Ballet dancer's turnout and its relationship to self-reported injury.
METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the relationship between the degrees of turnout, passive hip external rotation range of motion, and self-reported history of low back and lower extremity injury in ballet dancers.


BACKGROUND
Ballet dancers are encouraged to externally rotate their lower extremities (turnout) as far as possible. This may cause stress on the dancers' low back and lower extremities, putting them at risk for injury.


METHODS
Thirty college-level ballet dancers and instructors were evaluated. Each participant completed an injury questionnaire that placed the participant either in a group with a self-reported history of low back and lower extremity injury or in a group without a self-reported history of low back and lower extremity injury. Each dancer's first-position turnout and passive external rotation range of motion for both hips were measured. The comparison between each dancer's first-position turnout and the measured hip external rotation range of motion was called "compensated turnout." A 2-sample test was used to determine if the average compensated turnout was significantly different in the injured and noninjured groups.


RESULTS
The mean (+/- SD) compensated turnout values for the injured and noninjured groups were 25.40 degrees (+/- 21.3 degrees) and 4.7 degrees (+/- 16.3 degrees), respectively. This difference was significant at P = 0.006.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on a self-reported history of low back and lower extremity injuries, ballet dancers have a greater risk of injury if they reach a turnout position that is greater than their available bilateral passive hip external rotation range of motion.
Coplan
Julie A
JA
Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics, Sinai Hospital Lifebridge Health Center, Baltimore, MD 21215, USA. JCoplan@lifebridgehealth.org
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003615:Dancing / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D025981:Hip Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires