Does Injury Definition Matter? The Influence of Different Definitions on Interpretations of Injury Risk among Pre-Professional Ballet and Contemporary Dancers
Abstract
Background: Dance is a physical discipline that requires artistic expression combined with athletic capacity. The blend of artist and athlete can only be achieved through rigorous training, which increases a dancer’s susceptibility to musculoskeletal (MSK) injury. Research aimed at preventing dance injuries is warranted in order to ensure long-term dance participation and associated health benefits. Although there has been an extensive amount of study in the field of dance-related injury prevention, knowledge gaps remain due to a paucity of rigorous research. Foundational to dance-related injury prevention research is the definition of injury.
Objectives: The primary objective of this doctoral research is to assess the influence of injury definition on interpretations of injury risk among pre-professional ballet and contemporary dancers.
Methods: Full-time pre-professional ballet and contemporary dancers underwent an evidence-informed, psychometrically sound, pre-participation evaluation. Prospective injury surveillance was implemented during one academic year to identify three definitions of dance-related injury (i.e., time-loss, medical attention, all MSK complaints) utilizing two injury registration methodologies (i.e., therapist-report, self-report). Potential injury risk factors were identified using classification and regression tree analysis followed by multivariable linear regression.
Results: Injury prevalence, incidence and severity of injuries impacting pre-professional dancers varies depending on the definition of injury, injury reporting methodology, and style of dance. Injuries resulting in time-loss and medical attention underestimate the burden of injury, while the prevalence of MSK complaints amongst pre-professional ballet and contemporary dancers is high. Self-reported one-year injury history is a significant risk factor for dance-related MSK complaints, and age, psychological coping skills, ankle range of motion, and dynamic balance may influence the injury risk profile of this population.
Conclusions: To understand the full impact of injury in dance, it is imperative that injury surveillance systems employ injury definitions that are sensitive enough to capture all injuries. It is recommended that future epidemiological studies examining risk factors for dance injury look beyond the linear interaction of isolated potential risk factors and employ methodological strategies that incorporate analyses examining risk patterns (i.e., interactions among multiple risk factors) to better understand the complex nature of dance injury etiology.
Description
Keywords
Dance, Epidemiology
Citation
Kenny, S. (2017). Does Injury Definition Matter? The Influence of Different Definitions on Interpretations of Injury Risk among Pre-Professional Ballet and Contemporary Dancers (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25731