Citation

Roberts KJ, Nelson NG, McKenzie LB. J. Phys. Act. Health 2013; 10(2): 143-150.

Affiliation

Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Human Kinetics Publishers)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

22820836

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dancing is one of the most physically strenuous activities on the musculoskeletal system. As other literature has previously described, the types, sites, and rates of dance-related injuries are similar to those suffered by athletes in traditional sports. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted with data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 1991 to 2007. Sample weights were used to calculate national estimates of dance-related injuries. Trend significance of the numbers and age-adjusted rates of dance-related injuries over time was analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS: An estimated 113 084 children and adolescents 3-19 years of age were treated in US emergency departments for dance related-injuries. Classical dance (ballet, jazz, tap, modern) accounted for 55.0% of dance-related injuries. Adolescents 15-19 years of age constituted 40.4% of the dance-related injury cases. The majority of injuries (58.1%) occurred to the lower extremities. Sprains or strains were the most common injury (52.4%) and falls were the most common mechanism of injury (44.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Dance-related injuries have distinct injury patterns and mechanisms of injury. Injury patterns differ by types of dance and by age. Further research is needed to identify injury prevention strategies specific to these age groups.

Language: en