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An in-depth analysis of common injuries in dancers, focusing on the lower extremities, knee, hip, foot and ankle, and the upper extremity and cervical spine. The authors discuss the prevalence of injuries, their causes, and potential treatments, highlighting the importance of proper training, technique, and injury prevention strategies.
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Marisa Hentis PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS Brooke Winder, PT, DPT, OCS
Dancers are aesthetic athletes who are highly susceptible to musculoskeletal injuries throughout their careers. Dance requires a combination of high-level strength, flexibility, and coordination, and dancers must complete intense performance activities while simultaneously making them appear effortless. They also spend hours during classes, rehearsals, and performances repeating similar tasks in order to perfect their art form. 20%-84% of professional dancers have at least one musculoskeletal injury in their career,^1 and professional dancers can expect to be injured at least once per year. 2 Overuse injuries are common in dancers^3 likely due to the high volumes of training, decreased rest breaks, and the lack of an “off-season.” Dancers often use their “rest breaks” to supplement their training programs with summer or winter intensives or practicing multiple genres throughout the week. 4 Overtraining patterns can lead to chronic pain and overuse injuries if not addressed by a healthcare provider.
Foot and Ankle
Ankle Sprain Up to 77% of dance injuries occur in the lower extremity.5^ The foot and ankle is the most common area of injury in many dance forms,1,3^ with sprains, tendinopathies, and stress fractures occurring frequently. Ankle sprains are the most common, particularly in ballet and modern dancers.^6 This injury is often attributed to an unexpected landing from a jump or a turn, improper alignment of the foot and ankle during demi-pointe or pointe work, or poorly fitted shoes. Despite ankle sprains being common in the performing arts, many dancers do not seek medical advice and they often experience long-term problems after ankle sprains.3,
Tendinopathies and Posterior Impingement Tendinopathies or tendinitis of the foot and ankle in dancers is often related to muscle- tendon overuse and an imbalance of muscle strength. Common tendinopathies in dancers occur at the Achilles tendon and the Flexor Hallucis Longus. 5 Overuse at the Achilles tendon occurs from repetitive landing from jumps, and over-performed demi plie and grand plie. The Flexor Hallucis Longus muscle assists dancers en pointe and in demi-pointe positions. Inflammation of the flexor hallucis longus tendon can occur proximally near the rearfoot and/or distally at the great toe. Flexor hallucis longus tendinitis is so common that it is called dancer’s tendinitis by the medical community.^7 Posterior ankle impingement syndrome is also common in dancers, usually presenting as deep posterior ankle pain aggravated by both passive and active plantar flexion, and may occur concurrently with flexor hallucis longus tendinopathy. 8
Stress Fractures Repetitive loading can also be associated with stress fractures and stress injuries in dancers. Common sites include fractures of the 2nd^ metatarsal or sesamoids (common in ballet dancers) 7 and medial tibial stress injuries (common in hip hop and Irish dancers). 9,
Knee Knee injuries are the second most common injury in dance after the foot/ankle, accounting for 16% of overall injuries.^2 In hip hop, the knee is reported as the most common site for injury. Meniscal, ligament, and patellofemoral injury is frequently seen in hop hop forms, likely associated with high impact demands, acrobatic movement, deep squats, “knee drops” and “knee rolls.”9, 11, 12. Overall, traumatic knee injuries, such as ACL tears, are not as common in dancers vs. other athletes. Knee injuries in dancers are more often related to repetitive use combined with poor mechanics. A common contributing factor in ballet is when dancers force their turnout, which increases stress inside the knee. The twisting force from this compensation can lead to locking or inability to fully straighten the knee.^7 Another common injury occurs at the iliotibial band (ITB) that attaches at the knee. Increase in friction from the IT band can cause pain to the inner or outer knee with repetitive jumping, running, and change in directions.^13
Hip Labral Tears, Impingement, Snapping Hip Syndrome Hip injuries are also common with dancers, and tend to occur with female-identifying dancers more than male-identifying dancers.2,14^ Hip injuries are complex and often multifactorial. Contributing factors to hip injuries include genetics, bony alignment, body type, muscle strength, and flexibility. Forcing turnout in dance class can be a common factor in hip pain. This compensatory strategy can lead to hip impingement, labral irritation, or snapping hip syndrome. Hip impingement is described as a pinching sensation at the front or side of the hip with basic movements such as passé, developpé, or battements. This condition typically occurs due to weakness in the gluteal muscles or altered activation patterns of the quadriceps and hip flexors. Dancers with labral irritation may experience a catching or locking sensation in the hip, causing them to suddenly stop and readjust their hip in order to proceed with dancing. 5 Snapping hip syndrome occurs when ligaments or muscular tendons roll over the bones of the hip to “click” or “snap” with repetitive motions. Internal snapping hip syndrome refers to the iliopsoas tendon rubbing over the head of the femur, and external snapping hip syndrome typically involves the iliotibial band and the greater trochanter of the femur. Typically, treatment focuses on developing balanced muscle strength and coordination around the hip. 7
Hip Muscle Strains Muscular strains in the hip are common with repetitive battements, leaps, or high kicks. The most common muscles to strain in dancers are the iliopsoas muscle, or hip flexors, and the gluteal or hamstring muscles. Proper dance mechanics should be addressed to limit reoccurring of strains in the future 7 with a focus on balanced strengthening and eccentric loading as appropriate.