Qualitative Analysis of Risk Factors and Foot and Ankle Injuries in Ballet Dancers
Bryanna Vesely1, Tyler Rodericks2, Sarah Mansager3
1*Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston Salem, NC.
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association
|December 2, 2022
Summary
Ballet dancers often return to dancing too soon after injuries, facing pressure and poor adherence to treatment. Understanding dancer perspectives is key to improving injury prevention and compliance.
Area of Science:
- Dance medicine
- Sports science
- Injury epidemiology
Background:
- Ballet dancers experience high rates of foot and ankle injuries.
- Limited research captures dancer perspectives on injury risk, treatment, and prevention.
- Focus groups offer a method to explore these experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore ballet dancers' perspectives on injury risk, treatment compliance, and prevention.
- To gather insights through organized focus group discussions.
Main Methods:
- Seven focus groups conducted with 47 ballet dancers.
- Discussions covered various direct and indirect injury-related factors.
- Transcripts analyzed using thematic coding into ten major themes.
Main Results:
- Dancers frequently returned to activity prematurely post-injury.
- Significant internal and external pressures influenced injury experiences.
- Treatment adherence was lacking, with perceived deficiencies in provider communication.
Conclusions:
- Findings can inform strategies to reduce ballet injuries and enhance prevention.
- Improving dancer-provider communication and adherence is crucial.
- Future research should explore targeted interventions for injury management.
