Prevalence of Movement Dysfunction in Female Collegiate Dancers.

Area of Science:

• Dance science
• Sports medicine
• Biomechanics

Background:

• The Functional Movement Screen (FMS™) is a tool to identify movement dysfunctions linked to musculoskeletal injury risk.
• Normative FMS™ values for dancers are currently unavailable.
• Understanding movement quality in dancers is crucial for injury prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• Establish normative Functional Movement Screen (FMS™) values for collegiate dancers.
• Determine the prevalence and types of movement dysfunctions in this population.
• Identify specific movement patterns that are least proficient among dancers.

Main Methods:

• 111 collegiate dancers were assessed using the Functional Movement Screen (FMS™).
• Data collected included FMS™ total score, number of asymmetries, and number of dysfunctional movement patterns.
• Statistical analysis was performed to determine means, standard deviations, and percentages.

Main Results:

• The mean FMS™ total score was 16.42 (SD = 1.72), with scores ranging from 11 to 20.
• 44% of dancers exhibited at least one asymmetry.
• 43% of dancers demonstrated one or more dysfunctional movement patterns, with the deep squat, hurdle step, and rotary stability being the least proficient.

Conclusions:

• Collegiate dancers frequently present with movement asymmetries and dysfunctions.
• Normative FMS™ data for dancers are needed across different genres and skill levels.
• Future research should explore the relationship between FMS™ scores and injury risk in dancers to inform intervention strategies.