Dance Related Musculoskeletal Pathology Leading to Forced Time-Loss in Elite Pre-Professional Dancers - A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Young ballet dancers place themselves at risk of injury on a daily basis, often pushing their training beyond pain and injury. When signs and symptoms of injury are ignored, functional ability and overall health may be seriously compromised and absence from dance practice may forcibly take place. Hypothesis: There will be gender differences within forced time-loss musculoskeletal pathologies with respect to type, mechanism and anatomical location. Study design: Retrospective cohort. Level of evidence: 3. Methods: Non‐randomized observational study, over a 3 year period on a full‐time preprofessional Portuguese dance school featuring both gender students with a mean age of 14,9 years. Non‐parametric statistics were used. Results: The most prevalent diagnosis leading to forced time-loss in female dancers were Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) and Posterior ankle impingement syndrome (PAIS), whereas in male dancers these were Hallux Sprain and Lumbar Spine Joint Injuries. Differences were found in injuries' anatomical location between genders and in Incidence Proportion and Clinical Incidence between skill levels. 72,2% of insidious and 50% of acute injuries occurred in Level III students. Conclusions: With concern to forced time-loss injuries, male dancers were found to sustain more acute traumatic injuries and female dancers overuse, respectively sprains and MTSS and PAIS. Clinical relevance: Identifying which injuries are most likely to lead to forced time-loss, may be useful for helping health-care professionals in clinical decision-making and in developing more effective injury prevention and management strategies.