Investigation of risk factors and characteristics of dance injuries.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to identify risk factors for the occurrence of sport injuries in dancers related to anthropometric variables, training, and specific dance characteristics.


METHODS
One-year, retrospective, cross-sectional study.


METHODS
26th Dance Festival of Joinville (Brazil), 2008.


METHODS
Five hundred dancers (409 women and 91 men) with a mean age of 18.26 ± 4.55 years.


METHODS
Dancers participating in the 26th Dance Festival of Joinville (Brazil) were interviewed using the Reported Condition Inquiry, which was previously validated and modified for dance. This questionnaire contains questions addressing the anthropometric data of the volunteers and characteristics of injuries that occurred in the past 12 months.


METHODS
The data were collected through interviews addressing the occurrence of injuries and respective characteristics. Injury was considered any pain or musculoskeletal condition resulting from training and competition sufficient to alter the normal training routine in terms of form, duration, intensity, or frequency.


RESULTS
A total of 377 injuries (75.40%) of the interviewees reported injuries in the past 12 months. The most affected anatomic segments were the ankle/foot (92 injuries; 28.75%) and thigh/leg (88 injuries; 27.50%) in classical ballet, the thigh/leg (43 injuries; 27.92%) in jazz/contemporary dance, and the knee (22 injuries; 43.14%) in tap/folk dance. The most reported causal mechanisms were dynamic overload and excessive use.


CONCLUSIONS
Age and body weight were associated with injury in jazz/contemporary dance. Height was associated with injury in classical ballet and tap/folk dance. Duration of practice was associated with injury in classical ballet and jazz/contemporary dance.
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Programa de Pós graduação em Fisioterapia, Laboratório de Fisioterapia Desportiva-LAFIDE, Univ Estadual Paulista, Presidente Prudente, Sao Paulo, Brazil. nandacampoy@hotmail.com
Fernanda Assen Soares
FA
Campoy
Lara Raquel de Oliveira
LR
Coelho
Fabio Nascimento
FN
Bastos
Jayme
J
Netto Júnior
Luiz Carlos Marques
LC
Vanderlei
Henrique Luiz
HL
Monteiro
Carlos Roberto
CR
Padovani
Carlos Marcelo
CM
Pastre
D000293:Adolescent; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003615:Dancing / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult