Lower Extremity Sprains and Knee/Ankle Injury Predominate Among Pediatric Dancers

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Sports Medicine
• Pediatric Orthopedics

Background:

• Dance is a popular activity for children and adolescents.
• Injuries are common in dance, but specific patterns in pediatric populations require detailed analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the most frequent body regions, diagnoses, and injury mechanisms in pediatric dance-related injuries across the United States.
• To compare injury patterns between different age groups (children vs. adolescents) and sexes (males vs. females).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective epidemiological analysis was conducted using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) between 2019 and 2023.
• Emergency department visits for dance-associated injuries (recreational activity code 3728) were analyzed, collecting data on demographics, injury site, diagnosis, and mechanism.
• Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, were performed to compare injury patterns across different demographic groups.

Main Results:

• Knees (20.8%) and ankles (15.8%) were the most commonly injured regions, with sprains/strains (31.4%) and fractures (12.3%) being the most frequent diagnoses.
• Impacts with the floor (37.0%) and ankle rolling (13.5%) were the primary mechanisms of injury.
• Children and females showed higher rates of knee and ankle sprains/strains, while adolescents and males had more fractures. Males also sustained more head injuries.

Conclusions:

• Knee and ankle injuries, particularly sprains and strains, are prevalent in pediatric dancers.
• Injury mechanisms commonly involve floor impacts and ankle rolls.
• Age and sex significantly influence injury patterns, with younger dancers and females more susceptible to sprains and adolescents and males to fractures.