Exploring Trends between Dance Experience, Athletic Participation, and Injury History.
Evyn Callahan, L Colby Mangum
PMID 40041527WHAT IT FOUND
Dancers with more years of experience, those who started before age 12, and those doing more ballet reported more injuries.
Doing other sports alongside dance did not lower injury counts. High training volume, not just specialization, appears to drive overuse risk.
Key findings
01Participants with more years of dance experience reported more injuries, and those who started dancing before age 12 reported more total injuries than those who started later.
02There was no difference in reported injuries between dancers who also participated in other athletic activities and those who danced alone.
03Dancers who practiced ballet reported more injuries than those practicing other styles, and higher weekly hours of ballet technique were linked to longer injury durations.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
All data was self-reported, leading to potential recall bias and inaccuracies in injury diagnosis and severity. The survey restricted participants to reporting only up to five injuries and three other sports, which may have underestimated total injury burden or activity diversity. The definition of 'non-dance related activities' was open to participant interpretation. The study design cannot prove causation; it only shows associations between training history and injury reports. Participants were largely female (315 of 339), limiting generalizability to male and non-binary dancers.
Declared interests
The authors received no financial support and report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that encouraging dancers to play other sports will reduce their injury risk. This study found no difference in injury counts between dancers who played other sports and those who danced alone. The risk appears tied to high training volume and specific ballet exposure, not just a lack of variety.