Journal of Dance Medicine & Science最新文献

Introduction: Dancers are aesthetic athletes with high workloads similar to sport athletes. Wearable biosensors are used in athletics to assess workload and inform training decisions to optimize performance and reduce fatigue and injury risk. While workload monitoring methods in dancers have been systematically reviewed, limited research specifically examines using wearable biosensors for this purpose. Thus, this study aims to systematically review how wearable biosensors are used to monitor workload in dancers. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, 8 databases were searched by 2 authors. Articles were included if participants were current dancers, workload was assessed during dance activity by wearable biosensors, and published in English in a peer-reviewed journal. Dancer characteristics (age, sex, anthropometrics, years dancing, training level, dance style) and methods (sessions, variables, setting, biosensor) were extracted and synthesized in an Excel synthesis matrix. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklists were used to assess the risk of bias. Results: 35 of 119 potentially relevant studies were included. Heart rate (HR) monitors (25 studies) and accelerometers (12 studies) were primarily used. 24 studies (69%) examined only objective workload and 23 studies (66%) examined internal workload. The most common dependent variable was HR (25 studies). The duration of data collection ranged between 1 and 49 days, with 26% of studies (n = 9) using a single day. High-level (14 studies) female (74.7%; n = 1342) ballet dancers (45.7%; n = 16 studies) were most assessed. Risk of bias was fair-to-moderate across studies. Conclusions: This systematic review highlights 4 primary trends across previous literature assessing workload in dancers using wearable biosensors to inform future research. First, HR monitors, followed by accelerometers, are the most common wearable biosensors used to quantify workload in dancers. Second, most studies only evaluated objective physiological (internal) workload, primarily using HR variables. Third, data were primarily collected within a timeframe of 1 to 3 days. Finally, high-level female ballet dancers were predominantly assessed.

Objectives: To explore the perceptions of dancers and the supporting staff regarding the management of dancers' health in a professional ballet company. Methods: Twenty-two dancers, health team members, artistic staff and administrators were interviewed, focusing on what is a healthy dancer, as well as the challenges and facilitators to prevent and manage health within the company. Analysis was conducted using principles of Grounded Theory. Results: Participants mentioned that being a healthy dancer was based on three main concepts: (1) achieving a dynamic balance of load through self-implemented strategies, (2) receiving support from their team and (3) navigating the aspects inherent to the professional ballet context. Dancers had to maintain a dynamic balance where they would adapt their load according to a constant assessment of their state (ie, pain, fatigue) and situations (ie, casting, opportunities, career). This dynamic balance was impacted by the support dancers receive from their entourage. They needed to establish relationships built on trust to ensure efficient communication and collaboration. Once established, the dancers' entourage contributed to their assessment and the load adaptation strategies. The assessment and adaptation of load by dancers and the support provided were also influenced by contextual elements of ballet culture, including time and financial resources. Conclusion: To provide comprehensive care for dancers and maintain a dynamic balance, it is essential to empower dancers in their self-strategies through education and creating a positive work environment where open communication is encouraged.

Introduction: Breaking, also known as breakdancing, has evolved from street culture to a structured sport, debuting in the 2024 Olympics. Despite its popularity, limited data exists on injury prevalence, types, and risk factors associated with acute and overuse injuries sustained from breaking. While existing studies offer insights into common injury patterns, they provide limited analysis of the specific mechanisms behind these injuries. This overview aims to classify acute and overuse injuries in breaking, reviewing 50 years of literature to identify risk factors and high-risk movements. Methods: The overview followed a predefined protocol using the PICO framework and was registered at OSF, targeting case reports and letters to the editor involving breakers. Databases searched included PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and EBSCO, covering literature from the 1970s to December 2023. Inclusion criteria were strictly case reports and letters to the editor that focused on injuries sustained from breaking. Results: A total of 41 papers were selected for inclusion after screening, reading and data extraction. Among these, 36 papers were reviewed in detail, encompassing acute and overuse injuries. The reported injuries involve high-impact movements, particularly affecting the upper extremities, head, neck, and back during spins, balancing, landing, and sliding. Acute injuries included fractures and dislocations, while chronic conditions involved soft tissue injuries, stress fractures, and nerve compressions. Risk factors identified in case reports included the lack of training supervision and specific breaking maneuvers like flips, spins, and balancing acts. Conclusion: This is the first overview of case reports and letters to the editor that categorizes breaking injuries based on these types of papers. It demonstrates the value of detailed medical diagnoses and standardized injury classification compared to self-reported injury data commonly found in surveys. Gaining a deeper understanding of injury mechanisms and risk factors could help promote safer practices as breaking continues to evolve as a competitive sport.

Introduction: Breaking has been included in the 2024 Olympic Games; however, research on the training and injuries of professional breakers remains limited. This study examines the profiles of competitive breakers within national squads worldwide, focusing on the defining characteristics of professional breakers qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics regarding their training patterns, mental health, and injury characteristics. Methods: Sixty-four professional breakers, 27 males and 37 females, with a mean age of 26.4 ± 4.6 years from 43 national squads participated in this study (n = 17 elite athletes ranked from 1 to 64 in the 2023 Olympic ranking; n = 30 developing athletes ranked from 65 to 600; n = 17 non-ranked athletes as they did not participate in Olympic qualification competitions after that). They completed a questionnaire regarding their training and competition habits, their mental health, and the injuries sustained from breaking. ANOVAs with post-hoc comparisons were utilized to identify group differences based on the independent variables of elite level and sex. Multinomial logistic regression models examined associations between Olympic ranking and training parameters, mental health, and injuries. Results: Elite athletes participated in more competitions than developing athletes (F(2,56) = 6.86, P = .002, ${\eta }_p^2$ = .20). Athletes across all groups experienced injuries in the previous 12 months, with muscle and joint injuries being the most frequently reported. Performing in the elite athletes' group in 2023 was significantly positively associated with the onset of breaking (OR 1.38), body conditioning (OR 2.18), and a Top 32 ranking in 2021 (OR 62.1) and significantly negatively associated with endurance training (OR 0.264), and body weight (OR 62.1). Conclusion: These findings provide insights into the profile of professional breakers qualifying for the Olympic Games, which are essential for optimizing performance, promoting health, and supporting the rapid development of this Olympic dance style.

Introduction: The purpose of this research was to compare body composition, aerobic, and anaerobic capacity values in different dance styles and gain insight into the relationships between body composition and physiological capacity in dancers.

Method: A total of 46 collegiate dancers including 10 Ballet (Male 5, Female 5), 22 Chinese Classical Dance (Male 12, Female 10), and 14 Chinese Folk Dance (Male 7, Female 7) performed body composition, aerobic, and anaerobic capacity tests. Body composition was measured by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; aerobic capacity was measured during an incremental treadmill test until exhaustion; anaerobic capacity was measured by using the standard Wingate Anaerobic Test. The independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and multiple linear stepwise regression analysis were performed.

Results: In three dance styles, male dancers presented more FFM, better aerobic and anaerobic capacity than female dancers. Female Chinese Folk dancers had higher body fat percentage and lower relative V̇O_2peak than female Ballet dancers (both P < .05). Male Chinese Folk dancers presented less FFM and absolute V̇O_2peak than male Chinese Classical dancers (both P < .05). The V̇O_2peak of Ballet dancers were similar to Chinese Classical dancers in both females and males. Anaerobic values of female Chinese Classical dancers were significantly higher than female Ballet dancers. No significant differences were found in anaerobic values of male dancers between three dance styles. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis revealed FFM was the significant predictor of V̇O_2peak (L·min^-1), peak power (W), and average power (W) for both females and males across all three dance styles.

Conclusions: The present study concluded that Chinese Folk dancers demonstrated the poorest aerobic capacity, Chinese Classical dancers demonstrated similar aerobic capacity to Ballet dancers, and Chinese Classical dancers demonstrated the best anaerobic capacity. It is suggested that dancers may benefit from maintaining relatively higher FFM for physical fitness, injury prevention and dance performance.

Introduction: Falls are a serious health concern with severe consequences in older adults. Various physical and cognitive functions are related to falls in older adults. Although studies have indicated that well-controlled ballet-based interventions could lead to physical and cognitive improvements in older adults, it remains unknown if and how recreational ballet practice in an unstandardized environment could also reap health benefits. This cross-sectional study examined the fall risk among recreational older ballet dancers relative to their non-dancer counterparts. Methods: Forty-three older adults aged 55 and older were recruited: 20 ballet dancers and 23 age- and sex-matched non-dancers. Fall risk was assessed through fall history (over the previous 12 months), physical function (Five-Time Sit-to-Stand test, Timed-Up-and-Go test, leg muscle strength, and physical activity level), and cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Results: The retrospective falls were similar between groups (P = 0.704). However, dancers were faster than non-dancers to perform the Five-Time Sit-to-Stand (P < 0.001) and Timed-Up-and-Go (P = 0.003) tests. They also exhibited stronger knee extensors (P = 0.010) and ankle plantarflexors (P = 0.031) than non-dancers. Dancers were more physically active (P < 0.001). No group difference was detected for cognition score (P = 0.205). Conclusions: The results suggest that older adults who practice ballet recreationally show better dynamic balance with stronger and more powerful leg muscles compared to non-dancers. Dancers were also more physically active than non-dancers. The findings augment our understanding of ballet's effects on improving physical functions in different environments and could help apply ballet as an intervention to prevent falls in older adults.

Introduction: Dance is a widely popular physical art form, with over 500,000 dancers spanning six continents. While dance demands various physical capabilities, there is currently no comprehensive data on the relationship between physical fitness and aesthetic competence in the Chinese dance style. This pilot study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical fitness parameters and aesthetic competence in Chinese dance among pre-professional dancers, addressing a gap in genre-specific research. Methods: Twenty-four dance students (21 female, 3 male) from a vocational dance conservatoire participated. Physical fitness was assessed through tests of flexibility, lower body power, upper and lower body strength, balance, endurance, and aerobic capacity. Aesthetic competence was evaluated by two experienced judges using a standardized tool with seven criteria. Results: Male dancers were taller, heavier, and outperformed female dancers in plank hold time, jump height, 6RM bench press, 6RM squat, and aerobic capacity, but had a smaller hip abduction angle. No significant sex differences were found in the Y-balance test or total aesthetic scores. For female dancers (n = 21), backward stepwise regression identified anterior plank hold time, 6RM bench press load, and right posteromedial Y-balance reach as significant predictors of aesthetic competence, explaining 50% of the variance (F(3,17) = 4.12, P < .05, R² = .50). ANOVA showed no significant differences in aesthetic scores across three randomized video presentations (F(2,46) = 0.82, P = .44), with moderate inter-rater reliability (r = 0.54-0.68). Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of specific physical fitness parameters, including core endurance, upper body strength, and dynamic balance, as key contributors to aesthetic competence in pre-professional Chinese dancers. These insights provide valuable direction for training strategies aimed at enhancing performance for male and female dancers.

Introduction: Screening tests are used in the dance population to assess musculoskeletal status, neuromotor function, psychological wellness, performance capacity, nutrition, and medical history. Several screening tests have been developed over the past 20 years. To date, no review of screening tests for Irish dancers has been conducted. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the screening tests utilized in the Irish dance population. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, and SPORTDiscus medical databases were independently searched by three researchers for articles using the keywords "Irish AND Danc*" AND "Test* OR assess* OR screen* OR evaluat*" Inclusion criteria was full text articles and published in English. Two independent reviewers conducted the data extraction and appraised each article using the National Institute of Health's quality assessment tests. Results: Of the 75 articles found prior to deduplication, twenty-nine articles met inclusion criteria. After full-text review, 22 articles were accepted for our review. Most of the articles (59%) achieved good-quality methodological scores, seven articles (32%) achieved fair-quality scores, and two articles (9%) achieved poor-quality scores. During the data extraction process, over 50 screening tests were identified and categorized as either a subjective or objective test or measure. Subjective screening tests were placed in one of the following categories: descriptive data, general health, eating habits, sleep habits, psychological well-being, or injury surveillance. Objective screening tests were placed in one of the following categories: anthropometric tests, strength/power tests, cardiovascular tests, functional/movement tests, flexibility/mobility tests, balance/coordination tests, or other. No screening test was found to be validated for Irish dancers. Conclusion: The content of screening tests among the Irish dance population is varied, without standardization of norms to specific age and level of Irish dancer. Future studies should focus on validating screening tests in the Irish dance population.

Introduction: Traditional dance training is designed to develop a well-balanced dancer, yet laterality has the ability to impair bilateral strength and functional symmetry. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lateral preference on elite level dancers by conducting a bilateral comparison of lower limb strength and pirouette performance. A pirouette is an essential turning skill in dance technique, wherein multiple revolutions are completed on a single supporting leg along the longitudinal axis. Methods: Eight highly trained female dancers performed three maximal effort single leg countermovement jumps (SCMJ) on each lower limb, as well as ten single pirouette en dehors in both the preferred and non-preferred directions. Results: A lateral preference questionnaire indicated a rightward bias was prevalent amongst this group of dancers for both footedness and preferred turning direction. Significantly more successful pirouettes were performed in the preferred (73%) compared to the non-preferred condition (50%). The SCMJ data demonstrated no significant differences in jump height and vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) at take-off, suggesting no bilateral strength asymmetry between the lower limbs. There were also no significant differences in any of the discrete biomechanical pirouette performance variables: displacement of the center of mass over center of pressure (COM-COP), trunk angle, knee flexion and external hip rotation of the gesture leg in retiré position, as well as GRF production and peak pelvic rotational angular velocity at push-off. However, non-significant trends toward greater COM-COP displacement at retiré (0.08 m ± 0.03 vs 0.06 m ± 0.04) and peak pelvic angular velocity at push-off (1.04 revs/s ± 0.20 vs 0.99 revs/s ± 0.22) were observed in the non-preferred compared to the preferred direction, respectively. Conclusion: Therefore, the lower success rate of non-preferred pirouettes may be a result of postural instability or the use of a less efficient weight transfer strategy.

Introduction: Jumping is a fundamental element of classical ballet, often performed with the feet turned out, in a position known as en dehors, achieved through hip external rotation. Experience level and impact attenuation strategies may play a crucial role in reducing injury risk during jump landings. This study aimed to investigate the impact during drop jump landings in en dehors versus parallel foot orientation in experienced ballet dancers. Method: Seventeen experienced ballet dancers (aged 18-31 years, with an average of 13 years of experience) and 15 controls (aged 20-32 years old) who were not dancers and did not engage in regular physical activity, participated in the study. Participants performed drop jumps from a 30 cm high block, landed on two force platforms, and immediately executed a maximum vertical jump with feet in en dehors position or parallel. Maximum vertical ground reaction force, time to reach this maximum, maximum rate of force development during drop landing, and maximum height of the jump performed immediately after drop landing were calculated and compared between groups and foot orientations. Results: Time to reach the maximum vertical ground reaction force was shorter in the en dehors compared to parallel foot orientation, with no significant group differences. Ballet dancers achieved higher vertical jumps after the drop landing compared to controls. Conclusions: Long-term classical ballet practice does not lead to lower impact landings in en dehors compared to parallel foot orientation. Ballet dancers may take more advantage of the impact and rebounding for performing the subsequent vertical jump.