Determinants of pain occurrence in dance teachers

Dance teachers are strongly dependent on their functional body in their professional practice. As yet, it has largely been unclear whether the musculoskeletal system is endangered by a dance teaching activity. Pain can be a warning signal for a health hazard. The aims of the study were (a) to determine the pain prevalence, location and assessment of dance teachers and (b) to identify determinants of pain occurrence over a 3-month period prior to the survey.

The quantitative, retrospective cohort study was conducted with n=166 dance teachers by an anonymous online survey. The data on the study sample, professional practice and pain prevalence, location and assessment were presented descriptively. A binary logistic regression was used to identify determinants of pain occurrence in the last 3 months from the sample parameters and the data of professional practice.

In the 3-month period n=143 (86.1%) of dance teachers had been in pain, often localized in the lower back and lower extremities. In the binary logistic regression model, the Body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio (OR)=1.15, 95% CI: 0.93-1.42, p=0.18), age (OR=1.03, 95% CI: 0.99-1.08, p=0.11) and the presence of disease (OR=2.81, 95% CI: 0.78-10.15, p=0.12) were identified as determinants of pain occurrence (LR-Chi²=7.8, p<0.05, pseudo R²=0.06, n=160).

Pain occurs in dance teachers under multifactorial conditions. Pain occurrence seems to be favored by context factors, such as the BMI, age and the presence of diseases. However, none of these factors could be identified as a significant, clear risk factor for the occurrence of pain in this sample. Education and preventive measures, that consider pain as a warning signal, should take effect early in the dance career.