Exploring Trends between Dance Experience, Athletic Participation, and Injury History

Background and Purpose Dancers sustain substantial injury rates ranging from 0.62-5.6 injuries per 1000 dance exposure hours with 72% of these injuries attributed to overuse mechanisms. Highly technical activities like dance often require high training volumes incorporating deliberate practice from a young age which may contribute to these high percentages of overuse injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine trends between dance participation, athletic participation, and injury history. Study Design Cross-sectional survey. Methods Dancers over 18 years old with at least one year of dance experience were recruited from across the United States to complete a survey via Qualtrics. The survey included five sections addressing basic demographic information, dance experience, athletic activity history, and injury history. Relationships between variables were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test or the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. Factorial ANOVAs were also used to observe relationships between three or more groups. Results Of 424 total responses, 339 were deemed complete for analysis. Nearly 75% of respondents reported experiencing at least one injury that inhibited their dance ability. Greater total injuries were reported by participants who had more years of dance experience, those who practiced ballet, and individuals who began dance before age 12. Approximately one-third of participants exclusively participated in dance with no involvement with other athletic activities. Respondents starting dance prior to age 12 reported participation in fewer athletic activities. However, no difference in the number of injuries was observed between individuals involved in athletic activity compared to those practicing dance alone. Conclusion Increased dance exposure and associated high training volumes and repetitive movements may represent a greater risk for overuse injuries than sport specialization in dancers.