed. Season injury risk probability was identified, proving different for each skill level (SkL). Multiple individual injuries revealed a trend toward prevalence rates in advanced level, while index injuries incidence becomes more noticeable in entry level students. Overall incidence rates had no significant differences within SkL. Anatomical location was in line with previous research, although differences were found between gender and SkL. Most injuries occurred in classes, with jumps standing out as the main motor action associated with injury symptoms of gradual onset mechanism. Conclusion Dance injuries happen because of dance practice. Knowing the context of injury history from the injured dancer perspective is determinant for management and prevention. prediagnostic data are an umbrella term encompassing several aspects of injury background and represents fertile ground for research. Context‐specific methodological approaches are recommended.

Relationship of Extrinsic Risk Factors to Lower Extremity Injury in Collegiate Ballet Dancers

“…Most importantly, our study relied on retrospective recall, and this leaves it open to recall bias. Despite this potential bias, self-report may better reflect the injuries in dancers rather than injuries recorded in health service systems ( Moita et al, 2019 ). Jenkins et al (2002) indicated that recall periods of greater than 2 months may induce a bias and are possible to underestimate the injury.…”

“…As the dancers may not seek advice or treatment from medical professionals when the injury occurs, the incidence from an injury register may be underestimated. A questionnaire is a self-report research method often used to establish injury prevalence and incidence ( Steffen et al, 2008 ; Harrison et al, 2020 ) and may better reflect the injuries in dancers rather than injuries recorded in health service systems ( Moita et al, 2019 ). In addition, the questionnaire screening method can increase self-awareness of their limitations in dancing and determine the relationship between physical characteristics (e.g.…”

Injury Rates and Characteristics Associated with Participation in Organized Dance Education: A Systematic Review

“…The included studies were published between 1995 and 2021, though the majority (n=21) were published after 2010 (Table 1). Eight were conducted in the United States 9,[34][35][36]39,41,42,46 , four in Israel 7,38,48,49 , three in Germany 44,45,53 , two in the United Kingdom 20,33 , and nine other countries were represented by single studies 19,37,40,43,47,50,52,54 . One study utilized an online survey, but it is unclear whether this was global or restricted to a particular geographic area 51 .…”

“…Most studies (n=23) focused on dance students only 7,9,19,20,[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43]45,46,[48][49][50]52,54 , three included only dance teachers 47,51,53 and one study included both 44 . Altogether, the study samples included 4,632 dance students (3,902 female, 730 male) and 430 dance teachers (281 female, 49 male).…”

“…Injury definitions were explicitly stated in 23/26 studies, though definitions varied across the literature 7,9,19,[33][34][35][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50] . Injuries were captured if they were diagnosed by a medical professional (n=12), 7,19,33,[37][38][39][40][41][42][47][48][49] or if participants self-reported pain/injury (n=15) 9,20,[34][35][36][43][44][45][46][50][51][52][53][54] . Exposure was most often reported in units of hours/week (n=17) 7,19,35,…”