The Examination of Injuries in Dancers

E. Anagnostopoulou, Eir. Argiriadou, F. Mavrovouniotis, A. Mavrovouniotis

The purpose of the present study was to examine the incidence of the injuries in dancers. A hundred and sixty eight dancers (135 women and 33 men) 23.17+6.43 years old, members of different dancing clubs, participated in the research. All the subjects participated only in dancing programs for learning, performing and practicing in any kind of dance and no other form of physical activity, and filled the instrument of measurements concerning general questions as well as questions about injury incidence. For data analysis, descriptive analysis and Pearson chi-square test of the SPSS version 17 for windows, were used. From the results it was shown that the biggest percentage of dancers take hip-hop (25.1%) and Latin American lessons (18.6%). Moreover, the dancers are involved in European dances, classic ballet, modern dance, oriental dances and Greek dances. The subjects participated in dance programs for 4.44 + 4.45 years, 3.16+1.63 days a week, for 2.29+1.30 hours a day. According to the dancers’ statements, 44.62% of them have suffered an injury. The most usual kinds of injuries are muscle strains (22.9%), muscular spasms-cramps (20.15%), callus (13.18%), sprains (12.53%), blisters (11.80%) and abrasions (11.10%). Also, in smaller percentages follow the fractures (3.48%), hematomas (3.48%) and dislocations (1.38%). The most significant causes of the injuries are poor warming-up (21.92%), fatigue (16.64%), clumsiness (15.68%), bad technique (10.48%), and concentration (10%), and in smaller percentages performance pressure (7.12%), shoes (5.2%), partner and floor (4.8% both), hour of the day (1.44%), as well as competition and space tightness (7.96% both). Most of the dancers of the present sample (34%), who had an injury, overcame it with medication, 25% needed further medical examinations and 20% overcame the injury with rehabilitation. 16% of the dancers needed rest, while fortunately, only 5% overcame the injury with a surgery. Finally, most of the dancers of the present sample (63.76%) consider that dance teachers, as well as dancing clubs, are concerned very much with injuries prevention (63.76%). Consequently, recognizing, resolving, but above all, preventing the causes of injuries is very important concerning injuries’ avoidance, good physical condition of dancers, reduction of training time loss, continuation of professional career, and continuation of dancing activity of those who have finished their career or are not professionally engaged in dancing.